Lexa Gillespie

In 2011, the normal energetic feel of my life was a whirlwind of hectic, deranged, non-stop frantic chaos! It felt as though someone had jammed the fast forward button that controlled my life. I had absolutely no clue how to slow down.

Shortly after that feeling engulfed me, I was diagnosed with a stage two malignant tumor in my brain in the right temporal lobe.

Acknowledging that life wasn’t about to slow down for me, I had a beautiful and empowering realization that I needed to renew! I longed to feel loving vibrancy, as well as inner serenity. Even within illness, I knew achieving it was possible.

I immediately began my search for an inner state of calm that could help me get through the catastrophic event I was facing. I had only a small foundation of yoga in my life, and began integrating yoga into my daily routine. I used slowing my breath down to calm my racing mind. And I found the yogic text – the Bhagavad Gita – to be very supportive.

I made it through one round of brain surgery. Then an intense healing period. Questions like, ‘Who am I?’ began to surface and I felt like I was beginning all over again. I set a goal, knowing how I wanted to feel in my body again, and knew that yoga would get me there.

I entered into my yoga teacher training and within it one of our teachers lead us in Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra. As I sat up after the practice I felt an ethereal and light filled sense of myself and knew that I was searching for!

As I floated out of the classroom and into the world, I noticed how beautifully different I was perceiving the natural beauty of mother Gaia around me. The trees were the most vibrant green, the people walking on the sidewalks were light and open; I wanted to smile at everyone including myself.

I felt such self-love! I was filled with warm happiness that I wanted to let freely flow outward to share with everyone. It was the most amazing experience I had ever had! I knew I needed Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra as part of my daily routine for both healing and well-being. I smiled radiantly all day, and that night’s sleep was incredible.

In terms of long-term effects, Divine Sleep has allowed me to feel more settled into my body, which has been a profound blessing after surgery. Now I feel ease within myself. I have a sense of integration with this conscious relaxation in my life.

My healing process was greatly shortened — my estimated recovery time had far overshot my actual recovery time and my neurosurgeon was at a loss for words because of to how quickly I healed. My yoga and yoga nidra practice created space for what was not me to melt away, and then my true-self began to really shine through. It has genuinely connected me to my innate self-healing abilities. I feel I truly healed myself not only physically, but emotionally, from the surgery.

The same month I graduated from yoga teacher training I enrolled in Jennifer’s Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra teacher training the same month! I had no idea what to expect and was filled with desire in my heart to share the beautiful practice of Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra with the world! I wanted everyone to feel that light and peaceful renewed sensation it gives me every time I practice.

When I met Jennifer the first day of class I was taken aback with how wonderfully open and compassionate she is. She embodied the ‘Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra’ energy in her person. The training was integrated in the best way. Working with her one-on-one was a blessing and a joy. When I graduated I felt more than ready to share this potent practice with the world!

I am filled with gratitude to have been able to train with Jennifer and have eternal appreciation for her creating this beautiful technique to help awaken each individuals’ innate healing abilities and aid individuals in inviting peace, love and light into their life.

Namaste.