Willow yoga brisbane

It’s taken me a few weeks to pull together some of the threads from our recent Wintering Women’s Yoga Retreat…

And honestly, I’m still being fed by the magic of what we co-created over those four days.

There is something incredibly powerful about women coming together and, for a little while, closing the windows and doors to our external lives.
Stepping away from the noise.
Lighting the fire.
Creating warmth around us… and remembering the fire that lives within us, too.

Over four beautiful days, we slowed down.
We rested.
We moved.
We breathed.
We laughed… a lot.
We cried too.
We sat in silence during tea ceremony, were nourished with the most incredible food, and were cared for with massages, facials and so much love.

Around the fire, we released what had become too heavy ~ what we were no longer willing to carry into the next season of our lives.
And then… we let it go.

There was connection.
Clarity.
Stillness.
Tenderness.
And a remembering of the way back to ourselves.

At the end of our final practice, after Savasana, I found myself in tears. I think I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of it all… and by the trust these women place in me.

Women saying yes to themselves.

Giving themselves permission to step away from the constant doing, caring, giving and holding it all together.

And of course, none of these retreats would be what they are without my beautiful dream team. 💙
Thank you to Tash and Tom, who nourished us so incredibly with their beautiful food… Jodie, who brought her magic through massage and facials, offering the women time to soften and receive… and Heidi, for the beautiful stillness and ritual of our tea ceremony.

Each of you brings something so special to these retreats, and I am deeply grateful to create alongside you. ✨

And to this sacred place that continues to hold us so beautifully… I honestly can’t imagine gathering anywhere else.

Thank you to every woman who joined us.
Thank you for trusting me.

Thank you for saying yes to yourselves.
And thank you for reminding me, once again, of the power of coming together… slowing down… and finding our way home to ourselves.

Wintering. Resting. Releasing. Remembering.

Meditation has been one of the biggest game changers in my life. 💫

But it hasn’t always been easy.

It took me a long time to find a consistent meditation practice. I’ve now had a regular sitting practice for around six years, and these days my system genuinely craves it and looks forward to my morning practice ~ mostly!

My practice has ebbed and flowed through different seasons of life, and I’m sure it will continue to change as life changes.

For me, my morning practice creates space for my mind to digest and settle from the day before. It feels like a clearing out ~ making space to meet the day ahead with a little more clarity, presence and possibility.

And I’ve come to believe that everybody can meditate.

It just might not look the same for everyone.

We each have a unique nervous system, a unique life and different things that support us. The time of day, the length of practice, the style of meditation and even whether we begin with stillness or movement can all make a difference.

Sometimes we need to move before we can be still.
Sometimes we need breath.
Sometimes a mantra, sound, visualisation or a simple point of focus.

There is no one perfect way.

This Saturday, I’m offering my Yoga for Mental Health workshop for this quarter:

🌿 Meditation & The Art of Stillness
Saturday 29 August | 1:00–3:30pm
SoHo Yoga

A practical, compassionate and experiential exploration of meditation for modern life.

We’ll explore a variety of meditation practices, breathing techniques and gentle movement to prepare the body and mind for meditation ~ with space to notice what feels supportive for you.

You’ll also receive a workbook to take home, so you have the teachings, practices and reflections to return to in your own time.

No previous yoga or meditation experience is needed.
Everyone is welcome.
Nothing to get right or wrong.

Come as you are. Come curious.

There is no perfect meditation ~ only the practice of beginning again. 🩵

Bookings & details via Soho Yoga or bio.

What if stillness doesn’t always feel safe?

Stillness can be a deeply restorative state ~ the kind we might experience at the end of yoga, in meditation, when falling asleep, or during an intimate, connected moment with another person.

But for some of us, stillness can feel surprisingly challenging.

If your nervous system has become accustomed to being on alert, slowing down and becoming still can sometimes feel vulnerable or uncomfortable. Simply telling yourself to “sit still” or pushing through can actually create more activation, anxiety or disconnection.

So rather than forcing stillness, what if we approached it with curiosity?

At my upcoming Art of Meditation & Stillness workshop, we’ll explore gentle movement, breath, and simple tools that can help us create the conditions for settling ~ without forcing, pushing or needing to get anywhere.

