Kookaburra Yoga

11/08/2026

This is what goes into our 12 month Teacher Training, the Roots of Yoga - 11 modules, each hundreds of pages of original material drawn from 35 years of immersion in yoga.

I first began yoga and went to India at 21. Since then there have been countless hours of practice, study, reading, writing, reflecting, questioning and teaching. Sitting at the feet of great sages, learning from my own wise teachers over the past 20 years, and encountering a few charlatans along the way.

It's easy to be drawn in by the charisma of powerful teachers and gurus in the yoga world. Part of a mature yoga education is developing the discernment to see through the facades, to enquire, understand and integrate the teachings for ourselves.

This is my 4th time leading this huge program and I've learnt much from the students who have come through this training. Their successes, struggles and experience have shaped what I teach, and each year the course becomes more refined. Right now I’m going through all these pages again, paring it back to what matters most.

Underneath it all is what I care about deeply: the continuity of yoga as a philosophical and spiritual tradition, a gentle, reverent way of being in the world and a source of great support. Much contemporary yoga education centres on what fits onto a studio timetable. Asana has enormous value, and this training teaches it skilfully, but yoga is much larger than the classes in which many of us encounter it. Its traditions hold history, philosophy, meditation, mantra, ethics, self-enquiry, relationship, contemplation & real insights into happiness and fulfilment.

At 21 I travelled to India searching for this. Now, 35 years later, my 23 year old daughter is beginning the training herself. It’s part of why we've offered youth scholarships this year - so young people can access a deeper yogic education, and perhaps become the teachers who carry these traditions forward.

Looking at these hundreds of pages spread out around me, I see how Roots of Yoga brings together so much of my life’s work, so much beauty. I nearly didn't do this again as I rebuild my life & confidence in a new and sustainable way. Now I'm glad I have. 😊

08/08/2026

DEEP ECOLOGY CIRCLE
Saturday 15 August • 2pm–5pm

Next Saturday we begin a new monthly Deep Ecology Circle at Kookaburra Yoga, bringing together the Work That Reconnects, Deep Ecology, yoga, meditation and time in nature. Our first gathering is FREE.

We know we are part of nature, yet so much of modern life separates us from the natural world. We spend our days indoors, in cars, behind screens and moving quickly from one responsibility to the next. Nature can become somewhere we visit in our spare time, rather than the larger living community to which we intrisically belong.

The Deep Ecology Circle brings together the Work That Reconnects and the contemplative traditions of yoga, creating opportunities to enrich our relationship with the living Earth. In these monthly workshops we explore this relationship through direct experience with the elements of nature. For our first gathering we begin with EARTH – stability, belonging and nourishment, and our relationship with the soil, forests, plants, animals and human communities which sustain life.

We spend the afternoon amongst the native bush, trees and gardens of Kookaburra Yoga Sanctuary with guided Deep Ecology and Work That Reconnects processes, reflective dialogue, Yoga Ecology practices, elemental meditation and breathing, loving-kindness meditation, mindful time in nature and an Agnihotra fire ritual.

The afternoon is facilitated by Helene Fisher, Mandy Knox and Trish Zied. Helene has facilitated the Work That Reconnects for more than three decades and trained with Joanna Macy. Mandy and Trish bring the contemplative traditions and practices of yoga into the afternoon, exploring how yoga can deepen our understanding of relationship, interconnection and our place within the wider community of life.

This is the beginning of a 5 month journey through the elements. Together each circle offers the opportunity for this relationship and understanding to deepen over time. Attend 1 or attend them all. The first workshop is free, so come along to experience Deep Ecology. Everyone is welcome, including kids attending with parent/s.

• Earth • 15 August – FREE
• Water • 12 September
• Fire • 10 October
• Air • 7 November
• Space • 5 December

Through these workshops we explore what it means to understand ourselves as part of the natural world – in relationship with the forests, birds, waterways, weather, seasons and the many forms of life with which we share this place.

