INTERVIEWS: Hospitality Without Walls by Yogi and Entrepreneur, Denise Sehwani Gonzales

Hospitality extends far beyond hotels and restaurants—it is about creating spaces where people feel welcomed, cared for, and inspired. In today's evolving landscape, wellness has become an integral part of the hospitality experience, offering guests opportunities to reconnect with themselves while fostering genuine care and human connection.

In this edition of Discovering Hospitality Talk, we feature Denise Christine "Deepika" Sehwani Gonzales, a yoga teacher, retreat facilitator, lightworker, and the "Fierce Lady of Wellness." Through her work, Denise embodies the spirit of hospitality by creating transformative experiences that nurture both body and mind. Her journey from embracing yoga as a personal practice to building a purpose-driven wellness business reflects a deep commitment to serving others with compassion, mindfulness, and authenticity.

Guided by the belief that wellness is both a personal journey and a shared responsibility, Denise has dedicated her career to helping individuals rediscover their most authentic selves—one class, one retreat, and one mindful breath at a time. In this interview, she shares her inspiring journey into yoga, her philosophy on wellness and entrepreneurship, and how her passion for healing continues to shape meaningful experiences that leave a lasting impact on every person she meets.

1. Can you tell us about your journey into yoga?

I was introduced to yoga when I was in high school through VCDs with a guru named Alan Finger. This was in the 90s. I enjoyed how it made me feel. I was re-introduced to yoga during college with a guru from the Ananda Marga community. He would come over to my house and do classes for us.

In 2017, I was the branch manager of Beyond Yoga Quezon City and was able to take my certification program there. Through the years, yoga has always been a practice that I go back to. I love how it involved the mind, body and spirit in its teachings.

2. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

My Indian grandfather, Robert Sehwani, would always talk to me about having my own business and being my own boss. He inspired me to become an entrepreneur. I started my own business, Indigobaby, with my best friend Monica Eleazar-Manzano in 2007 shortly after we had our firstborns. That was the beginning of my life as a mompreneur and I will forever be grateful for that journey. We also started FLOW Retreats in 2009 with our soul sister Noelle Hilario. 

As the kids grew up and priorities changed, I was led back into yoga and became certified to teach in 2018 under the lessons of Anna Carbonell, Rianna Gatus,Bea Gomez-Dey and other amazing teachers at Beyond Yoga Quezon City. I started teaching full time pre-pandemic and I loved it. I founded YogaATBP in 2020 and our goal is to bring health and wellness to all, one class, one person at a time.

YOGA ATBP is a heart-led, professional collective of yoga and movement instructors, energy practitioners, and wellness facilitators dedicated to promoting holistic health through breath, movement, and mindfulness. We offer a range of wellness classes and programs designed to support individual and organizational well-being. We serve a vision of creating a healthier, more connected world—one person at a time.

3. How do you define hospitality, and how does it influence the experiences you create for your clients?

Hospitality, to me, is making people feel safe, comfortable and seen. As a yoga teacher or someone in the service industry, it is essential to let students know they are safe with me.

My classes are adjusted depending on the level of my students and I always do my best at making them have a good experience by offering modifications to the poses as needed.

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