So many things seem improbable. Impossible, even. Ever look back at where your life has gone and wonder how in the hell you got to where you are? I do.
But here we are.
Read moreMaking Waves Great Salt Lake & Live Yoga Nidra Teacher Training
Yeah, today I’m excited to share about a collective poem I contributed to about saving Great Salt Lake as well as my next live Yoga Nidra teacher training.
A Word To Save The Waves
My very good friend,Nan Seymour—a dear friend/sister with whom I’ve been co-leading nature + yoga + writing retreats for the past 9 years—has been doing an incredible job, tirelessly raising awareness about the endangered Great Salt Lake.
I love this lake and love Nan and so when she asked if I would write a poem about this majestic but imperiled lake, I jumped at the chance.
Many people contributed and the results were a collective poem. I was thrilled to see that it was recently published as a book called Irreplaceable, A Collective Praise Poem For Great Salt Lake.
Tonight, you’re invited to a FREE event, a collective reading of this poem and I’ll be privileged to read my humble poem.
I’ll also get to blow my sax a little bit.
At this free event, we will be honored with opening remarks from Lisa Bickmore, Poet Laureate of Utah as well as a screening of the short film Irreplaceable, directed by John Meier.
Can’t wait!
When: Wednesday, November 20th from 6–7:30 pm
Where: Natural History Museum of Utah located at 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Cost: FREE
Please come!
Live Yoga Nidra Teacher Training
Also, I am excited to let you know about my next LIVE Yoga Nidra teacher training, January 24–27, 2025
I’m excited to be hosted by Rianne Maldonado of Wrae Aesthetics in Tucson, Arizona.
Training available via Zoom or in person, Tucson, Arizona.
Stand Out As a Teacher, Coach, or Therapist
Let’s face it—there are a billion yoga teachers, coaches, and therapists. This Yoga Nidra teacher training will help you become a Yoga Nidra expert and will help you stand out from the rest in your industry.
Yoga Nidra is SO more than just guided visualizations. Explore how this powerful but gentle medium facilitates massive and lasting transformation from anything to confidence, addiction, stress, sleep, and even spiritual awakening.
This engaging and nourishing training empowers you to become an effective teacher to meet the unique needs of your students and clients, to help them make important transformations in their own lives.
People are waiting to experience Yoga Nidra in only the way YOU can deliver it!
Stand out as a teacher and to facilitate lasting transformation for your students and clients.
What’s Unique About This Training:
Superb quality—Organized, easy to follow, flexible for your schedule, dynamic as per your learning style.
In-depth study—you’ll learn from a Yoga Nidra master and graduate a Yoga Nidra expert.
Highly effective—this training is ranked the top Yoga Nidra trainings in the world by Mind Is the Master.
Be Original! Most trainings teach you to be a rote version of your teacher. This training teaches you the larger principles, roadmaps, and concepts that allow you to tap into the wise teacher inside of you to be a truly effective teacher by teaching from the power of your own voice
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education credit.
Yoga Nidra and Small Kindnesses
Today, I am excited to tell you about my next live Yoga Nidra teacher training, Restore Yoga workshop, as well as offer you this incredible poem …
I heard Helena Bonham Carter read this poem and it stopped me in my tracks. Granted, she could read the IRS filing instructions and it would sound inspiring and poetic.
Small Kindnesses
By Danusha Lameris
I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk
down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs
to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”
when someone sneezes, a leftover
from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.
And sometimes, when you spill lemons
from your grocery bag, someone else will help you
pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other. We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,
and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile
at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress
to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder, and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.
We have so little of each other, now. So far
from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.
What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these
fleeting temples we make together when we say, “Here,
have my seat,” “Go ahead—you first,” “I like your hat.”
I love the notion of “these fleeting temples we make together” the container of love made by a simple gesture, a kind word, a smile.
To me, this poem epitomizes that fascinating intersection I like to play at and study, that crossroads between our humanness and our beingness. Here, we can celebrate the messiness of being human, knowing that behind the hot mess that is being human, there is a foundation of goodness, and compassion.
We are Source and Source is love.
