Relief from Fibromyalgia and Depression (Testimonial)

When I first came to Dahn Yoga in September 2010, I was in constant pain from Fibromyalgia, physically exhausted, and being treated for insomnia, digestive disorders, and severe clinical depression. I was taking more than ten pills a day in an attempt to alleviate the various symptoms. My life consisted of struggling to meet my personal and professional responsibilities, and each day, I was withdrawing more and more from the world. The thought of physical exercise created a huge sense of anxiety in me because the pain and fatigue was so intense. Although I knew there was so much to be thankful for in this world, overwhelming thoughts of ending my life consumed me.

I came to Dahn Yoga as a skeptic because I had never considered yoga as a practice that could benefit me. I had no real exposure to, or belief in, energy as a healing power, and I didn't believe in myself. But my first visit to the Dahn Yoga Center in Schaumburg changed everything. Joanne could tell so much about me by evaluating my body condition and breathing. The wealth of information and encouragement she provided on that initial visit gave me a small kernel of hope. When I actually began taking classes, I discovered that the movements were gentle enough for me to perform. I came to class and practiced diligently at home and saw gradual improvements to both my physical and mental health. When I finally grasped that these changes were due to the improvement of energy flow within my body, the effects accelerated. 

As I began to explore the spiritual elements of Dahn Yoga, I realized that so many of my issues were due to being spiritually lonely. By filling this void, my depression began to weaken and gradually my pain began to lessen. I no longer wanted to be associated with pain and worked to distance myself from it. Slowly, I began to taper off of the pain medication and three months after starting Dahn Yoga, I no longer needed the sleeping pills I had been taking for over five years. Now, six months after starting Dahn Yoga, I am free of all prescription medicine.

So what is it about Dahn yoga that enabled these improvements in my life? First and foremost, it was the inspiring instructors who provide compassion when you need compassion and are firm when you start to lose your will to change. They shared the simple, yet profound principles of Dahn Yoga, which put me on a path of continuous self-healing and spiritual growth. They provided me with hope. My overwhelming gratitude for this blessing has instilled a strong vision in me to share this with others, so that they too can reclaim healthy, happy and peaceful lives. To say that Dahn Yoga changed my life would be an understatement. It absolutely saved my life.

By Sharon Tierney