When I introduce people to Yoga Nidra for the first time, sometimes I feel like a bit of a snake oil salesman, claiming all of these incredible benefits and then saying ‘AND IT’S SO EASY TOO!’

But…the fact of the matter is…everything I claim in terms of its benefits is accurate. It really IS that good. And it really IS that easy.

Here’s a little summary of how Yoga Nidra can help you…

New Year's is a powerful time to connect to the possibility of a new beginning. It's pretty much the only time that we, as a collective, regardless of religious beliefs, are encouraged to consciously take time in self-inquiry.

But most of us aren't taught how to engage in this process in a way that truly inspires growth…and so, most of our New Year's Resolutions just become annual reminders of all of the ways we’re not proving our worth. All the ways we’re proving to ourselves we’re not enough.

This is a symptom of a larger problem: for many of us, self-inquiry tends to be rooted in negative self-talk and self-judgment….

A few weeks ago, I went to see Andrew Huberman speak at The Wiltern Theater, here in Los Angeles. Besides learning that he is just an absolute delight of a human being, I learned a few new practical science-y things …including a very actionable takeaway about getting more Dopamine in Daily Life.

You might already know that dopamine is a neurotransmitter we need, want, and are motivated to get. Basically, anything that makes us feel good is linked to dopamine release - and so we are focused and motivated to get MORE of it. To feel good - MORE. It's the ‘more molecule.'

So how do we get MORE of the more molecule in our daily lives?

Keep reading to find out :)

My best friend called me a few nights ago, asking how to get back to the positive person she used to be and stop being so frustrated and angry.

These are the 4 things I told her - including why lying to yourself might be the true key to happiness and peace.

I wanted to share a little Personal Growth Realization that I'm pretty stoked about - as well as some important wisdom reminders for you. Including the number one thing you need to stop doing on your Personal Growth path. Plus a couple of journal prompts for autumn…because why not?!? 🤓

As some of you know, I just presented Yoga Nidra at the Biohacking Conference. While I was there, I met a guy named Chris. Right before I left, he asked me “So what did you learn from this experience, Hilary?” 🧐

i surprised myself a bit when i heard myself say….

Learn how you might be setting yourself up to fail in your meditation practice - that is, if failure were a thing in meditation! 😉 Sorry - that was a total clickbait trick - now that I’ve got your attention… if you’re not going deep in your Yoga Nidra practice, chances are there’s a pretty simple fix.

Learn my 10 Pro Tips to deepen your practice.

Let’s travel back to the day it all began…February 9th, 2008. I hate to be dramatic - but that really was ‘the day my life changed forever.’

I had been struggling through my adolescence and early 20s with insomnia and anxiety - and this was before smartphones. So I had been practicing meditation in a Buddhist tradition for a while by this point - but the techniques I’d practiced at my local Kadampa center in Philadelphia never landed. I never felt peaceful. I always just felt like I was sitting in a pool of my own mental filth for an excruciating 45 minutes at a time.

Yoga Nidra was different though.

The 3 things I stopped saying, why I cut them from my life - and what I say instead. Developing mindfulness of speech is a key part of an embodied spiritual practice.

Words matter. We know this. Both the words we speak out loud and the words we speak to ourself.

Words create worlds, they say. Sit with that for a moment. Contemplate it. How do your words create your world?

Just like in every aspect of our life - we can develop patterns of speech and communication that do not serve us.

We have to make sure we’re on the same page in terms of what rest is – and what rest isn’t. Once you have an awareness of what rest isn’t, you can create space to welcome in a fresh perspective, beginning the process of shifting from burnout to balance by transforming your relationship to rest – and your relationship to yourself.

Here’s where we start - the reason you never feel relaxed or rested is because the things that your mind tells you are restful and relaxing actually aren’t.

I’ve been practicing Yoga Nidra and rambling about it to anyone who will listen since 2008. Over the last several years, I’ve been watching it steadily grow in popularity, as sleep and rest have (blessedly!) become trendy in the wellness community.

Remember when Mindfulness started to become a thing? That’s where we are now….riiiight on the edge of that moment. Yoga Nidra is going to become a ‘mainstream’ meditation practice, y’all.

When you first start to learn about Human Design, it feels like you’re learning a whole new language. And you kind of are! I hope this little glossary of terms helps you wrap your head around the basic concepts so you can understand your chart better.

Learning about Human Design helped me let go of a ‘compare and despair’ mentality. 

I always had so much shame about not being more productive and not being able to work harder - even as a rest-obsessed meditation teacher. (Societal conditioning runs DEEP.)