By Damian Martinez, journalist at G&M News.
In March 2021, Emilie Zamponi felt the need for a change. She had grown tired of working in front of a computer and needed a break, something meaningful. It felt like she had to “disconnect to find a true connection,” seeking a healthier path both physically and mentally for the long run. The question she asked herself was: “How can I help myself in order to help the others?”
That’s when Emilie decided to book a one-way ticket to Bali to study yoga for three weeks. “I trained for 8 hours a day for 21 days straight, without a break. I had never done yoga before. I chose a teacher training course to dive deeply into the practice, and I enjoyed it so much that I completed three more courses, including ones in South Africa and Thailand. I loved every aspect of it, especially the yoga philosophy and the Buddhist way of thinking and living,” she shared.
What captivated her the most was the reality behind the practice. She had heard so much about ancient yoga and its introduction to modern society, but she realized that the full meaning of yoga is not truly understood until it is practiced. What does it mean to switch it off? What is resetting? What does spending time alone really signify? What is love? We often hear that living in the present moment and letting go are key to happiness, but what do these concepts really mean? We are aware of them, but we rarely know how to incorporate them into our daily lives.
A lifestyle to share experiences
“I don’t practice yoga as much as I used to, unfortunately. When I returned from my travels, I wanted to teach yoga full-time, but I realized it would be too difficult to maintain its meaningful essence if it became a business. I didn’t want it to become an obligation, but rather a lifestyle where I could share my experiences in a healthy and natural way,” Zamponi explained. For this reason, she decided to teach yoga alongside her work as a form of therapy and on a charitable basis, where the proceeds go to those in need.
In fact, yoga and its philosophy have taught her a lot about herself, helping her to appreciate both her strengths and flaws through forgiveness and love. “It may sound like a cliché, but nobody teaches us how to understand the world and people in general. There’s no school or manual for that,” the executive admits. One must navigate life’s path, with its ups and downs, learning from experiences and mistakes. This applies to love as well; to love others, one must first love oneself.
Union with the divine
Taking a closer look at the word, ‘yoga’ means “union with the divine.” Emilie delves deeper into this concept by stating: “It’s a school of life that teaches love as a divine force, something that each of us holds within. We all function differently; we are unique and diverse yet driven by good intentions. Although we may not always know how to communicate or express our emotions, we share a similar purpose: to love and be loved.”
She ends her story by expressing: “Yoga has helped me observe and understand the difference between love and ego, which has improved my relationships as a daughter, sister, colleague, leader, and manager.”
An experienced executive
Emilie started in the gaming industry 13 years ago as an Account Casino Manager for an Italian platform and continued her journey on the B2B side of the iGaming business at the commercial department of Yggdrasil Gaming, Quickspin and RNG Foundry.
From August 2022 on, she has been working as Regional Director for Southern Europe and Latin America at well-established online gaming provider Play’n GO where, together with her team, she uses her talent and ability to help grow the company’s business in these regions.