Jeannine discovered yoga in 1999 after training for a marathon and experiencing the need to bring about balance and flexibility. Immediately connecting with the practice, it became a nightly routine that she invited others to join. She began facilitating a home practice where the joy of passing on the gift of yoga became as sweet as the practice itself.
Since receiving certification as a yoga instructor in 1999,
Jeannine has continued to study and practice varying forms of yoga, including Hatha, Ashtanga, and Bikram. This exploration of style and philosophy is a reflection of her readiness to learn from many perspectives and viewpoints. She is currently registered with Yoga Alliance as an E-RYT 500, Experienced Yoga teacher and Experienced Yoga Teacher Trainer. In 2012 she founded Essencia Yoga Wellness Center as a place to teach others the gifts of yoga and to develop highly qualified new yoga teachers. The five principles highlighted in the Sivananda method of yoga are the basics from which she builds her curriculum:
- Proper exercise (Asanas)
- Proper breathing (Pranayama)
- Proper relaxation (Savasana)
- Proper diet
- Proper thinking
Jeannine has a unique multicultural focus, having been born to Argentine parents and raised in EL Salvador and Guatemala, educated in the United States, and having served long-term in volunteer work in Morrocco, South Korea, Nepal and other short - term locations, sprinkled around South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Jeannine now lives with her family in the Chicago area, and strives to live life at its essence as she seeks to impart the gifts she has been entrusted with to her surrounding community and beyond.