Teachers

Idit Hefer Tamir

the founder of Sukha Mukha Yoga and the Director of Sukha Mukha Yoga teacher training (formerly known as Samadhi Yoga teacher training) was extremely influenced and inspired by Jasmine Tarkeshi  from the Laughing Lotus Yoga Studio in NYC and San Francisco, Katie Manitsas from Samadhi Yoga Newtown and Sharon Gannon and David Life the co-founders of  Jivamukti Yoga.
While living in NYC she stepped into the Laughing Lotus studio and fell in love with Yoga. Jasmine has reminded her of her dormant spirit and the power of transformation that resides inside of us all if we only dare to believe. Since then her life has never been the same.
Inspired by how much Jasmine have changed her life for the better she was looking for a teacher training course with the hope that she will be able to help more people.
She arrived in Australia and the universe led her into Samadhi Yoga where she took her first teacher training course. Since then Samadhi has been a home to her and has helped her grow in her practice, her teachings and her life.

There is a famous saying; “Take your Yoga seriously but do not take yourself too seriously”
This is Idit’s approach to Yoga and to life. Take it seriously, commit to doing the best you can each and every day, but do not take yourself too seriously….
“If you make up your mind to find joy within yourself, sooner or later you shall find it” / Paramahansa Yogananda
Come and join her on this journey of celebration and exploration.

Sara Smith

Sara found her way onto the yoga mat about 4 years ago and it was love at first sight.

To begin she  practised private lessons, before deciding she  would like to deepen her practise, learn more and share this beautiful gift (of yoga) with other people.
She then enrolled to the teacher training at Samadhi Yoga Newtown, completing 200 hour teacher training. Changing her life and most importantly her  attitude toward life.
She then studied at Body, Mind, Life yoga studio at Surry Hills, where she under took a teacher mentoring program, developing further her understanding of yoga both as a yoga student and a yoga teacher.
She is interested in all facets of yoga – especially the connection she finds between mind, body and spirit and finds she can experience this best through the practice of vinyasa yoga as the breath marries the movement, creating a moving meditation.
In her classes she likes to incorporate ways to take yoga off the mat and into our every day lives – as this is when and where the real yoga happens.
She encourages laughter in class as after all – laughter is the best medicine.
She considers herself fortunate for the journey she has taken so far and looks forward to learning and experiencing more through yoga on and off the mat.

Amanda Piper

Amanda was first introduced to yoga several years ago when moving through a difficult period in her life and instantly fell in love. The amazing benefits that yoga brought physically, mentally and spiritually were immediate and it was then that she realized what a beautiful gift yoga is. After deciding to deepen her own yoga practice by completing the Sukha Mukha teacher training course with Idit Hefer Tamir, Amanda knew she had found her path in life and is eager to share this passion and knowledge with others.

Being an early childhood teacher, Amanda has a very playful and open heart. She believes in cultivating mindfulness and compassion by embracing a more yogic lifestyle. Amanda teaches vinyasa flow yoga with an emphasis on finding balance in every day life and uniting the heart, breath and spirit. Her classes are warm and welcoming with an aim to challenge, inspire and unlock the happiness from within.

Amanda sees yoga as a wonderful tool of self discovery, exploration and connection and is eternally grateful for its transformative powers. She is passionate about helping others to harness vitality and spiritual bliss through the magic of yoga.

Reiku Morello

Reiku is skilled in teaching Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative Yoga. She has learnt through her own experience how strongly and gracefully Yoga influences one’s life. Yoga has also led her towards a simple and sustainable living, being in harmony with oneself and nature.
As a yoga teacher trained under the guidance of Idit Hafer Tamir and Katie Manitsas, it would be an honour for her to serve the inner peace to as many students as possible. She looks to create an environment where students of all ages and levels can feel comfortable and calm.

Kellie Jones

Kellie began her love affair with yoga whilst studying performance at university back in 1995. She explored and practiced many different styles in the years following before travelling through Central America in 2003 with two Hatha yoga teachers where her practice became a part of her daily life.

Inspired and nourished by the sense of strength, calm and energy she gained from her yoga practice, Kellie chose to take it to a new level by completing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Samadhi Yoga in January 2011. Under the guidance of her wonderful teachers, Idit Tamir and Katie Manitsis, she’s developed a passion for a dynamic, Vinyasa style which has been transformational. Her classes are always creative, vibrant and focused sprinkled with the necessary elements of fun and play.

Kellie feels grateful and blessed for the chance to share her learning with others and to continue to learn herself from the many wonderful teachers that surround her.”

