About

Andrea began practising yoga and meditation at a mountain monastery while living and working in Japan in 1998 - a spark that ignited her lifelong passion for the practice. She continued to deepen her understanding of the practice while living self-sufficiently on a remote Fijian island for five years, experiences that taught her to value yoga as both a personal and transformative discipline and provided the catalyst for her training.

After moving to Australia, Andrea trained intensively with a variety of teachers and styles. She became a certified teacher studying with John Oligive at Byron Yoga (2010 -2012) and worked with Sue-ellen Kohler at Black Lotus Yoga Studios, Sydney (2012-2018). For the past fifteen years she has trained with Peter Thomson, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher whose guidance continues to shape her approach to the practice.

Andrea is a Level 3 Senior Registered Teacher with Yoga Australia and holds a degree in Health and Physical Education. A dedicated practitioner, she is passionate about sharing her understanding of the yoga practice with her students and guiding them to experience the physical, mental and emotional benefits of the practice.

Yoga is for everyBODY regardless of age, gender, fitness level, physical condition or injury. What’s important is understanding how to practice safely without strain and how to adapt the practice to suit your individual needs.

The style of yoga teach is based on clear, practical principles of biomechanics - how the body aligns with gravity, bears load, and meets the ground for support. Rather than trying to move into what we think a posture should look like, we learn to feel our way from the point of contact with the mat.

From that starting point, we use the body’s own weight (load) to create support within the muscular tissue, which initiates a natural extension, an internal lengthening and energy generation that moves through the skeletal system nourishing it and realigning the joints and muscles of the body from a stable base. This extension travels naturally through to the greatest areas of resistance in the body in terms of muscle tightness and system congestion, releasing them to then balance left and right side of the body and allowing an even flow of energy and continuity of feeling throughout the system.

Through this process of realignment, the body begins to function as it was naturally designed to - before habits and thinking patterns caused tightness and congestion. When joints are properly aligned, the body moves with greater ease and efficiency using less energy. In this approach, yoga postures (asana) are not fixed physical shapes where surface muscles are stretched, but energetic structures - way of directing energy throughout the body so it functions as an integrated system.

This is also a training of the nervous system, a reconnection between the body and mind. Here, the mind is not a cognitive or thinking brain process, rather it is awareness expressed through sensation and feeling. Through this, the practice offers profound benefits and support for mental and emotional wellbeing, helping us to quiet the thinking brain to bring us fully into the present moment.

Equipment such as belts, blocks, bolster, chairs, blankets, rope wall assist to reduce and balance load, ensuring the weight doesn’t exceed what can be supported. This makes the practice safe, sustainable and accessible for everybody regardless of age, ability or physical condition.

When the body’s load is supported, we prevent weakness, pain and strain allowing healing to energe naturally. This approach then, functions as yoga therapy supporting injury rehabilitation and adapting safely for pregnancy.

  • Yoga is a complete body maintenance program– it allows tight muscles to lengthen becoming more flexible, stronger and less prone to injury. by creating space in the joints this approach enhances range of motion and overall mobility. As the body develops flexibility and strength, so too does the mind - an effect that naturally flows into every aspect of our lives.

  • The postures (asana) align our bones and joints, supporting better posture and balance with less muscular effort, allowing the body to move with ease, like a well oiled machine.

    Good alignment also enhances circulation and supports bone density through weight bearing. When the body is properly aligned, energy can flow more evenly and efficiently throughout the whole system.

  • The muscular system contains and directs energy through the skeletal and nervous systems. This has a calming and soothing effect and supports healthy nervous system regulation. People report sleeping better after practising yoga and over time the practice significantly improves the ability to relax.

  • The way we pace our postures shapes both body and mind. Longer periods build endurance, concentration, while shorter more dynamic sequences develop fluidity and responsiveness. Together these approaches create a balanced practice that strengthens, energises and harmonises the whole system, both on the mat and in everyday life.

  • Yoga postures are grouped according to the different effects they have on the body and mind. Sequences are carefully tailored to suit each individual, taking into account factors such as menstruation, injuries, pregnancy, and overall health as well as external considerations like the time of the day, climate and season. Intentional sequencing ensures a safe, balanced and effective practice every time.

Yoga is a comprehensive body maintenance program- and that’s just the beginning! It provides a valuable skill set for life offering a holistic approach to physical, mental and emotional well-being, all in one practice.