Tracy Hambly has been practicing meditation for over 8 years. Her calling for deeper happiness and meaning set her feet on the path, after an especially happy and loving friend at university shared that the reason that they felt this way was from meditating and yoga. Tracy sought out a teacher, and has since herself trained as a Teacher of Meditation & Mindfulness through the Still-mind tradition (of the Bhagavan Nityananda lineage), under the instruction of her treasured teacher Shaivite Swami Shantananda. She has studied through workshops and courses in Mindfulness, Resilience, and Restorative Yoga, and attended silent and weekend retreats. Tracy is a Senior Meditation Teacher under Meditation Australia, and moulds her life around this committed practice.
Looking Inwards is Tracy’s platform for sharing her offerings, finding connection, learning deeply about others, and passing on the joy and peace found through meditation. She facilitates self-exploration and self-awareness in close-knit, small groups. These shared spaces touch on our humanity and biological need for peace and love, attempting to bridge new pathways to the heart of us. Students come for the openness, fostered community, honesty and accountability of the Still-mind teachings unique to Looking Inwards. Tracy teaches for the rewarding relationships and friendships forged with the many diverse and beautiful people in her meditation classes, retreats, workshops, and private sessions around Melbourne and the Dandenongs. In these healing spaces, students discover likeminded hearts and souls, realise they are interconnected, a part of the whole.
Outside of meditation, Tracy is a horticulturist and garden educator, being outdoors and amongst gardens and plants is her place of sanctuary. She is a painter and musician where her art and music is a language and outlet, giving form or expression to feelings and internal experiences that otherwise go unknown. These refuges are Tracy’s ‘lifelines’, sought out like air, and offer much needed contentment and meaning in the everyday. She advocates seeking those things that feel like breathing to us and learn our unique ways of connecting and being, because our world can be unsupportive and we hold these wonderful truths and medicines. Tracy is currently studying to become an Eco-Arts Therapy facilitator (blending Arts Therapy and Applied Ecopsychology).
Education and Training
Certificate in Eco-Art Therapy (Arts Therapy and Applied Ecopsychology), Eco-Art Therapy College/ProjectNatureConnect, Present
Diploma of Meditation and Mindfulness Teaching (200 hours), Australian College of Classical Yoga, 2016
Resilience Training Course, 6 weeks, Australian College of Classical Yoga
Mindfulness and Mindful Living Workshop, Blackburn Meditation Studio
Restorative Yoga Teacher Training 1-day Workshop, Mt Waverley Yoga Studio 2019
Sensual Self Love Course, 6 weeks, Autumn Brianne
Certificate IV in Horticulture, Melbourne Polytechnic TAFE, 2019
Introduction to Permaculture 1-day Workshop, The Perma Pixie (Taj Scicluna)
University of Melbourne, Burnley, 2014
(Urban Horticulture electives including Plant Biology, Ecology, Landscape Design and Horticultural Practice)
Tracy also regular attends meditation retreats, workshops and courses in Melbourne.
Interview
Feature with Julia Nance Portraits
Julia Nance is the photographer behind all of Looking Inwards’ images, and an old childhood friend of Tracy’s. In early 2018, they did a portraiture session and interview together about her work in meditation.
“Tracy really advocates everyone being welcome. She wants to create a space where we don’t need to worry about what we look like, how our career is going, or what our relationships are like. It is essential to Tracy for her students to feel welcome and open, trusting and self-loving – and she does this well.”
– Julia Nance
See the interview and portraits.