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, a Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher who taught her an understanding of asana as an energetic structure, an approach that continues to inform and enrich her practice today.

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.

The style of yoga I teach is for everyBODY regardless of age, gender, fitness level or physical condition. The method teaches you how to practice in a safe and supportive way that feels nourishing, energising and empowering meeting you exactly where you are - every time.

How it Works - Understanding the Method

The style of yoga I practice and 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 bones, 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 cause variations outside of our original structure. When the body is properly aligned, it moves with greater ease and efficiency using less energy. In this method, yoga postures (asana) are not fixed physical shapes where surface muscles are stretched, but energetic structures - a way of directing energy throughout the body so it functions as an integrated system.

This style is also a training of the nervous system, a reconnection between the body and mind. Here, the mind is not a cognitive thinking or a 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 and bring us fully into the present moment.

Equipment such as belts, blocks, bolster, chairs, blankets, rope wall assist to reduce and balance load (weight of the body), ensuring the laod 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 emerge naturally. This approach then, functions as yoga therapy supporting injury rehabilitation and adapting safely for pregnancy.

  • Muscles lengthen, strengthen, and develop improved tone so the body becomes more flexible, resilient and less prone to injury. Space is created (literally) in the joints enhancing range of motion and overall mobility. As the body grows stronger and more flexible, so too does the mind - developing resilience, presence and opening space for new perspectives.

  • The postures (asana) align our muscles, bones and joints creating 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 and extension throughout the skeletal and nervous systems. This naturally creates a calming, soothing effect and supports healthy nervous system regulation. Many people notice better sleep and over time the practice significantly improves the body’s ability to relax.

  • The pacing and duration of the postures support both physical and mental development. Longer-held positions build endurance, focus and steadiness as we learn to maintain the body’s load with support. Shorter more dynamic sequences cultivate fluidity and responsiveness. Together these create a balanced practice that strengthens resilience - equipping us with the physical and mental capacity to meet life’s challenges with greater clarity and ease.

  • 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 to ensure 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.