Saturday 15 August • 2pm–5pm FREE
Other dates sliding scale $20-$20, or volunteer exchange.
Kookaburra Yoga, Bedfordale. Bookings essential:

A monthly circle drawing on Deep Ecology Processes and Philosophy, Yogic Spirituality and Joanna Macy's Work That Reconnects

08/08/2026

DEEP ECOLOGY CIRCLE
Saturday 15 August • 2pm–5pm

Next Saturday we begin a new monthly Deep Ecology Circle at Kookaburra Yoga, bringing together the Work That Reconnects, Deep Ecology, yoga, meditation and time in nature. Our first gathering is FREE.

We know we are part of nature, yet so much of modern life separates us from the natural world. We spend our days indoors, in cars, behind screens and moving quickly from one responsibility to the next. Nature can become somewhere we visit in our spare time, rather than the larger living community to which we intrisically belong.

The Deep Ecology Circle brings together the Work That Reconnects and the contemplative traditions of yoga, creating opportunities to enrich our relationship with the living Earth. In these monthly workshops we explore this relationship through direct experience with the elements of nature. For our first gathering we begin with EARTH – stability, belonging and nourishment, and our relationship with the soil, forests, plants, animals and human communities which sustain life.

We spend the afternoon amongst the native bush, trees and gardens of Kookaburra Yoga Sanctuary with guided Deep Ecology and Work That Reconnects processes, reflective dialogue, Yoga Ecology practices, elemental meditation and breathing, loving-kindness meditation, mindful time in nature and an Agnihotra fire ritual.

The afternoon is facilitated by Helene Fisher, Mandy Knox and Trish Zied. Helene has facilitated the Work That Reconnects for more than three decades and trained with Joanna Macy. Mandy and Trish bring the contemplative traditions and practices of yoga into the afternoon, exploring how yoga can deepen our understanding of relationship, interconnection and our place within the wider community of life.

This is the beginning of a 5 month journey through the elements. Together each circle offers the opportunity for this relationship and understanding to deepen over time. Attend 1 or attend them all. The first workshop is free, so come along to experience Deep Ecology. Everyone is welcome, including kids attending with parent/s.

• Earth • 15 August – FREE
• Water • 12 September
• Fire • 10 October
• Air • 7 November
• Space • 5 December

Through these workshops we explore what it means to understand ourselves as part of the natural world – in relationship with the forests, birds, waterways, weather, seasons and the many forms of life with which we share this place.

Saturday 15 August • 2pm–5pm FREE
Other dates sliding scale $20-$20, or volunteer exchange.
Kookaburra Yoga, Bedfordale. Bookings essential: https://www.kookaburrayoga.com/deep-ecology-circle.html

31/07/2026

SOMA HEALING YOGA
Saturday 1 Aug. 5pm–7pm.

Soma is the nectar of immortality, the subtle essence of nourishment, bliss and spiritual renewal. Associated with the moon and deep meditation, it expresses the contemplative and mystical dimension of yoga. Soma is known through practice and direct experience rather than through ideas alone.

This Saturday evening we meditate with the Paramjyotir Mantra, an invocation which draws our awareness towards the Divine Light which shines within every being. Through meditation, breath and stillness, we cultivate the capacity to recognise this presence, which remains constant beneath the changing experiences of life.

The Hamsa, or swan, is one of yoga's most beautiful symbols. As the vahana of the Self, it represents purity, discernment and the movement of consciousness towards the Divine. Gliding effortlessly across the water while remaining untouched by it, the swan is a symbolises the possibility of living in the world with clarity, steadiness and freedom.

Soma Healing Yoga is an evening of gentle Somatic Yoga, healing breathwork, mantra, meditation, sacred sound and yoga nidra. Each practice supports the next, creating space for the body to soften, the mind to settle and awareness to rest in the deeper dimensions of yoga. Held in candlelight in our beautiful bush sanctuary, it is an opportunity to pause and reconnect with the contemplative heart of yoga.

