I recently attended a Yoga Nidra that Diana led at the Shala. To say that I was in a bad place when I arrived would be a profound understatement. I was visibly trembling from anxiety, fear, and anger. As a direct result of those emotions, which I had been living with for days (weeks? months? years?), my mind had been in a constant state of panic and I felt afflicted by self-loathing and guilt. These emotions were so substantial & overwhelming, that all I could successfully do was cry and perpetuate the painful, destructive cycle. I felt like I was immobilized in an emotional purgatory of my own creation, incapable of moving forward due to a fear of failure and an anger at that fear.

 

During the Yoga Nidra, Diana's gentleness was contagious and her words resonated on a level that I feel like I've only ever experienced in the kind of dreams that last with you a lifetime. She taught me that the counterparts of self-love are anxiety, anger, and fear, but that every single emotion has its place and purpose. She taught me that I don't need to permit those negative emotions to be my constant companions, but rather to use them as catalysts. She instilled in me that self-love & courage are not a state of fearlessness, but rather gently urging the heart to move forward in the face of fear. 

 

The self-love that I not only rediscovered, but earned that day from Diana's Yoga Nidra urged my heart forward in ways I could have only imagined. The fearful-yet-courageous me committed not to success, perfection, the "ultimate," or even anti-failure... I simply committed to action guided by self-love-- however minuscule the action may seem or feel at the time. That very night after I departed from the Shala (totally free of trembling and anger, I might add), I gently faced my deeply rooted fear of failure and began applying for jobs-- something that had been a (if not THE) profound source of anxiety, fear, guilt, and self-loathing for months. That simple and gentle confrontation catapulted me into a state of love-fueled productivity that I had believed was a dream of yester-year. In the last 10 days since Diana's Yoga Nidra, I have gone on 8 job interviews for positions that really speak to my heart. Now, I am starting to receive requests for second-round interviews and even job offers. I cannot emphasize enough how none of this would have happened-- truly not an ounce of it-- without Diana's guidance that day. I would absolutely still be immobilized and stagnant and hating myself. 

 

Diana prescribed something utterly life-changing & transformative during her Yoga Nidra and I learned that loving oneself absolutely is the best medicine. In acknowledging my anger, anxieties, and fears, I learned to accept, utilize, and release them... and ultimately their stronghold on my heart. She taught me that all I need is within me now and that my heart is my best resource. She is an immensely powerful healer and an infinitely enlightened guide, and I would not be able to feel like a person again had it not been for her.

 

THANK YOU DIANA, FOR GIVING ME MY LIFE AND MY HEART BACK.