Come to think of it, yoga isn’t just about the stretch. It’s about connection; Of your mind, With your body, and your higher self. Post realizing she was meant for it, today’s guest (Annie Oklerlin) at Her Next Best Move followed the teachings of yoga to serve traumatically injured service members and their families. From lost to found, Annie Okerlin's journey through yoga led her to a calling of serving those who have served us. Heading the Exalted Warrior Foundation, she currently provides adaptive yoga and meditation to wounded service members and their families today. She bets on yoga for healing trauma, resetting the nervous system, and helping individuals achieve a sense of safety and security. 

Did you know that the heightened state of survival experienced by traumatized individuals can also affect their digestive systems? The core to healing from trauma is to turn inward. Annie teaches you how to do that through meditation and contemplative practices for self-reflection and self-care!

As she talks about her journey and the work of the Exalted Warrior Foundation, you’ll see how to count on the practice to achieve a sense of peace and security. Find the strength and processes to heal. Tune in to this episode now, or whenever!

Key Takeaways:

●       Yoga and meditation can be powerful tools for healing trauma and stress and can help reset the nervous system. It's important to take time for self-care and connect with oneself daily.

●       Trauma can affect the body's nervous system and digestive systems and can make it difficult to experience positive events. Self-reflection and turning inward can be achieved through meditation and contemplative practices!

●       Meditation can be effective in reducing violence and increasing focus and attention, and emotional education for children can help them regulate their emotions and avoid negative behaviors.

●       In yoga classes, it's important to create a safe container where students feel comfortable having their own experiences without the teacher becoming a part of it. Teachers should know their strengths and weaknesses and take time to hone their craft over years of practice.

●       Breath is important in regulating the nervous system and creating stability during challenging postures. Yoga doesn't always have to be about pushing oneself to the limit but rather about finding stillness and peace within oneself.

 Meet The Guest! 

Annie Okerlin is a trauma-informed yoga instructor and the founder and executive director of Exalted Warrior Foundation, a nonprofit that provides adaptive yoga and meditation to traumatically injured service members, first responders, military personnel, active-duty veterans, and their families. She has been a yoga instructor since 1999, and is also a recovering yoga studio owner, an international associate of yoga therapy, and a certified iRest Yoga Nidra instructor.

 Connect with Annie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annieofyogani/

https://www.instagram.com/exaltedwarrior_foundation/

Website: https://www.exaltedwarrior.com/

Donate (Give a Veteran the gift of Yoga): https://www.exaltedwarrior.com/donate 

Get the Game changing Finding Purpose Visualization: https://www.hernextbestmove.com/mp3download