SOMA HEALING YOGA HIGHLIGHTS
• Cacao on arrival
• Gentle Somatic Yoga
• Healing breathwork (pranayama)
• Paramjyotir Mantra meditation
• Sacred sound healing
• Candlelight yoga nidra

This Saturday 1 August 5-7pm. At Kookaburra Yoga. Bookings: https://www.kookaburrayoga.com/soma-yoga-healing-846856.html

30/07/2026

Yesterday was Guru Pūrṇimā, the full moon dedicated to honouring our teachers. On this sacred day, I bow with deep gratitude to those whose lives and teachings have shaped my own.

To Anandamayi Ma, whose radiant presence and unwavering absorption in the Divine continue to inspire my own practice and devotion.

To the realised sage of Arunachala, Ramana Maharshi, whose direct teaching on Self-enquiry has been a profound guide in my life.

To my beloved teachers, A.G. Mohan and Indra Mohan, whose generosity, wisdom and 2 decades of guidance have profoundly shaped my understanding of yoga, meditation and the role of a teacher.

And through them, to their teacher, T. Krishnamacharya, whose extraordinary contribution continues to guide generations of practitioners and teachers around the world. It is a privilege to be part of this living lineage.

I feel deeply grateful to have a deep inner connection with each of these remarkable beings. Their teachings have shaped not only the way I teach, but the way I seek to live.

It is especially meaningful that this Guru Pūrṇimā is just days before we begin our year of the Roots of Yoga Teacher Training.

This Saturday, from 10am-4pm, is our Introductory Workshop. If you’ve been considering the training, this is an opportunity to spend the day with us, experience our approach, and discover whether this year-long path is calling you.

My deepest gratitude to my teachers. Whatever I am able to offer today has as its foundation, the generosity, wisdom and grace I have received from you.

Om Gurave Namaḥ.

Roots of Yoga: https://www.kookaburrayoga.com/yoga-meditation-teacher-training.html

16/07/2026

“True yogic education is lighting a lamp, not filling a bucket.” ~ A.G. Mohan

This statement captures so much of what I have learnt from my revered teacher. The purpose of study is not to accumulate information or techniques. It is to cultivate understanding, discernment and an ever-deepening relationship with the Self.

Every time I come back to the extensive notes I've taken over the years when studying with my teachers A.G. Mohan and Indra, I discover layers and layers of meaning and depth which weren't first evident. Even now, a student’s question leads to deeper enquiry. Yogic education is truly for life..

Patañjali describes svādhyāya, self-study, as one of the three pillars of Kriyā Yoga. It means the study of the teachings and the study of ourselves through practice. The two belong together.

After almost thirty years of yogic practice and teaching, I still think of myself as a student. It is this spirit that has shaped the Roots of Yoga Teacher Training. Learning is not hierarchical. On the same path some are a little ahead. Those before us turn back and shine a light on the path so we may have clarity as to where we are going.

Rather than absorbing yoga through intensive workshops, Roots of Yoga unfolds gradually over twelve months. Monthly weekend immersions create a rhythm of practice, philosophy, meditation, mantra, discussion and reflection, giving time for the teachings to be integrated into everyday life.

Highlights
• 12-month, 500-hour Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training
• 200hr, 350hr and 500hr pathways
• Monthly weekend immersions (Perth, Online & Blended)
• Āsana, prāṇāyāma, meditation, mantra and Yoga Nidrā
• Yoga philosophy, history and the evolution of the traditions
• Dynamic Anatomy and teaching methodology
• Mentoring, practicum and community teaching
• Residential retreat immersed in nature
• Payment plans available

Some students join to teach while others come to deepen their practice and dedicate a year to sincere study. Both have always belonged in this community.

Roots of Yoga 12month program begins soon in August. Link in bio or www.kookaburrayoga.com for the webpage and YouTube info recording.

