
ABOUT MINDFUL GARDEN YOGA
At Mindful Garden, we believe in the power of community. Yoga is just one part of what we offer—it’s a starting point for connection, self-discovery, and growth.
Our vision is to create a space where people can come together, not just to practice yoga, but to learn, share, and explore ideas that matter to you and your community.
Whether you’re here to stretch your body, nurture your mind, or simply connect with others, Mindful Garden is a place for everyone.
Let’s grow together.

MEET THE TEAM
Rachel Fanto
studio owner
Rachel Fanto
studio owner
Maryanne Edwards
Maryanne Edwards
Christina Ahamnos
Christina Ahamnos
Frank Pineiro
Frank Pineiro
Summer Russell
Summer Russell
Sarah Coleman
Sarah Coleman
Monica Garcia-Pineda
Monica Garcia-Pineda
Tessa Tran
Tessa Tran
Vanessa Rodriguez
Vanessa Rodriguez
Marnie Palomares
Marnie Palomares
Amy Chong
Amy Chong

RACHEL FANTO
After many years of yoga practice, Rachel decided to step away from corporate life and follow her passion in becoming a yoga teacher.
Having completed Bachelor with Honours in Marine Biology in earlier years, you will often find a deep connection to nature and science threaded through Rachels classes, with an attempt to distill the essence of some of those big concepts into a single drop.
You can expect a carefully curated playlist, movement to music and a smile. Rachel believes yoga is for everyone and aims to have a class where each individual feels comfortable to come as they are and share in the connection of the group.
Rachel studied with and continues to be inspired by her teachers Idit Hefer and Maryanne Edwards. In addition, Rachel is also qualified to teach children’s yoga.
MONICA GARCIA-PINEDA
As a dedicated practitioner and experienced teacher, Monica’s passion is to share the ancient richness of yoga through her modern teachings. Her alignment-based classes are infused with philosophy, and encourage playful curiosity through creative sequencing and lighthearted spirit.
Whether it be powerful vinyasa or nourishing yin, Monica’s classes offer the full spectrum of sensation. Her aim is to facilitate union between body, mind and breath through the transformational practice of yoga.


MARNIE PALOMARES
Marnie was a professional contemporary dancer for over 17 years. Yoga has been her medicine, helping her maintain a healthy lifestyle and sustain a long career. She believes yoga is similar to dance in its syncing of breath, movement and creative flow.
Marnie teaches and practices a slow dynamic flow. With a strong focus on alignment and mindful transitions, she shares pathways and movements inspired by her dance training.
Marnie is passionate about the powerful benefits of yin yoga and teaches with a gentle approach and very considered sequencing.
What Marnie loves about yoga is how your experience is different everyday, yet the benefits are consistent in its grounding and centring qualities. She loves the ongoing discovery and connection to your ever-changing body. She enjoys shaping the practice in a way that your body/mind needs in that particular moment.
Marnie enjoys teaching because she is inspired by an individual’s journey and progression in their practice, and its potential to influence their life off the mat. She enjoys a space that brings people together to share breath, movement and positivity.
MARYANNE EDWARDS
Maryanne Edwards has spent the last 10 + years studying various forms of yoga and self-development to bring you her embodied experience of true wealth. Maryanne teaches Vinyasa and Yin yoga classes, as well as leading teacher trainings and workshops.
Maryanne believes in the power of these art forms to cultivate a steady calm interior to support you through the dynamic often chaotic world we live in. Inspired by her teachers Idit Hefer Tamir, Sarah Powers, Tara Judelle & Scott Lyons (Embodied Flow ™).
Maryanne is registered with Yoga Alliance as an experienced 500 hour teacher as well as a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. Maryanne is also a certified Embodied Flow and Embodied Flow Yin teacher.
In recent years Maryanne has also deepened her practice of therapeutic yoga working in a rehabilitation centre. Facilitating mindfulness and relaxation techniques to support a variety of challenges like PTSD, anxiety disorder, addiction, psychological and neurological conditions.


FRANK PINEIRO
Frank is a tech entrepreneur who fell in love with Yoga practices and meditation over the past 10 years.
He trained 450 hrs in Hatha, Vynasa, and Yin yoga. Frank is passionate about traditional teachings and yoga philosophy, and he incorporates this into his classes. Frank has a calm presence, and his classes are grounding. Expect pranayama exercises, breath guidance, and holding poses in his classes.
When not on the mat, Frank can be found near the sea swimming, sailing, playing volleyball, or hiking.
TESSA TRAN
After practicing yoga for 10 years, Tessa had the opportunity to travel to India and immerse herself in yoga studies. This ignited her love for Hatha yoga, for its slow and deliberate practice to strengthen and soften. The practice of pranayama and meditation gave her insight to the power each individual has to access their own inner reservoir of energy with the lasting insight of ‘doing less to gain more’: in both mind and body.
As a holistic psychotherapist, her classes are guided by the charm of what feels most alive in the moment – transmuting her own personal experience as well as the collective world experience with yoga, Jungian mythology and Taoist philosophy.
Expect a slow build up of Hatha style movement to a vinyasa dance of body-mind-spirit connection, accessing your own inner work and unique wisdom.


CHRISTINA AHAMNOS
Christina is a student, practitioner and teacher of yoga.
Flowing vinyasa intertwined with deep, static holds, Christina’s classes are challenging, but always leave room to explore the sweetness our practice can reveal in moments of prolonged stillness.
Uplifting and playful, she invites her students to approach their practice from a place of creative expression and curiosity.
SUMMER RUSSELL
Summer is passionate about creating a space for your time on the mat to be one where you truly can connect back to yourself, where it is not focused on how it looks but how it feels.
Weaving in ancient philosophy in a modern way for you to take off the mat back into your daily life.
A focus on breath and alignment to get you back into your body and tuned into yourself.


AMY CHONG
Amy’s love for yoga began from the moment she first stepped foot into a studio. Blown away by the utter peacefulness she felt in her first savasana, she quickly noticed how this carried off the mat too.
On the path to becoming a psychologist, Amy loves how creativity and playfulness in movement can cultivate meaningful self-inquiry and a deeper connection to the self.
Amy takes a fun and light-hearted approach to yoga with playful sequencing, where you can expect to push your boundaries.
SARAH COLEMAN
Sarah loves to teach a simplistic flow that gets you out of your head and into your body, allowing you to feel into all the layers within.
Sarah’s inspiration for life with her family is guided by yoga. This practice trickles down to her children and community, making it a passion to teach the antidote to modern life that is yoga.
Her favourite yoga pose? Any twist for a rinse, detox and refresh ~ especially supine twists to feel put back together and grounded.


VANESSA RODRIGUEZ
Vanessa started teaching in 2003 while in Graduate School for Traditional Chinese Medicine. She lived in and taught in Asia for 6 years and for over a decade, she’s been teaching here in Sydney, while creating and leading Yoga Teacher Trainings.
Vanessa is a Tea Ceremonialist, Meditation Facilitator, and Sound Healing Specialist. A lifelong student, Shiatsu and Craniosacral Therapy studies weave into her teaching, and for the last few years, she’s been getting her hands dirty studying Ceramics and Wood Carving. She teaches all styles of Yoga, including Kundalini and Progressive Flow, and loves a deep dive into slower, more embodied and mixed-use movement.
Vanessa is also Reformer and Mat Pilates trained and understands that strength building is as important as flexibility. She specializes in Family Practice including Prenatal Yoga, Yoga for Fertility and Yoga for Cancer.