Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria “Tori” Anito.
Hi Victoria “Tori” , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey began in 2017 when I stepped onto a yoga mat for the first time, not knowing it would become the foundation of my life’s work. At the time, I was seeking something deeper while navigating through a realm of turbulence; an anchor, a practice that would bring me home to myself and back into my body. Yoga quickly became that space of remembrance, and over the years, my practice evolved from a personal refuge into a calling to guide others.
I began teaching yoga and sound healing professionally in 2021, blending movement, Pranayama breath-work, and live music to create immersive healing experiences. Sound has always been a sacred part of my life; as a musician, singer, songwriter, and poet, I’ve found that weaving live vocals into my offerings deepens the connection between mind, body, and spirit.
Throughout my journey, I’ve facilitated over 20 workshops, facilitated both women’s and co-ed healing retreats, and shared sound healing and restorative practices with thousands of individuals. I’ve had the honor of working with hospitals, corporate wellness programs, and yoga studios, always with the intention of creating spaces where people can reconnect with themselves.
My path has taken me across the world, from deepening my studies in the Yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh, India, where I completed my advanced yoga teacher training, to preparing for my next chapter in the High Amazonian jungle in Peru, where I’ll be leading 200 hour Yoga teacher trainings alongside an incredible team later this year.
Whether I’m guiding a student through their first breath-work session, creating a space that allows one to simply witness, observe, and seek restoration in a sound bath, or sharing movement as a form of devotion, my work is rooted in integral service. My mission is to create spaces for one to truly receive soul level nourishment, encouraging others to come home to themselves, just as I did.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been anything but smooth, but I’ve come to see the challenges as necessary initiations; each one shaping me into the teacher, musician, and guide I am today.
One of the biggest struggles has been balancing my personal evolution with my offerings. Early in my journey, I felt the pressure to always have the “right words” or present myself as a perfectly curated teacher. I was once told that my words were like flowers blooming from my head, and while that was a beautiful sentiment, it unknowingly put me in a box. I found myself prioritizing poetic expression over simply being present. It took time to unlearn that and trust that my authenticity was enough; that the wisdom of the moment didn’t need to be dressed up in elaborate language.
Financially, the path of a Yoga teacher, sound healer and creative isn’t always easy. There were times I had to navigate financial uncertainty while staying devoted to my practice. Investing in my continued education, traveling to deepen my knowledge, and building my offerings all required faith that the work would sustain me. There were moments of doubt and sometimes I feel the doubt creep in, but each time, I take myself back to my “why”— because this work isn’t just a career, it’s my calling, my dharma, my purpose here on earth.
Another challenge has been stepping into the unknown. Whether it was traveling to India for my advanced training, trusting that my sound healing work would reach the right people, or preparing for my upcoming time in Peru, I’ve had to surrender to the uncertainty that comes with growth. Oftentimes life will lead us to stand at the threshold of faith, it takes courageous audacity to leap into the unknown because discomfort often leads to profound growth and trust. So I do.
Despite the struggles, I wouldn’t trade this path for anything. It’s taught me resilience, trust, and the power of showing up; even when the road is unclear, even when you feel as if you’re barefoot on an open road with no map…every challenge has deepened my devotion to service for humanity, and for that, I’m abundantly grateful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is rooted in creating spaces of deep connection and remembrance. Through yoga, I offer a practice that is both physically empowering and deeply restorative, and through sound healing, I weave live vocals, crystal sound bowls, a Shruti box, Native Flute and other various instruments to create immersive healing experiences.
At the preface of each journey I lead, I begin by bringing practitioners into the realm of noticing; not leaving anything at the door, but welcoming the entirety of their human experience into the space. Here, everything is met with love, witnessed without conclusions or labels. I invite people to tune into the symphony inside; the one most have forgotten to hear—while being surrounded by support throughout that process. My classes and sessions are not just about movement or music; they are about cultivating presence, about remembering the wholeness and potential that already exists.
Within my classes, we open the space together. We create a container of safety for ourselves and for those around us; the ones to our left and right, in front and behind, their prayers, their struggles, the silent and the spoken, all welcome here. We root ourselves in connection to Mother Earth, feeling the steadiness beneath us, the groundedness that the world’s hustle and bustle often tries to pull us away from. In this space, we reclaim that stillness, that knowing.
What sets me apart is my ability to merge these modalities in a way that feels both sacred and accessible. I don’t just guide movement or play sound; I channel energy, meet people where they are, and invite them into an experience of self-discovery. My voice is my instrument, and I use it intuitively to help people shift stagnant energy, soften into themselves, and remember all of the facets that fuse together the essence of who they are.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the community; the family I’ve built through this work. And when I say family, I do not say it lightly; I say it with strength. Family is felt in the moments when a student cries in my arms after class, expressing how they felt safe for the first time in years. In the moments when a student shares that they chose to come to class instead of sitting down with a bottle. In the moments when grief is felt and acknowledged, not pushed away.
“To be with what is, is to shake the hand of what we are experiencing and thank it—for teaching us what exists beyond the boundaries it creates.” One of my favorite authors, Yung Pueblo quoted that in his book, “Inward” that I read years ago, and its resonance still continues.
But beyond the accolades and experiences, what I’m most proud of is the way I show up. I’ve stayed true to my path, even when it was uncertain. I’ve followed my heart, even when it led me into the unknown. And I’ve remained devoted; not just to my own growth, but to holding space for others as they walk their own journeys of healing and transformation.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that most people who know me or my work might not know is that, despite the way I hold space for others, I didn’t always feel comfortable taking up space myself. In my early 20’s, I struggled with depression and anxiety, and at times, it felt like I was drowning in my own mind and conditioning. That struggle was the propeller that sent me to unroll my mat for the first time; not because I was seeking “enlightenment”, but because I was searching for something, anything, that could help me feel a little less lost in my mind and body. I had no idea that the first moment of sitting with myself, of moving my body with my breath, would change the course of my life.
Holding space for deep transformation and guiding people through their inner worlds comes naturally to me, but in my personal life, I deeply value solitude and quiet moments of reflection. While I pour my heart into my classes, sound baths, and retreats, I also cherish the stillness between it all; the time spent journaling, writing poetry, being in nature, or simply breathing with the trees and birdsong.
Another thing that surprises people is that my path almost looked very different. Before fully stepping into this work, I considered pursuing a different career, unsure if I could truly sustain myself through yoga, sound healing, and music financially. But something in me always knew; this was never just a passion; it was a calling. I thrive in community, in shared experiences, and in weaving together spaces where people feel what it is that is yearning to be felt. Choosing this path wasn’t always easy; emotionally, or financially. There are days when I still struggle with both, but every moment of doubt led me back to trust. And now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Onward and upward I traverse, with presence and authenticity as the steady heartbeat of it all.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: torigraceanito
