Mary Lou Minard

I always knew the importance of resting at the end of yoga class in savasana and how it could help integrate the poses and bring peace and the calm ability to flow through life. But I had no idea of the profound effects of Divine Sleep yoga nidra. After practicing with Jennifer I have more energy and sleep better. I look forward to practicing her CD’s and do not feel guilty about resting. I am looking forward to doing the thrilled about attending Jennifer’s Yoga Nidra Teacher training and to be able to share it with my yoga students.

I have been teaching yoga for twenty years and now teach seven classes per week, read, exercise and see my honey on the weekends. I was laid off from my corporate job ten years ago and had saved money so it turned out to be a blessing because now I can teach yoga and do the things I want to explore. I handle life and its bumps so much better because of yoga. I am receiving the many physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga nidra. I thankfully live a pretty stress-free life!

I enjoy learning new yoga practices: mudras and yoga nidra. Part of why I am drawn to yoga nidra is because of Jennifer. I enjoyed her teaching of Mudras at the Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association Conference and in doing that realized I wanted to spend more time with Jennifer, which means practicing Divine Sleep yoga nidra. She is an inspiration for me – certainly a glowing being! She is up front and she laughs at herself and I felt an immediate connection – she’s human. I brought four of my students to Jennifer’s Five Element Yoga weekend at Kripalu and they were all blown away. My biggest ‘aha’ has been realizing how blessed I am in life and feeling this incredible gratitude that flows through me each day! I am in relationship with a wonderful man, have a great family including five grandchildren, loving friends and enough money to do the things I like. Studying with Jennifer has opened me up to new possibilities in my life. I am now exploring aromatherapy with essential oils.

I love the mudras! The whole practice brings me home to myself. I feel so centered and grounded. For me it’s much easier to practice mudra meditation because I have another part of focus that is within the body. Mentally I am drawn to the positive statements and the benefits the mudras give me. The mudras have also opened me up to energy on a whole new level. I found my hands wanting to go into mudras on their own after Jennifer’s workshop.

Yoga has had such a huge impact on my life and spiritual development. It brought me back into my body when I was living in my mind. I did not know if I believed in ‘God’. I was brought up Catholic. Previously I had felt Catholic guilt more than love. After practicing yoga, I knew God existed in my heart. And that God is love. Although yoga itself is non-denominational, non-religious, and non-god oriented, I have had profound religious experiences through my personal practice of yoga. Yoga brought me back to myself, and my spirituality in a way that nothing else had.

It made me want to search for a spiritual community who was like-minded and I have found that now. If someone told me years ago that I’d be going to church and attending Bible study, I would have thought it was absolutely not possible!

Now I feel more integrated, more authentic, and feel my life is rich, deep and everything I always wanted it to be! I am so blessed, and love creating the opportunity to share this with others.