I love practicing our ability to compassionately respond to life’s ups and downs instead of reacting to them. Practicing this essential skill through Yoga Nidra is like learning to become a ninja of life, except of course that instead of mastering nunchucks and throwing stars, you get to lie down and practice napping your way to enlightenment while drifting on clouds of bliss. When you get done, you get to go back out into the world and show up as your best, most responsive self.
To help us all practice this essential life skill, I invite you to join me for my Restore Yoga and Yoga Nidra workshop and my live, in-person and online Yoga Nidra training.
Live Yoga Nidra Teacher Training:
May 11–12; 18–19, Salt Lake City and via Zoom
Yoga Nidra is far more than guided visualization—it's a profound pathway to personal transformation and even spiritual awakening. In this comprehensive 30-hour training, you'll become an expert in harnessing the life-changing potential of Yoga Nidra. I’ll guide you to gain a mastery of this ancient practice. You’ll emerge with the skills to guide your students into deep states of conscious relaxation, facilitating lasting shifts in their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Whether you're a yoga teacher, coach, or therapist, adding Yoga Nidra to your repertoire will allow you to profoundly impact the lives of those you serve.
Stand Apart as a Truly Transformative Teacher: Facilitating Transformation with the Yoga of Sleep
In today's crowded wellness landscape, becoming a Yoga Nidra expert is your key to standing out. This training goes far beyond teaching you rote scripts—you'll learn the overarching principles and roadmaps that allow you to teach from the wisdom of your authentic voice. Gain the ability to dynamically craft experiences tailored to your students' unique needs. People are yearning for the powerful transformation only you can provide through the ancient art of Yoga Nidra. Seize this opportunity to become a master guide on the journey of self-discovery and radical growth.
Restore Yoga and Yoga Nidra Workshop:
Sunday, May 5th 12–2 pm at Be-ing Community
Normally this is held at Mosaic Yoga but there is an event at Mosaic on the 1st Sunday of May. So, on May 5th I’ll be hosting this workshop at a different venue:
Be-ing Community 355 N 300 W. Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
$39.
In this class we will dip into the timeless with resting poses, poetry, and a decadent Yoga Nidra practice. This 2-hour class will incorporate supported and resting postures using yoga props (provided if you don’t have them). I try to use minimal words to allow for a generous and open spaciousness. You can also expect poetry and music to help connect your soul with timeless presence.
Also available via Zoom. Please email me in advance to tell me you’ll be Zooming in.
May we all bend over to pick up the lemons that spill out of a stranger’s grocery bag.
May we all learn to access our highest good by exploring the depth that exists in the dance between our humanness and our beingness.
And may it begin with a simple gesture of kindness, a word like … YES!
Lament Over Daylight Saving Time
Today I want to discuss some of the benefits of Yoga Nidra, how rest and napping help rejuvenate you, and how crazy Daylight Saving Time is.
It’s Daylight Saving Time.
You know what’s weird? Time.
Yes, time.
What’s also weird is that a helpful student chimed in to let me know that it’s not “Daylight Savings Time” but rather Daylight Saving (no s) Time. Good to know. Thanks!
Today is one of the worst “time events” that happens twice a year.
That’s right. Today the U.S. switches to Daylight Saving Time. Well, everyone but Arizona and Hawaii. It’s nice to know that some states have kept their sanity.
Why Daylight Saving Time?!
Every organism on this planet has some sort of a rhythm and sleep cycle that is dependent upon the circadian rhythm, the natural rhythm of the daylight hours as dictated by the seasons. This rhythm directs cycles from when to sleep, when to eat, when to migrate, etc. It makes sense.
What doesn’t make sense to me is the fact that as humans we are advanced enough to send Gobots to Mars 203 MILLION miles away and have them send pics back to us in real time as it rolls around collecting specimens and amusing itself yet we don’t have the smarts to keep to the natural rhythm that all organisms on this planet have been following since, oh, the beginning of life on this planet. Instead humans create a rhythm of life based not on the seasons or the natural impulses of our bodies, impulses that have been ingrained into our very DNA, but rather an artificial rhythm set to a clock that is designed to make us more productive and earn more money.
