MAKE SPACE TO BREATHE

I recently had the pleasure of chatting over Zoom with Jill Weston of Our Breathing Space. Jill and I first met during a challenging time in my life, as I was grieving the loss of my mother. Her kindness and support left a lasting impression, and I’ve been fortunate to stay in touch with her and follow her evolving career.

Jill’s journey has always been guided by a deep commitment to service. Early on, she knew she was meant to help others and has done so in various roles, including therapeutic horseback riding, youth corrections, hospice care, and as a trained hostage negotiator. She also worked as a crime victim advocate and caregiver, where she became known for her calm demeanor and objective approach

As her retirement from the State of California approached, Jill sought new ways to serve. What began as a whim led her to enroll in a Yoga Nidra certification course with Dr. Marc Halpern, despite never having experienced a session before. This decision marked the beginning of a new chapter, leading her to a profound awareness that she now shares with others.
‍

Jill described how, during day-to-day life, we are all filled with the reasoning mind making thousands of judgments and decisions. The critical mind is in charge, and we can get into a state of fight or flight if we do not give our minds a chance to rest in a meditative state.

When describing Yoga Nidra, Jill shared, “What I would love for people to understand, is Yoga Nidra is a state of deep relaxation, consciousness and shift in brain wave state. It’s practiced laying down so that you’re not holding your body up at all. So it’s not the hand stand sand the headstands, and the postures. It’s that state of laying down to let your body relax and to receive.”

Since 2012, Jill has been dedicated to teaching Yoga Nidra, earning her certification through the California College of Ayurveda. She has deepened her expertise by hosting Yoga Nidra Teacher Trainings since 2018 and becoming a Dynamic Mindfulness® facilitator and a certified YOGABODY® Breathing Coach. Now based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Jill continues to introduce Yoga Nidra to her new community while working with private clients in person and via Zoom
‍