Autumn Yoga Workshop

Level II Principal Teacher SAMA Studio

Laura is SAMA Studio’s founder and Principal teacher. First introduced to Yoga around 10 years of age, she has fond childhood memories of chanting the ancient Gayatri Mantra, meditating, gazing endlessly at paintings of Hindu deities and playfully hanging upside down or putting a leg behind her head. 

By 2007 Laura was a regular student of Yoga and in 2008 her interest in Buddhist philosophy and mindfulness practices led her to taking vows with his HH the 14th Dalia Lama. In 2010, she began studying with Kate Pell to become a certified teacher and has been teaching Yoga as her full-time profession since 2013. She is a Yoga Australia Level 2 registered teacher.

Laura holds over 1000 hours of formal Yoga teacher training and additional certifications in pregnancy, postnatal, kids, partner and community Yoga. Most recently Laura has taken opportunities to study intensively with and be inspired by the work of Noah Maze, Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco. She has assisted Kate Pell on Teacher Training Courses and has also studied with Donna Farhi, Simon-Borg Olivier, Sue Everett and Peter Scott in Australia and Rajiv and Swati Chanchani in India.

Laura’s motivation to share Yoga and the gifts the practice brings with others are in service to cultivating and strengthening a greater sense of Kula – Community of Heart. Having also experienced first-hand the support a Yoga practice offers in times of trauma, illness and injury (a back break and then cancer in her late 20’s) Laura hopes to inspire and connect students to the wisdom and intelligence of their own bodies moving, to feel and know the resiliency and courage of one’s own Spirit. 

Drawing on a background working in Allied Health as a young adult, a strong interested in functional anatomy and healthy movement comes through in her teaching style. She sees that it is her job to help her students strengthen and condition not just touch their toes through the process of learning asanas. 

Laura is known for helping students connect to the intelligence of alignment and progressively builds her students to meet their edges in their practice – be it in a flow, alignment or restoration class. She shares information in a fun and light-hearted fashion, without skipping the particulars, weaving mythological storytelling and philosophy throughout. 

YOGA PHYSIOLOGY

Falu and Michael have been involved in many of Kate’s trainings and join early in the course to share their knowledge of Yoga Physiology and Ayurvedic Cooking. Learning not only how to choose, prepare and consume food to suit your individual constitution, this weekend will give you first hand experience preparing (and eating!) many glorious Indian Ayurvedic dishes.

Yogini, Yoga Teacher and Abundant Yoga Business Coach.

Amy McDonald supports talented Yoga teachers and holistic practitioners grow abundant businesses through coaching, training programs, events and retreats virtually and around the world. Her primary teacher is Noah Maze. She has also studied Yoga philosophy over the past ten years with Carlos Pomeda, as well as taking philosophy trainings with Douglas Brookes, Max Strom and William K. Mahony.

Senior Level III

Dr Arpana is a retired GP, SCENAR therapist, senior yoga teacher, sound medicine practitioner and health coach. After 28 years as a GP specialising in musculo-skeletal medicine and medical acupuncture Arpana now devotes his full attention to being a yogi. Arpana together with his wife ShamanaTara, has been conducting whalesong yoga experiences since 2005 at Fraser Island Qld Australia. He also conducts a yearly didge yoga camp in Bali since 2010. Recently Arpana studied for 2 years with Guruji Ketut Arsana in Ubud Bali in Kundalini Tantra then completed a 200 hr yoga teacher training with Cat Kabira in yoga core energetics. Arpana has formed WhaleDreamers Yoga with his wife ShamanaTara, a senior Satyananda teacher of 19 years. Arpana brings his wealth of medical knowledge to the mat to offer a dynamic, fun and core experience to his students and will be delivering the functional anatomy and physiology . modules of the Teacher Training.