From this place, we can begin to explore what stillness feels like in our own body ~ and perhaps discover that stillness can become a doorway into meditation.

✨ Nothing to get right or wrong.
✨ No previous yoga or meditation experience needed.
✨ Come exactly as you are.

Everyone is welcome. 🩵

The Art of Meditation & Stillness ~
A trauma-informed, experiential workshop at sohoyogabne.

Come with curiosity. Leave with practices you can explore in your own way.

Bookings & information via sohoyogabne.
Saturday 29th August 1-3.30pm.

You belong here. 💫
Humans are wired for connection.
To feel seen.
To feel heard.
To feel welcomed.
To feel that we belong.

I believe belonging is a birthright ~ not something we have to earn by being a certain way, looking a certain way or having it all together.

When you enter a space I’m holding, my hope is that you can arrive exactly as you are.
No mask.
No labels.
No performance.
No right or wrong way to arrive.
You don't need to be your best self.
You don't need to be calm, happy, flexible or “good at yoga.”
You can arrive tired. Messy. Quiet. Curious. Wobbly. Joyful. Unsure.
Showing up is enough.

There is something powerful about being in a space where you don't have to become someone else to belong.

You can simply be.
And be welcomed.
And held.
And reminded:
You belong. 🩵

…. everyBody is welcome to join me at
my upcoming community offerings ✨

Meditation & the Art of Stillness Workshop
Soho Yoga | Brisbane
August 29th 1-3.30pm
bookings SoHo Yoga

25-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher
Amber Tree Yoga | Brisbane
October 10–11 & October 17–18
bookings Amber Tree Yoga and Retreats

"I can't meditate... my mind is too busy."
This is probably the sentence I hear more than any other.

Somewhere along the way, many of us came to believe that meditation means sitting cross-legged like a Zen monk, perfectly still, with a completely quiet mind.

What if that's only one way?

Meditation can absolutely look like sitting in stillness, and it can be a deeply powerful practice.

But it can also look like…
Walking mindfully in nature.
Painting, drawing or colouring.
Gentle movement.
Swimming.
Pausing to take five slow, conscious breaths before responding instead of reacting.

Meditation is less about how you look and more about how you are relating to the present moment.

There is now a wealth of research showing the benefits of meditation. Regular practice can help improve concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, support emotional well-being, create more space between stimulus and response, and gently settle an overactive mind.

At the same time, it's important to recognise that not every meditation practice feels supportive for every person. Some practices can actually feel activating, particularly if you're carrying stress, trauma, or a dysregulated nervous system.

This is why we don't simply tell ourselves to "sit still."

Instead, we become curious.

✨ What movement helps my body settle?
✨ What helps my mind feel less busy?
✨ Would breath awareness, counting, a mantra, visualisation, or sound help support my attention today?

There isn't one perfect meditation practice.

There is only the practice of discovering what works for you.

In my upcoming Art of Meditation & Stillness workshop at SoHo Yoga, we'll explore the science behind meditation, gently unpack common misconceptions, and most importantly, experience a variety of practices together.

This is an experiential workshop. You'll have the opportunity to notice, with curiosity and without judgement, how different practices affect your own body, mind system.

No previous yoga or meditation experience is needed - just an open mind and a willingness to explore.

I'd love to share these practices with you.

More information and bookings can be made through Soho Yoga - www.sohoyoga.com.au/whats-on/yoga-for-mental-health. 🩵

Have you ever found yourself saying...
“Why did I react like that?”
“I knew what I wanted to say... but nothing came out.”
“I just shut down.”
“I couldn’t stop overthinking.”
“I knew I needed to rest, but I just kept pushing.”
Perhaps there was never anything “wrong” with you.

Perhaps your nervous system was simply doing exactly what it was designed to do...
Protect you.
One of the most powerful moments in this training is learning to map your own nervous system.
Noticing what regulation feels like in your body.
Recognising the early signs of activation before overwhelm takes over.

Understanding your unique cues of fight, flight, freeze or fawn ~ not with judgment, but with curiosity and compassion.
Because when we understand our own nervous system, something begins to shift.

We pause before reacting.
We become kinder to ourselves.
We recognise what we need in the moment.

And from that place, we’re able to show up differently for the people we love, teach, care for, and work alongside.

