I discovered Jennifer Reis a few years ago through a Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra session led by one of her students, who was visiting my home of Key West. Something deep opened up within me during that yoga nidra – I released a well of emotion – and later that day something quite wonderful and serendipitous occurred: I consciously reached out to my late father in my meditation.
I acknowledged an apology he’d offered while still living, which at the time I had awkwardly brushed off, minimizing the cause behind the apology, and saying it was ‘unnecessary’. And now, in the meditative state, I was able to graciously accept his apology, as I wished I had done while he was living. And I also asked his forgiveness for my part in the dynamic.
That very day I received an email from an old friend of my father’s who said he’d been cleaning out old emails and “came across this.” What “this” was doesn’t really matter here. What matters is that I’ve found when I practice Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra, my antenna goes up and those kind of serendipities start happening.
That first session a seed was planted and I wanted more. I realized I wanted to take Jennifer’s Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra teacher training. However, time, travel, and finances were not all lining up. I work as a publicist, photographer, and historic shipwreck professional and I was very kept very busy with these threads in my life.
Then COVID-19 happened. Go figure that something so dire could be the catalyst to allow me to do the training, but it was. Jennifer reconfigured the course for live online training. I can’t imagine that an in-person experience could have been any better. The training was an uplifting and enriching experience from beginning to end, and not surprisingly, was accompanied by a series of “divine serendipities” that came one after another. A few of which involved the emerald cross painted by artist Kate Peachey in the “rock art” photo shown here.
And honestly, since then, each time I’ve attended Jennifer’s classes or workshops online, some wonderful serendipity has taken place, which I perceive as divine ‘high-fives’, like a smattering of golden stardust assuring me I’m in the right place, at the right time, with the right tribe. This has been an amazing boost during this pandemic time.
Next up is Jennifer’s Five Element Yoga® teacher training! A significant component of my work as a photographer requires balance, stamina, and flexibility. It’s not unusual for me to have to sprint for a few blocks while carrying a ladder, a couple of cameras and a backpack full of accessories, jumping onto platforms and over obstacles! At the age of sixy-one, yoga is an essential part of my life that helps me to stay fit for my very physically demanding and exciting work.
As well, I was born with an extraordinarily well-developed sense of urgency and work-ethic, so much so that when I’m not immediately engaged in some kind of work production, I feel guilty. Connecting with Jennifer and her teachings and practices, as well as the community that has developed in our classes and trainings, has been great medicine for me and my over-motivated spirit. I feel much more reconnected to my intuitive and creative nature.
The more I come into contact with higher vibrations, the more I respond with higher vibrations of my own. In today’s “cult of personality” – self-defined and pre-packaged celebrity society, Jennifer stands out as the real deal. Honest, true, caring, and wise. Indescribably refreshing. Her knowledge is deep – the kind of deep that takes many years and extensive study to achieve – layer upon layer upon layer. In other words, one does not “become” a Jennifer Reis overnight. How wonderful that all that knowledge is contained in a being of such enormous warmth who also possesses a delightful gift for teaching.
I’m so looking forward my next workshop experience with Jennifer – and Michael, the man behind the scenes who keeps all the wheels turning. In these days of pandemic, with livelihoods so disrupted, it can feel difficult to justify directing funds to something that one might consider non-essential for survival. In my opinion, this type of investment in oneself is more crucial now than ever! And this will be beneficial not only for me personally, but those in my orbit – a ripple whose effect is immeasurable.
