Yoga Australia Mini Conference – Adelaide (SA)

Let’s gather again as a community and celebrate our passion for Yoga at our first mini- conference in Adelaide on Sunday 22nd October.

Enjoy presentations from experienced yoga teachers and trainers, accrue CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points and have the chance to network and mingle with other yoga teachers and passionate yogis at this one day event.

Featuring a combination of both movement-based practices and verbal presentations, this event is ideal for yoga students and yoga teachers wanting to immerse themselves deeper into their own practice whilst gaining professional development.

Who is this conference for? If you are new to yoga or just learning about it, this is a great place to start! Join our passionate yoga community to explore what yoga is- outside of Asana (poses). Ideal for current yoga teachers, trainers, therapists and students.

AGENDA:

OUR SPEAKERS

We have an incredible lineup of speakers for the upcoming mini conference!

Familiarise yourself with each of them, reading their Bio’s and learning what they have to offer. We are so appreciative for each of them volunteering their time to share their knowledge in this way. In order of presenting:

Tina Shettigara:

Tina Shettigara is a teacher of yoga, meditation, and iRest® yoga nidra. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Tina embraces the path of non-dual Shaiva Tantra and guides “embodied” practices, meditation, meditative postural yoga, and somatic movement practices grounded in the direct experience of the body and pointing to the direct experience of what is true.

Tina is a senior teacher in two senses: she is registered with Yoga Australia as a senior teacher with over ten years of teaching experience; and she is in her senior years, at 70 years of age. She began learning yoga in the 1970s with a teacher who was then in her seventies, who continues to be an inspiration to Tina to this day. More recently, she continues to learn with her tantra teacher, Dr Christopher Wallis, author of Tantra Illuminated, and she accesses other teachers of the path as well.

Noah McKenna:

Noah Mckenna is a mid-career Yoga Teacher and Therapist who has traversed extensively in both the Eastern and Western terrains of the Yoga landscape.

As a young man Noah was introduced to Iyengar Yoga in his hometown of Adelaide from 1989-1995 when he completed his first teacher training. From 1995-2001 Noah spent 7 years under the tutelage of BNS Iyengar who is currently the oldest direct student of Krishnamacarya. Then from 2002-2009 Noah practiced Hatha Yoga under VV Venkatesh.

Living in Mysore, India from 2003-2018 provided Noah with a deep immersive experience of the cultural and historical roots of Yoga. During this time he graduated 350 Yoga Teachers via intensive 30 day in-person courses in which Noah personally taught all theoretical and practical components of Teacher Training courses at the 500 Hour level. As a Yoga Therapist in clinical practice Noah incorporated his skills from the Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Kinesiology domains to work almost exclusively with Yoga related injuries. His interest in Yoga rehabilitation led to the development of Soundmoves Yoga focussing on Physiological and Psychological approaches to practice.

Currently Noah is pursuing clinical research in Yoga Therapy at the School of Medicine in the University of Adelaide. While developing the Soundmoves method certain discoveries revealed the need to validate and verify how Yoga can be optimised for therapeutic outcomes. His research focusses on the application of rhythmical breathing and movement patterns on Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback.

Even after 30 years and thousands of hours spent teaching Noah is still most happy when he has the opportunity to share Yoga in person.

Julie Gargano:

Julie Gargano has a long and dedicated career spanning over 30 years in the field of yoga and is considered an industry leader, visionary & pioneer. Julie Gargano founded Prana House (2006-2022), one of Australia’s most beautiful uplifting and renowned yoga and wellness centres and global institution for yoga & meditation teacher trainings. In 2004, Julie’s path led her to train directly with the world-renowned yoga master, Yogi Amrit Desai USA, and has since been a carrier of the light of the Lakulish Lineage having pioneered Amrit Yoga (I AM Yoga) and I AM Yoga Nidra in Australia from the Amrit Yoga Institute USA.  Being deeply inspired by the heart, power and authenticity of these teachings, which reveal ancient secrets for the modern man, it has been a mission fulfilled to share these teachings with her fellow Australian yogis. Julie Gargano is also the creator of her unique transformative & energy infused Pranaa Yoga & Pranaa Yoga Teacher Training course. This method is a culmination of all her training and background in yoga, meditation, dance, esoteric, energy healing and the healing arts which serve to support the evolving soul. Julie has trained, certified and inspired hundreds of yoga teachers over the last 13years in her unique method. Julie Gargano is a registered Senior Level 3 teacher with Yoga Australia. To find out more about Julie Gargano visit www.juliegargano.com

Leah Cooper:

Hi! I’m Leah. I was introduced to yoga when I was 9 years old by a speech therapist I was seeing for my selective mutism. Interestingly, she showed me how to do the Salute to the Sun which became part of my treatment plan. This planted a seed, and some years later when my parents were looking to start their own yoga practice, I offered to help them find a yoga class. This was when I came across the Ryoho Yoga studio in Manly. I fell in love with this unique yoga practice which was dynamic and challenging, and was accompanied with a dialogue about health, based on the macrobiotic understanding of the universe. From that moment on, I was determined to learn more about this way of health and become a yoga teacher. 

Since that moment, I have done numerous studies in yoga and macrobiotics. I completed my Ryoho Yoga teacher training with Andzej Gozpodarczyk in 2007 and then studied with Sensei Ken McLean in the art of macrobiotic counselling, ki cultivation and ki shiatsu. I have also done further training with Janie Larmour of Zen Ki Yoga and completed a teacher trainer refresher course with Ryoho Yoga in 2021. I currently teach from my home yoga studio in Angaston in the Barossa Valley and am also the creator of The Wellbeing Room podcast and my YouTube channel, The Centre of Ki.

In my classes, I focus on helping students release tension and stagnation from their bodies, build core strength and back stability, and realign their mind, body and spirit connection through breath awareness.

Vani Shukla:

Owner and principal Yoga teacher at Yoga Spirit Studios, one of Adelaide’s oldest and most respected traditional Yoga and Meditation centers. Vani Shukla, holds more than 20 years of experience in practice, study, and teaching Yoga.  She advocates the life-changing benefits of this ancient science of total well-being (physical, mental, and spiritual).

CPD: This conference will provide Yoga Australia members with 4 CPD points.

BRING: Please bring your own yoga mat, water bottle and food for snacks and lunch. Otherwise you can purchase food from nearby cafes/ supermarkets on the day. To keep the ticket prices down as much as possible, this event is not being catered however there will be allocated breaks during the event.

TO BOOK: Simply register below. Early bird pricing is available for members only, capped at 20 tickets purchased until the 30th September, 2023.

A very special thank you to our Conference Sponsors for their support.