This is why I believe trauma-informed practice isn’t only for yoga teachers.
It’s for parents.
Partners.
Healthcare workers.
Counsellors.
Educators.
Carers.
Leaders.

And really... for anyone who wishes to understand themselves a little more deeply.
Throughout this training, we’ll explore practical, evidence-informed tools that you can begin using immediately in everyday life gentle movement, breath, orienting, rhythm, rest, Yoga Nidra, and nervous system mapping.
Not to become calm all the time.
But to become more adaptable.
More resilient.
And more able to respond to what is happening in this moment with awareness rather than autopilot.

🌿 25-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher
📍 Amber Tree Yoga | Brisbane
🗓️ October 10–11 & October 17–18

A small, intimate group (maximum 8 participants), allowing time for learning, self-enquiry, embodied practice, and connection.

If understanding your nervous system feels like something your heart has been quietly seeking, I’d love to welcome you.
🔗 Learn more & to book ~ https://ambertreeyoga.com.au/yoga-workshops/traumainformed/

Winter has a quiet wisdom. ❄️

Nature isn’t trying to bloom right now. It isn’t rushing or striving. It rests. It conserves its energy. It turns inward.

Yet for many of us, winter can feel no different from any other season. The calendar remains full. The to-do list grows. Our nervous systems continue to carry the pace of a world that rarely slows down.

The truth is, slowing down isn’t always easy.
For many people, stillness can feel uncomfortable. Rest can feel unfamiliar. Sitting quietly with ourselves can sometimes be the hardest practice of all. And that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It simply means you’re human.

What I’ve learnt over the years is that stillness isn’t something we force. Rest isn’t something we have to earn. They are practices we gently return to, again and again, with kindness and curiosity.

This August, I’ve created two different spaces to explore exactly that.

One is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of meditation in a practical, accessible way. Together we’ll explore what meditation really is (and isn’t), why the mind doesn’t need to be quiet, and simple practices you can weave into everyday life.

The other is a beautiful evening of candlelight, restorative yoga and Hygge with Kelly Hankin ~ an invitation to be wrapped in warmth, comfort and community. To put down your phone, soften your shoulders, breathe deeply, and simply be.

Perhaps this winter is asking something different of you.
Not to do more...
But to pause.
Not to become someone else...
But to come home to yourself.
If either of these offerings speaks to where you are right now, we’d love to welcome you ~ both are held at SoHo Yoga Brisbane.

🩵Hygge: A Restorative Winter Evening with Kelly Hankin & Nic — 1st August 6.30-9pm
🩵Meditation & The Art of Stillness ~ 29th August 1.30-3.30pm

https://www.sohoyoga.com.au/whats-on

What if becoming trauma-informed wasn’t just about teaching yoga...
..but about learning how to care for yourself more gently?

What if it changed the way you spoke to your children...
your partner...
your students...
your colleagues...
and perhaps, most importantly...
yourself?

So often when we hear the words trauma-informed, we think it’s something only therapists or yoga teachers need.

I don’t believe that.
I believe it’s a way of being.

A way of meeting ourselves and others with greater awareness, compassion and curiosity.
It’s understanding that every nervous system has a story.
That beneath someone’s behaviour may be fear...
overwhelm...
grief...
or simply a nervous system doing its very best to protect them.

Over four spacious days together, we’ll gently explore what trauma-informed care really means.
We’ll learn about the nervous system.
We’ll practise together.
We’ll pause.
We’ll reflect.
We’ll rest.
There are no assessments.
No teaching practicum.
No expectation to perform.

Just an invitation to slow down, understand yourself more deeply, and learn practical tools that support everyday life.

Whether you’re a yoga teacher, counsellor, psychologist, healthcare worker, educator, parent, carer ~ or simply someone wanting to understand yourself and others with greater compassion ~ you are warmly welcome.
Because trauma-informed practice isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about learning how to create a little more safety...
a little more choice...
and a little more kindness.

🩵25-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
✨Amber Tree Yoga | Brisbane
✨October 10–11 & October 17–18
✨Small group (maximum 8 participants) to allow for a deeply personal and supportive learning experience.
If this quietly speaks to something within you, I’d love to welcome you.

More information:
https://ambertreeyoga.com.au/yoga-workshops/traumainformed/