KAREN JOHNSONYoga Nidra is My New Direction
After many years in one location, where I had built a strong community and developed a successful acupuncture practice, it felt like it was time to leave. I chose to move to a small town to be closer to my children and grandchildren. It was a lot of change all at once, however, I knew that change might bring me new opportunities.
I got both sound healing and reiki master certifications, knowing I could no longer practice acupuncture in a new state. Then, as a dear friend of mine described the amazing things she was experiencing with ‘yoga nidra’ coupled with sound bowls, I became very interested in the healing potential of yoga nidra.
I had practiced yoga and meditation for many years, but had never heard of yoga nidra. I was impressed and intrigued when my friend’s back and leg pain disappeared after practicing yoga nidra so I jumped in and read everything I could find about it.
I decided to get certified in yoga nidra because it felt like it would fit in with my new direction. A google search lead me to Jennifer Reis’s live online teacher training. The itinerary looked thorough and the time frame and cost were comfortable, so I signed up.
The training was wonderful! Then I signed up for more in-depth trainings and certifications with Jennifer. I found that Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra is a remarkable practice and Jennifer is a wonderful, kind and experienced teacher.
Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra Training goes into the history of yoga nidra, breaks down the different layers of the structure of the meditation, and provides a variety of scripts to practice and learn from. Jennifer, herself, also encourages graduates to create their own unique scripts if comfortable.
Yoga nidra was different from anything I had previously done. It is clear, broad and so versatile that I am able to incorporate it into many facets of my life. Every morning the first thing I do is practice yoga nidra for my morning meditation. And I find myself practicing short bits of yoga nidra throughout the day when I need to relax, focus, or address a problem.
Certain stages of the yoga nidra practice allow me to expand into a creative, inventive inner landscape that is endlessly interesting and surprising. Understanding the different levels of being within me has opened new doors of healing that I tap into regularly for myself and also when working with others.
When I feel anxious about something, get restless at night, or feel like I want to access my inner wisdom for guidance about something – my yoga nidra practice is waiting for me. I’ve found that the practice has created within me a solid and repeatable path to get into the “zone.”
Now I’m growing as a meditation teacher and energy work practitioner in my new community! Every session I lead incorporates an aspect of yoga nidra. People love the effects, and my classes are filling up.
I am grateful for Jennifer’s trainings and the Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra structure that she developed because it so effectively helps guide people into their own inner world of calm, healing and inspiration. Naturally I credit Jennifer for her wonderful teaching programs and ability to transmit this special knowledge and time tested practice.
Yoga nidra is a big part of my life now. I cannot imagine life without it, or what I did before incorporating this into every single day!