If that were not bad enough, then every 6 months we have to mess it up with adding or taking away Daylight Saving Time.
I don’t need to have an opinion about it … but apparently I do.
Putting Daylight Saving To Rest
Luckily I’m not alone here. Thankfully some really smart people like Kenneth P. Wright Jr. Ph.D at the Sleep and Chronobiology lab at the University of Colorado Boulder thinks that for optimal physical, mental, and emotional health we should do away with Daylight Saving Time and stick with one standard time, for crying out loud. (If you care about a reference for Write’s work, whether or not I’m not making this up, you can click here.)
But until we all come to our senses and ditch Daylight Saving, those of us who are in the US are waking up an hour earlier today (except Arizona and Hawaii—starkly different places but who at least share a modicum of sanity).
Solutions For Fatigue
So, here’s what I propose.
More napping.
Yes, more napping. I mean, I’m about a third the way into Scott Carney’s book about Dreams and I love how he is exploring the fact that throughout history and cultures, before the industrial revolution and electricity (light bulbs meant people could work longer), people would follow a more natural pattern of sleeping and sleep about 9 hours a night and would also take a siesta in the afternoon which follows the natural rhythms of a person’s body.
This is both sane and healthy.
You know, sleeping a solid 7–9 hours is normal and healthy. Then, it’s natural to start to wane mentally and energetically after about 8 hours of being awake, after lunch time, usually. This is the PERFECT time to take a bit of a nap. It’s not being lazy. It’s being healthy.
You don’t need to nap for long. In fact, 20–30 minutes will do absolute wonders for your overall wellness. Plus, you don’t even have to fall all the way asleep. You can just rest. It’s a revolution!
More Productive with Yoga Nidra
But what about being productive and all that?
Well, turns out that when you follow this more natural cycle of sleep and allow yourself a sanctioned nap in the middle of the day, your brain functions even better, your emotions are more regulated and for those who care … YOU’RE EVEN MORE PRODUCTIVE.
To boot, you have better ideas, tend to think out of the box more often, and are generally more creative and able to learn. In fact, many of the outliers of art and industry— math and science geniuses, tech gurus, writers and artists—are ardent nappers.
Yep.
And guess what? Listening to a Yoga Nidra recording serves this need for a mid-day nap PERFECTLY.
So as a way of compassionately responding to this insane biannual change to/from Daylight Savings, I’m offering you a free Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation.
You’re welcome.
And if you’d like to make this resting and napping a regular part of your life, please join me for my weekly live, online Yoga Nidra class, happening at 9 am MDT. You can participate from the comfort of your own home (hell, your own bed). We’ll breath, move, talk a little, but then the main event will be me leading you through a luxurious Yoga Nidra practice where you get practice waking up to your True Being through the process of engineering that liminal state between waking and sleeping. That’s the Nidra state.
Truly we are waking up with the yoga of sleep.
Even if you can’t make it live, by registering, you’ll get the replay so you can do this Yoga Nidra practice any time you want, as often as you want.
So next week, as your dragging your butt around the office, sluggish and tired from the time change, tell your boss that at about 2 pm every day, you’ll have to excuse yourself, that you have an urgent 30 minute appointment which involves you lying down, closing your eyes, and napping your way to enlightenment.
Your boss will thank you later.
If you need a note from your yoga teacher for permission, let me know.
I’ll send one. Or better yet, just print this one =>
Hope to see you at the Live Online Yoga Nidra class and enjoy this free Yoga Nidra recording for Deep Relaxation.
Together, we can get through this nightmare that is Daylight Saving!
Live Yoga Nidra, Live Yoga Classes, Yoga Retreat Tuscany, Mountain Biking
We’ve had a great time visiting the US and I’m heading home to Nice in only about 10 days!
I have a few more classes I’m teaching before I leave and I’d love to see you before I go.
In-Person Asana Classes
Friday, September 1, 2023
Mosaic Yoga 1991 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City (map).
All Mosaic classes are by donation. I accept cash, Venmo, or original, signed, and authenticated copies of John Coltrane’s 1957 album, Blue Train. Thank you.
