By Brianne Hovey, Club Greenwood Yoga Instructor
I will never forget my first experience of Yoga Nidra. I had no idea what it was. I was embarking upon my 200-hour yoga teacher certification at a studio that felt like home and simultaneously like traveling to another world. I felt safe, curious, open and attentive. My experience was profound. It was as though I was experiencing being in my body for the first time without identifying with the chatter of my mind. We are often existing between experiences and spaces, constantly processing information without stopping to let the information or experience integrate. 
The practice of yoga Nidra is an experience of integration, an experience of being at home with oneself and exploring awareness without any attachment to outcome. It is a practice in being rather than a practice of doing. There’s no way to practice incorrectly. No alignment. No control. In fact, the only expectations of the students are to find a position of supreme comfort to rest, to listen to the guide and remain awake. Beginner students experience deep rest (yoga Nidra is often called yogic sleep or conscious sleep). Seasoned students experience benefits beyond deep rest including the release of tension and stress, a strengthened immune system, improved memory and creativity, and integration of both hemispheres of the brain.
Through cultivating deep relaxation, the opportunity to explore the various layers of consciousness arises. The student rests in a state between sleep and wakefulness and between subconscious and unconscious dimensions. In this state, a personal intention (Sankalpa) is integrated as a way of manifesting new goals or creating behavior change. This is the true magic of yoga Nidra. When we recognize an intention within every layer of our consciousness, we are able to align with how we want to be.
If you are interested in trying a yoga Nidra class, view our Yoga Schedule.
Brianne Hovey
Club Greenwood Yoga Instructor
Brianne completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2014 at Samadhi Center for Yoga and Meditation and has earned additional certificates to teach restorative yoga, yin yoga and yoga nidra. She has also completed an eight- week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course and A Course In Mindful Living, a six-month course with Elisha Goldstein. Brianne intentionally creates a safe, non-intimidating space and enjoys offering students a fresh experience that is mindful and challenging while still being approachable for beginners. Club Greenwood has meant so much to her family throughout the past few decades and she considers it an honor to teach here! Outside of yoga, she is a masters swimmer, cyclist, snowboarder, traveler and loves spending time outdoors.