Big Shakti
Dr Swami Shankardev Saraswati
(MB,BS (Syd), M.Sc (UNSW), Dip Medical Hypnosis, Grad Cert Mental health, Yoga Acharya)
Dr. Swami Shankardev Saraswati is a Western medical doctor, Yoga Acharya (authority), Yoga Therapist, Psychotherapist, Author, Teacher, and Jyotish Astrologer.
He combines Western mind-body medicine, including medicine, herbs, and supplements, with the profound wisdom of Eastern systems of healing and self-development, offering a unique and effective approach.
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He empowers patients to develop a robust and stable identity (ego) that is resilient, powerful, and better able to handle the slaps and blows of life. This creates a stable centre from which to explore the deeper Self, giving them a sense of control and empowerment.
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His medical and yoga psychotherapy practice supports people in journeying back to the Self, forming a stable centre from which to observe their mind and better meet life's challenges. This journey is informed by Eastern philosophy systems, such as yoga-tantra and Jungian depth psychology.
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After attaining his medical degree in 1976, he traveled to India to study at the Bihar School of Yoga, where he remained for ten years. During this time, he wrote several books on yoga and yoga therapy that are still in print.
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He returned to Australia in 1985 to research the physiology of yoga at the University of New South Wales, where he completed a Master of Science degree in 1990.
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Over the last 40 years, he has traveled widely to many countries, learning and teaching esoteric Eastern traditions. He has been privileged to meet and study with many wonderful gurus, teachers, and mentors, which has resulted in a wide range of inner and outer experiences and many amazing synchronicities.
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These experiences convinced him of the validity of yoga and meditation as incredibly potent ways to rejuvenate ourselves, uplift our minds and hearts, and awaken greater insight into the nature of life and our world.
What I am teaching at Yoga Day - Sydney
The Principles of Yoga Therapy for Mental Wellness - Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds
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This lecture will explore how four of India's profound philosophical systems—Samkhya, Vedanta, Yoga, and Tantra—combine to create a comprehensive framework for mental health transformation that addresses consciousness, the mind, emotions, and the physical body.
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At the heart of this approach is Samkhya's map of existence through the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas), which when integrated with Vedanta's understanding of the subtle body, Patanjali's practical yoga techniques, and Tantra's energetic methods, offers powerful tools for healing the mind holistically.
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There will be a strong focus on Samkhya as a map (a yantra) that can be used to understand how mental and emotional suffering arises and how to address this suffering to create mental health, emotional resilience, and an enlightened mind.
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By synthesising these ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary psychological approaches, we will examine how this integrated methodology creates a more complete therapeutic model that treats not just symptoms but initiates transformative healing that cultivates lasting mental wellbeing.
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Real patient examples demonstrate how these principles translate into practice, showing how techniques like meditation, chakra work, and pranayama have helped individuals with conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to more complex emotional regulation issues, guiding them toward greater self-awareness and resilience.