Power Hour 6–7 am MDT:
An all-levels hour of wake-up yoga with an easy warm-up including Sun Salutations and full-body mobilizations, followed by standing, balance, and grounding poses.
Mindfulness 7:15–8:15 am MDT:
This is an opportunity to sit and meditate with a group of other mindfulness practitioners in a welcoming environment. It’s perfect whether you are a new or experienced meditator.
Power 1 8:45–10 am MDT:
This 75-minute class weaves a spiritual or conscious theme into a Wanderlust format of poses which alternate between short flowing and static sequences to arrive at a therapeutic, cohesive, and well-rounded yoga experience. This class will feature warmups, sun salutations, standing poses, approachable standing and arm balances, core work, hips, and a solid cool down and savasana. I’ll be bringing the clarinet!
Live, In-Person Yoga Nidra Class
Wednesday, August 30th 6–7:15 pm
Integrated Wellness 1174 East Graystone Way #15, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
This class will feature opening to sacred space with some shared breath, a discussion about the benefits of Yoga Nidra, some pre-Nidra breathing & mindfulness practices, then a 30-minute Yoga Nidra practice, followed by some brief integration practices.
Bring a yoga mat, blanket, bolster (or extra blanket) and an eye mask or pillow.
Price $15 ($10 if you’re a subscribing member to Sunday’s class). No need to register or pay in advance. Just show up and you can pay in cash or with Venmo.
Plus, I had the really, really cool opportunity to be interviewed by two amazing women, Danielle LeCourt and Jamie Bangerter, on their amazing podcast called The Art of Mountain Biking.
We discussed how rest is an often underemphasized skill that supports, everything we do including sports such as mountain biking, but also the full-contact sport of every-day life. As with any skill, we need a systematized way of approaching it. I loved where our discussion went and I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy it too.
Listen by clicking here or click here to listen on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Last but not least, I’ve been brushing up on my Renaissance history because in about 6 weeks, I’ll be in Tuscany offering a retreat with an optional pre-treat—walking tours through Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. We have a few spots left both in the retreat as well as the pre-treat (I say “we” because I’ll be hosting the retreat with Kim Dastrup). Please grab your bestie and join us for this incredible adventure.
Live Classes in SLC and NYC
I landed in a snowy Salt Lake City on Tuesday and am loving the change of scenery from sunny French Riviera to Snowy Wasatch Mountains. It warms my heart to be back home and see so many family and friends. Also, I started my Yoga Nidra Immersion and teacher training yesterday which is going great. It's thrilling to me to be able to practice and discuss what it means to Wake Up with the Yoga of Sleep.
While I'm in the states, I thought it would be lovely to connect with students in-person and teach some live classes, something I've really missed during the pandemic and especially while living in France. I've arranged for some classes and workshops in Salt Lake City and New York City and would love to have you join me for any of these if you're able to.
Here's the schedule and Information:
Salt Lake City
Friday, March 11th 6:00–7:00 am Rise and Shine at Mosaic Yoga 1991 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Class by donation at the door.
Friday, March 11th 7:15–8:15 am Mindfulness Meditation at Mosaic Yoga 1991 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Class by donation at the door.
Sunday, March 13th 9:00–10:15 am Yoga Nidra (in person and via Zoom) at InBody Yoga Academy 1597 South 1100 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Register for class here
Monday, March 14th 6–8 pm Flow and Rest Workshop at at InBody Yoga Academy 1597 South 1100 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Class by donation at the door.
New York City
Saturday, March 19th 11:00 am to 1:30 pm Rest and Renew: Restore Yoga + Yoga Nidra Pure Yoga 204 W 77th St, New York, NY 10024 Click here for more information and to register.
For all my New York friends, if you'd like to schedule a private session or even connect for coffee or a walk around the park, please reach out. I'd love to connect.
Have a wonderful week and may we all continually breathe deeply as we balance the steadiness and ease in the daily practice of life.
Namaste,
Yoga Nidra For Grief Can Help
Yoga Nidra for Grief
Here’s my weekly tid-bit. I hope you enjoy. It’s a Yoga Nidra for grief practice. I find that …
