As a special education math teacher, I slowly burned out from pouring myself into my students and classroom while neglecting to refill my own cup. I shifted to working as part of a project management team in a construction company and enjoyed it better.
Even still, stresses were rising at home: my husband and I began trying to get pregnant, assuming it would happen easily. Instead, it took longer than expected, filled with tracking, timing, monitoring, and trying to outsmart nature, all of which only amped up my tension and slowed things down even more.
Eventually, I loosened my grip, stopped trying so hard, and made peace with not having a child. Not long after, we conceived! It was then, during pregnancy that I began to practice yoga and meditation as a way to support myself physically and mentally during my prenatal journey. As someone who was obese at the time, it was important to me to find a physical practice I could participate in, but one that was accessible and safe since I had not been active prior to pregnancy.
I started by using a meditation app and began to feel calmer and more grounded. I felt connected with my body and my breath. I was able to feel peace and a sense of non-attachment with the entire pregnancy process, surrendering to the fact that many outcomes were out of my control. It opened me up to trust intuitively that my body knew what was best.
I found gentle yoga classes in my area and my practice helped me to feel the most centered and relaxed I have ever felt. It was incredible!
After having my son, life got busy as a ‘new mom’, and I entered my third career: working in healthcare payroll systems. Yoga and meditation got pushed into the background so I could focus on one ‘fire’ at a time as life was fast and furious. In hindsight, this was counterproductive and the opposite of what I needed, but in this time of stress I reverted back to digging in the claws of ‘control’ and hyper-productivity.
When the pandemic struck, my son was two, and my role transitioned from the office to working from home and navigating new routines. I began to practice yoga virtually with various studios around the world, but struggled with making the time to regularly show up for myself as there was always something else I could be doing around the house instead.
I had a sense that something in my life was waiting to be recognized. It felt like there was something hidden inside that needed to be revealed – a slight feeling of discontentment, but without a source. Nothing was ‘wrong’, but I didn’t feel ‘right’.
I began searching for a clue through books, online, journaling, and oracle cards, hoping that perhaps an answer would appear. It lingered in the back of my mind, and I could feel it in my body, but wasn’t sure what my heart was asking for.
I found I was drawn to Buddhist Meditation centers, meditation retreats, intuition workshops, as well as mindfulness, yoga philosophy, and identifying the meaning of one’s life. But I knew there was a hidden piece of the puzzle not yet discovered.
I woke up one day and questioned, “why don’t I do yoga anymore?” I reconnected with my local studio and found a renewed sense of community and purpose there. There was a piece of myself that needed a space like that to thrive. At that time I discovered Jennifer Reis and began practicing with her Yoga Nidras and Series yoga classes. I felt drawn to attend Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra Teacher Training to dive deeper.
In fact, practicing her Yoga Nidra every day in the afternoon, and also in the evening, with my journaling practice to report what I noticed within myself, I would say has significantly changed my life.
Now I feel a sense tranquility and the ability to flow with life. I have been able to reflect on my limiting beliefs, and notice what I want to release, and also what I wish to cultivate. My practice has helped me embrace abundance and a sense of self-worth.
Yoga Nidra has allowed me to unlock my creativity and connect with the deeper layers of myself, which has led to many significant personal developments.
I have started teaching an afterschool children’s yoga class, and supporting adults with disabilities yoga class. I guide yoga nidra to friends and family. And I am looking forward to presenting in expos, as well as guiding a women’s recharge and restore retreat in 2026.
I feel I have unlocked a part of myself that I did not know existed! Now I am tapping into my potential. I feel a sense of purpose flowing through me. And I’m so excited to share this out into the world.
As a former classroom teacher, I find it incredibly fulfilling to share both movement and yoga nidra meditation with children. I have overheard my students reminding each other to tap into their affirmations, like “I am strong” or “I am brave,” if they are doing something challenging.
They love when I lead them in Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra at the end of yoga class. And its my hope they will be able to practice the self-regulation and relaxation tools they learn with me in their daily lives.
My son enjoys practicing yoga nidra at night. He also has begun helping me brainstorm new yoga nidra journeys. We enjoy finding landscape images for yoga nidra inspiration. We also love finding good ‘describing’ words for scenes. He is an emerging writer, and I am excited to see how the creativity and imagination within yoga nidra will impact his writing in the classroom.
For myself as practicing yoga nidra, I’ve found a great deal of relaxation, peace, and the ability to accept things as they are. This spills into my daily life, bringing me more mindfulness and ease every day. Now challenges do not impact me as they use to. I have a sense of being connected to something greater and larger beyond myself.
Guiding yoga nidra has given me the opportunity to unlock my imagination and creativity, something I haven’t done since childhood, and I feel grateful for it’s reentry into my life. I love Jennifer’s online community of teachers and students, whom I have learned a great deal from and made strong personal connections.
The resources and guidance Jennifer provides in the trainings helped me gain confidence to find my authentic voice. Previously, I was concerned if I would be able to mirror Jennifer’s voice, but she reassured me that it’s not about trying to become Jennifer, or anyone else, but instead applying Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra framework while staying true to myself. I was supported that I am ‘enough’.
Jennifer has created a program that allows for a smooth knowledge transfer to others, regardless of their prior experience, so the gift of yoga nidra can be shared globally. Jennifer creates a welcoming, safe, non-judgmental environment where teacher training participants can lean into vulnerability and feel supported and nourished.
When Jennifer leads Yoga Nidra it’s truly magical. Her exceptional creativity and writing skills have helped me to go inward and rest within gratitude, spaciousness, and acceptance, for example, in a space that feels warm and supportive. I am able to explore places I have never visited, like Egyptian pyramids or a crystal cave, while deep parts of my imagination and layers of my essence are revealed and nourished.
By devoting a few quiet moments to engage in my yoga nidra practice, I am able to be more fully present and show up as the best version of myself. I am grateful for the opportunity to practice and learn from Jennifer, as well as continue to develop my skills in service to others. I have found and opened a treasure chest of gems just waiting for me to discover within myself and the world.
