Pauline trained as a primary school teacher in the 1970s. Then in her 30s she was introduced to Satyananda Yoga at the Bellingen Ashram. During this time, she taught at a small parent run school, as well as, teaching Yoga to the children.
From there, she travelled to the Kimberley where she included yoga in the curriculum she created for the Aboriginal children she was teaching. After four years, she returned to city life, eager to study again. She became a yoga teacher with IYTA in 1996 and gained a diploma in massage therapy.
At the same time, she was teaching children with behaviour problems in public schools. She became interested in the idea of researching the effect of Yoga on such behaviours as hyperactivity and anxiety and aggression in children. An Associate professor in the Faculty of Health Science, at the University of Sydney accepted her proposal and over the next 12 years, she completed a Masters and PhD looking at this topic.
She grew up in the other suburbs of Melbourne, where the word Yoga was not a part of anyone’s vocabulary. In her early 20s, life took her in a most unexpected direction. In searching for greater purpose and meaning, she discovered yoga through a book she found at a health food shop. The Book was called Yoga for Daily Life, she recalls, by Elizabeth Haich with Yesudi Menuin. She taught herself yoga from that book, continuing to practice mainly alone until her 30s.
Pauline is currently taking time out to build a strawbale house in an isolated part of NSW.