Sylvia was given the name Vana Selvy during residence with Shrinandanji in 2022. Since connecting with Swatantra, she has experienced radical transformations in her life and energies, which continue to unfold.
A certified yoga and meditation instructor for over a decade, Sylvia is also passionate about dance and conscious movement. She shares experience and qualifications in somatic dance movement therapy, expressive arts, Gestalt psychotherapy, and offers both Vedic Samvahan and VortexHealing™.
Since 2022, she has been teaching and sharing the Swatantra Sadhana and homa (fire ceremony) practices, grateful to guide all who feel called in their own experiences of transformation and deeper embodiment.
Sylvia's offerings draw on diverse work and life experiences. This includes practicing as a lawyer in varied contexts for nearly 15 years, providing free legal advice and assistance to refugee populations and later to Indigenous traditional owners and custodians across the remote Central Australian Desert region, deepening her appreciation of Indigenous connection to Spirit and Country. The wisdom and resilience she witnesses in communities strengthens her commitment to empowerment, expression, and connection with nature.
Sylvia continues her passion for social justice and empowerment working as a university lecturer and community arts facilitator, promoting Indigenous and accessible arts opportunities in remote NT.
Sylvia's love of West African dance has taken her to Senegal, Guinea and Gambia. She has been honoured to study, dance and perform with master teachers in Australia, West Africa, Hawai'i and Bangladesh. The joy and vitality of these traditions continue to inspire her offerings.