SWIHA Blog

As a recent graduate of SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program, I never expected Yoga Nidra to have such a profound impact on my life—yet it did from the very first week. Over the fifteen-week Yoga Nidra certification course, I witnessed incredible shifts in myself and in my volunteer clients as well. The experiences shared by my classmates were full of healing, insight, and transformation. What began as curiosity quickly became a deeply meaningful journey inward—one that brought me clarity, calm, and a new connection to my Higher Self. I’m excited to share a summary of what I’ve learned about Yoga Nidra and its powerful ability to reduce stress.

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Gratitude has always been familiar to me; I’ve been a happy-go-lucky person for most of my life. I’m an optimist by nature! As a longtime student of A Course in Miracles, I consciously choose to be “miracle ready,” which means staying in a state of gratitude and readiness as a daily practice.

It wasn’t until I traveled to India that I understood gratitude on a deep, visceral level. Imagine traveling for more than 30 hours with little sleep, only to arrive at a modest ashram in Mulvu, India. We were assigned to a camp-style dorm room equipped with low metal cots and packed-down futon mattresses. The “shower” was a simple pipe emerging from the wall about two feet off the floor, with a blue plastic bucket beneath a rusty faucet. A dipper cup hung from the bucket’s rim. And yes—there was a small plastic stool on which to crouch while using what was affectionately known as “the bath bucket.” It was clear that warm—let alone hot—showers were not among the amenities.

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