Gemma Soul

Gemma found her love for yoga whilst studying Acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.  In movement classes she began to see the benefit of this Vinyasa style of Yoga and soon began her own regular practice every morning which gave her balance and grounding while completing this intense 3 year course.
Since coming to Sydney she found Sukha Mukha Yoga and her wonderful teacher Idit Hefer Tamir where she realised her dream of becoming a yoga teacher and completed her 200 hour certified teacher training.  Gemma is incredibly happy to be able to pass on her love for Yoga and the joy that Yoga has brought her over the last seven years.
Gemma likes to keep her classes fresh and full of variety, believing Yoga can be for everyone and everyone can practise and enjoy practising Yoga!
A keen musician Gemma loves to incorporate great music into her classes and believes that music really does heal and warm the heart and soul.

Dana Nielsen

Dana’s yogic journey began in 2006 while studying at the University of California, Berkeley. She fell in love with vinyasa’s playful yet deep and dynamic soul, and over the past 6 years her practice has blossomed into a source of true passion, healing and joy.

Dana feels blessed that the Universe introduced her to Idit Hefer Tamir, and facilitated her growth as a teacher through Sukha Mukha’s teacher training program.  In her classes, she aims to shadow Idit’s fire, wisdom, and passion for teaching creative vinyasa, while bringing her own playful personality and spunk to the space.

Believing that life is here to celebrate, Dana aims to create empowering, fun and expansive vinyasa classes that challenge the mind, body and soul.  She encourages her students to cultivate an awareness of life’s magical moments.  The mantra she lives by is, “its all happening…” for life is indeed always happening, and it’s more juicy when we are present to the magic of it all.

Julia Stockhausen

Julia’s connection with yoga started in 2008, after she injured her back. To deal with her injury and rehabilitate her body in a different way she tried yoga, and was instantly drawn to it. She has practiced many styles and is very interested in therapeutic forms of yoga. In 2010 she finished her first 240 hour Teacher Training at Rose Bay Yoga. It wasn’t until Julia met her teacher, Idit Hefer-Tamir, with whom she completed a 200 hour Teacher Training at Sukha Mukha, that she found her way into teaching.

Julia’s classes are aimed at encouraging a detailed awareness of ones yoga practice, a holistic approach to the body, mind
and spirit. From her own experience Julie believes that any challenge, be it physical or emotional, has an incredible ability to transform us into more powerful and peaceful beings. Often we just need to find the courage and yoga will support us in many ways.

Penelope Irvine

Penelope first discovered yoga 10 years ago when she found the physical practices a great remedy for the stresses of working in the corporate world. She soon learnt that yoga is so much more than a physical practice! Through learning to let go and connecting with her truth, Penelope tapped into the transformative power of yoga, bringing about significant changes both in her personal and professional life.

Mahatma Ghandi’s saying ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ strongly resonates with Penelope. Her love of yoga and firm belief that what the world needs now is more yoga, led Penelope to complete the Sukha Mukha teacher training with Idit Hefer Tamir in 2012.

Penelope developed a keen interest in prenatal yoga through her own practice when she became pregnant with her first child. To deepen her understanding in this area, she completed the Bliss Baby pre and postnatal yoga teacher training with Ana Davis.

As a new mother, Penelope loves practicing yoga with her son Bhuvan. In her mums and bubs classes she offers a calming yet rigorous practice for mums, while also being fun and stimulating for babies, and providing an opportunity to nurture the growing relationship between mum and bub.

Patty Kikos

Patty Kikos is a modern day yogini and healer best known for her lively & upbeat classes and friendly personality. Her fun loving expression is echoed in her classes with her choice in music, sequencing, breathing techniques and meditation practices that she has taught for over 10 years.

Her career choices have been eclectic and diverse. Her love of movement and choreography was echoed during her time as a professional dancer, while her initial training as a social worker helped her to develop skills as an activist and a counsellor. She is the first kundalini yoga teacher in Australia to launch a kundalini yoga e-dvd for Abundance w a 40 Day Prosperity workbook.

Patty often lectures on teacher trainings across Australia and is a reiki master who facilitates training days as well as self-healing workshops. Her alternative healing modalities include reiki & energy balancing along with kinesiology & counselling techniques to help you shift old patterns that hold you back from feeling liberated and empowered everyday.

Yasmin Jade Kassim

Growing up with her mother owning a health food store and a big interest in meditation and natural medicine, Yasmin has always been surrounded by a very spiritual environment.  She started practicing yoga in her home town Fremantle, Perth whilst she was a children’s entertainer studying arts/performance and was drawn to a teacher at Fremantle Yoga School, Kale Leaf.  Yasmin practiced with Kale privately  not only to ease her soreness from dancing and increase her breath capacity for singing but also to learn more and more about the spiritual practice of yoga.   8 years on and a professional actress and presenter in Sydney, yoga has become so much more than just its physical benefits, it is a lifestyle.  Yasmin believes wholeheartedly that yoga, among with its other many great qualities, can ease ease anxiety, de-stress the mind and body and can help one live in the present and keep a more positive outlook when times get a bit tough. She has experienced all of these first hand and isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve during class to make it a more personal experience and to help guide others apply yoga to their lives. Being a musician she firmly believes in the power of music and enjoys using Sanskrit songs to infuse deeper meaning into every class.