🧡 Mandy

14/07/2026

SOUND SILENCE STILLNESS this Sunday 19 July. This quiet, soulful, peaceful one day retreat is an invitation to reconnect with an inner peace and spaciousness which is ever-present yet often elusive! You'll experience quiet, transformational yoga and meditation in our sanctuary of nature and peace. This 1 Day Retreat in the Perth hills delves into the mystical, transformative practices of yoga incorporating mantra, sacred sound and the healing sounds of nature to completely de-stress, reconnect to calmness and peace, and heal our hearts and minds.

HIGHLIGHTS
• vitalising hatha yoga
• mantra meditation
• pranayama (yogic breathwork)
• nature walk & meditation
• Vedic sound healing
• yoga nidra
​• amazing vegan feast (morning tea & lunch)

The day begins with sacred mantras and hatha yoga to tone the body and awaken and balance the energy; yogic breathing to vitalise and heal; mantra meditation to steady and calm the mind. Following morning tea is a mindful bushwalk and meditation in nature, then after lunch a deeply relaxing Sound Healing Journey in our beautiful studio nestled amongst the trees. You’ll enjoy the most incredible morning tea and lunch - completely vegan and gluten-free.

SOUND
sacred mantras, crystal and precious metal singing bowls, resonant gongs, flutes, bells, chimes, the wind in the trees, the flowing stream, crickets, frogs, kookaburras. We interweave profound insights about the nature of the self and life to contemplate in deep meditation.

SILENCE
beyond the sounds of the world you perceive the subtle rhythm of the breath, the heartbeat of your body and that of the earth, and at your very centre a peaceful calmness as you return home to your true self.

STILLNESS
your body relaxes, your mind is quiet, deeply held tensions dissolve, and you experience an innate state of freedom and happiness. You rest here before emerging ready to step back into the world with renewed vitality and purpose.

• Sunday 19 July 10am-4pm.
• Gift vouchers are available.
• Bookings essential:

1 day Yoga, Meditation and Sound Healing Retreat at Kookaburra Creek Yoga in the Perth hills. Experience the quiet, transformational practices of yoga, meditation, mantra, yogic sound healing and amazing vegan food in a sanctuary of peace and calm.

13/07/2026

SOUND SILENCE STILLNESS this Sunday 19 July. This quiet, soulful, peaceful one day retreat is an invitation to reconnect with an inner peace and spaciousness which is ever-present yet often elusive! You'll experience quiet, transformational yoga and meditation in our sanctuary of nature and peace. This 1 Day Retreat in the Perth hills delves into the mystical, transformative practices of yoga incorporating mantra, sacred sound and the healing sounds of nature to completely de-stress, reconnect to calmness and peace, and heal our hearts and minds.

HIGHLIGHTS
• vitalising hatha yoga
• mantra meditation
• pranayama (yogic breathwork)
• nature walk & meditation
• Vedic sound healing
• yoga nidra
​• amazing vegan feast (morning tea & lunch)

The day begins with sacred mantras and hatha yoga to tone the body and awaken and balance the energy; yogic breathing to vitalise and heal; mantra meditation to steady and calm the mind. Following morning tea is a mindful bushwalk and meditation in nature, then after lunch a deeply relaxing Sound Healing Journey in our beautiful studio nestled amongst the trees. You’ll enjoy the most incredible morning tea and lunch - completely vegan and gluten-free.

SOUND
sacred mantras, crystal and precious metal singing bowls, resonant gongs, flutes, bells, chimes, the wind in the trees, the flowing stream, crickets, frogs, kookaburras. We interweave profound insights about the nature of the self and life to contemplate in deep meditation.

SILENCE
beyond the sounds of the world you perceive the subtle rhythm of the breath, the heartbeat of your body and that of the earth, and at your very centre a peaceful calmness as you return home to your true self.

STILLNESS
your body relaxes, your mind is quiet, deeply held tensions dissolve, and you experience an innate state of freedom and happiness. You rest here before emerging ready to step back into the world with renewed vitality and purpose.

• Sunday 19 July 10am-4pm.
• Gift vouchers are available.
• Bookings essential: https://www.kookaburrayoga.com/sound_silence_stillness_retreat.html