#49 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Santina Giardina-Chard

Santina’s journey from suffering to awareness and understanding
through yoga has led her to a rich and real study of yoga as a
living practice. She holds degrees in Law/Arts from the
University of Melbourne as well as a Master of Gestalt Therapy.
Santina was given her Level 2 Authorisation to teach Ashtanga
Yoga by KPJAYI in 2016.


She believes there are many pathways into and towards healing and
inner transformation. After years of anorexia, bulimia, heroin
and other substance abuse, she came to understand that these
compulsive behavioral patterns were just a means to escape the
boxed-up feeling of terror, rage, shame, despair, grief and
unworthiness deep within her psyche and physicality.


San has developed an intimacy with the physiology and
spirituality of our human form. Her commitment to a life of
process, practice and courage cultivates rich soil from which to
provide meaningful guidance as an Ashtanga yoga teacher. Her
practice embodies the Ashtanga Yoga system, and she has
diligently completed the Primary, 2nd and 3rd series of this
method under the guidance of Mark Togni.


Both Ashtanga Yoga and Gestalt methods helped her to realise that
whenever she wanted to escape herself through compulsive
behaviour, what she was really hungry for was a deep and abiding
connection with herself that brings forth the joy of being
comfortable in her own skin.


It is through Santina’s theoretical and applied educational
background that enables her to insightfully and compassionately
work with students of all experiences and skills.


“Personal Philosophy of Life, Practice and
Process” 


Santina believes that with each breath and in every moment we are
in a process of evolving from who we have been to who we are
becoming.  Blending yoga asana and the Gestalt Method, she
works using an experiential, dialogical
and integrative approach to self-discovery
and embodied awareness.


Through compassionate understanding, confirmation to
present-moment experience and heightened awareness, we can
complete what is unfinished from the past and open
pathways to our emerging creative selves.


Understanding how our inner processes can function to
sustain disruptive patterns, as well as challenge
and support the possibilities for creative problem solving, can
lead to deliberate actions that transform our relationship to
ourselves, to others and to life!