Consultations with
Dr Swami Shankardev Saraswati
Dr Swami Shankardev Saraswati is a western medical doctor, Yoga Acharya (authority), yoga therapist, psychotherapist, author, and teacher.
Medical Consultations
My medical consults have a strong focus on mind-body medicine and the treatment of all kinds of chronic physical and psychological conditions.
I use conventional Western medicine combined with yoga therapy, meditation, counselling, psychotherapy, hypnosis, nutrition, Bioenergy, and Ayurveda. Also, I advise on the judicious use of supplements when required.
My medical practice has a strong focus on psycho-spiritual health. I have studied both Eastern and Western philosophy and psychology, including Jungian psychology.
When properly applied, Jungian psychology and other forms of western psychology support the building of strong self-esteem, a strong, adaptable ego that can handle the stresses and challenges of life (so important right now). This enables you to engage in an authentic, meaningful and fruitful spiritual journey towards your core essence, your true Self.
I strongly believe that health education is a vital component of health care as a means to empower you to take more conscious control of your life.
I also believe that meditation can speed up your journey to holistic health because the effort required for meditation is a clear signal you are taking responsibility, facing your issues, and are cooperative in your healing process.
Where?
- Face to face in Sydney, Australia,
- Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or telephone.
Teleconferencing has proven to be extremely effective (to my surprise, as in the past, I have always preferred face-to-face consultations).
Jyotish—Indian Astrology Consultations
For Jyotish (Indian astrology) consultations, I require your:
- Your birth date, time, place.
- Let me know how you got your birth time information. Do everything you can to get a documented birth time–birth certificate is best, or hospital record, baby book etc.
- A photo of your hands taken in sunlight without a flash and sent in an attachment via email
- A list of questions prior to the consultation (if you wish).
Where are Jyotish sessions held?
Face to face in Sydney, Australia, or by Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or telephone.
If you would like more information on a Jyotish consultation, please complete the enquiry form.
About my medical practice
I am an integrative medical doctor, yoga therapist, psychotherapist, author and workshop presenter.
I graduated in medicine from Sydney University in January 1977 and then travelled to live in India for 10 years at the Bihar School of Yoga. While I was there, I had the privilege of studying yoga and yoga therapy under the direct guidance of Swami Satyananda Saraswatī.
I then returned to Australia to do research into the physiology of yoga at the university of NSW, completing a Master of Science degree in 1990 and entering back into general practice.
I have always had a holistic approach to my general medical practice, focusing strongly on mind-body medicine and the treatment of all kinds of chronic physical and psychological conditions.
The model of general practice put together by Herbert Benson inspired me, at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Within this model, I combined Western medicine with counselling, psychotherapy, hypnosis, yoga therapy, meditation, nutrition, Bioenergy, and Ayurveda. Ayurveda is Indian Traditional Medicine, an ancient system that supplies wonderful metaphors so that you can understand what is going on within your body and the disease process.
I strongly believe that health education is a vital part of health care to empower you to take more conscious control of your life. Yoga and meditation are now fully accepted within the medical system as powerful ways of taking an active role in your own health. They form a wonderful system for perfecting your whole life, for enhancing self-awareness and mindfulness so that you can master self-regulation. Self-regulation is your ability to influence your body in positive directions, towards balance and harmony both internally and with your relationships and environment.
“I was struck by his wealth of knowledge and his ability to translate it in a most relevant, down-to-earth manner. His breadth of knowledge is not only for teachers, but for anyone in search of greater self-awareness, and for ways to deepen their yoga and meditation practice, and enjoy life more.”
Silke Schroeder
France
“Dr. Swami Shankardev is an excellent and profound teacher. A humble and thoughtful Yoga Acharya, he addresses his students with a strong desire to share his sacred knowledge in the true spirit of giving. ”
Shivadasi
New York, USA
“Swami Shankardev radiates the light and knowledge of his lineage along with a great sense of humour and a certain simplicity and lightness of being. Not a small feat! Big Shakti is a valuable site for all aspiring to yoga, laymen and advanced practitioners alike. Thankyou for the great work!”
Ajanta Suri
Barcelona, Spain
About Jyotish readings – Indian astrology
I am now offering Vedic astrology readings. Enquire here.
Vedic astrology is also known as Indian astrology, Vedic astrology, or Jyotish. The Sanskrit word Jyotish means knowledge of light and is a reference to both the outer light of the heavens and the inner light of your individual consciousness that illuminates your body-mind and spirit.
Knowledge of this light is the key to charting the course of your entire life towards deep and meaningful fulfillment, one that is in tune with your dharma, your individual nature. It is the job of the astrologer, the Jyotishi, to blend knowledge of the outer and inner light.
Jyotish is also called kāla shāstra, which means knowledge of time.
It is important to know that Indian astrology differs from Western astrology.
Jyotish is over 5,000 years old, and relatively intact, unlike Western astrology, which declined in Europe at the end of the 17th century. As a result, much of its knowledge was lost. Jyotish has had an unbroken tradition in India, where it flourished in a benevolent and accepting culture as a living tradition.
Several great modern Indian astrologers have continued to develop new and powerful systems of divination. These systems empower you to peer into the future, to understand and map your karma and the trajectory of your life.
Jyotish is an oral tradition and requires that it be passed on from teacher to student, rather than learned from an online course. This is because it is difficult to learn and even harder to practice well. It requires great perseverance and determination on the part of the student to gain this knowledge and bring it to lifetime and again.
The light of Jyotish enables you to see to the invisible, called the adrishta in Sanskrit. You gain the ability to see the adrishta, which is mainly unconscious and which contains your karma.
I was blessed to study Jyotish with Hart de Fouw, who I met in 1991 when I was studying Ayurveda in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Dr Vasant Lad. I had been travelling and teaching in Europe for a year in 1990 and was able to save enough money to travel to the USA to study Ayurveda for 3 months. It was at that time that I met my Jyotish guru, Hart de Fouw and my Jyotish mentor, Steven Highburger (Vedictraditions.com)
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