Devorah Sacks

Deborah was a devoted Marriage and Family Therapist who met me somatically and especially got me through graduate school in a similar discipline. Like an ever-​flowing emotional well, my relationship with Devorah has never grown dry despite us naturally going our own ways at this time. Gratitude for the connection.

So I’m writing this with tenderness and a lot of mixed emotions. Devorah was my therapist and yoga teacher for a few years. As a yoga teacher, she’s a five star extraordinaire. Having her as a therapist was a mixed experience, with a lot of blessings and one or two challenges that were simply not okay.
She’s excellent with meeting, and holding, big emotion– really anywhere you need to go, she will fearlessly walk into that fire and meet you there, and hold you and hold space in big, messy emotions. A billion stars for that, and for her somatic (embodied) work.
From my perspective where my process with her got messy was in the her-​and-​I relational realm. Things blew up in regards to our working relationship in a way that felt injurious both to it, and to me. This was met with some degree of heartfelt repair and effort, which I appreciated, but never taken to full resolution.
I highly recommend Devorah for yoga. I can speak highly of her somatic work in therapy as well, and her ability to hold a big space. However, as a therapist there a responsibility to the therapist-​client relationship, and certain key lines were crossed in my relationship with her.

Devorah Sacks is a kickass guide to the sometimes ecstatic, sometimes gnarly journey of self discovery. She will get you in touch with what your body already knows and help you machete through the weeds that hold you back from true happiness. She’s as genuine and generous as they come and has been practicing what she teaches for years (and probably lifetimes).
Like a good guide, she’ll always be right there with you wherever you are – laughing, crying and everywhere in between. When you are doing that thing you do to avoid whatever you’re feeling, she’ll gently nudge you. When you are on track, she’ll take you farther and faster than you could go alone.
At least that’s always been my experience of Devorah whether it’s at Mission Ashtanga, in her monthly yoga nidra group or during private sessions. In the time that I’ve been studying with her, I’ve developed a deeper understanding of myself, more capacity to tolerate discomfort and more ability to tap into whatever I’m experiencing and stay with it.
What I love about Devorah is that she’s a down-​to-​earth, fiercely authentic, big hearted person who has been in the dark woods herself and can show you how to get out. For real.
She draws upon the ancient traditions that have served her so deeply, but she’s not rigid in any way. If you have a yoga practice, she might work with that. If not, no problem, most of what she does you wouldn’t recognize as «yoga» anyway because the heart of yoga has little to do with postures. I will say, however, that if you are a yogi or meditator whose practice is bringing up some *stuff*, you really couldn’t find a better person to help you work through it.
I could go on about how awesome Devorah is, but we’re burning daylight … and you’ve got a journey to start. If you want a guide to help you get down with yourself (there’s only so far you can go on your own), Devorah’s got the chops, understanding and heart to do it. Especially if you are a yogi or seeker of any kind: work with her.

Five stars is not enough!
First of all, if you are familiar with the yoga nidra practice and have been looking for a skilled teacher to go deeper with, please see Devorah. Not only is she extremely well versed in the theories and methods of practice, but she brings a unique perspective and awareness that is worth checking out.
If you are new to the practice, here’s a brief overview. Yoga nidra is a guided progressive relaxation/​meditation, where your teacher leads you through the different layers of being (physical, emotional, breath, etc.) and usually incorporates a theme of some kind, depending on the setting (group or private) and on your goals in coming to practice. Think: blankets, pillows, and, like, the best pseudo-​sleep you’ve ever gotten. Sometimes, you emerge from practice simply feeling rested. Sometimes you emerge with greater clarity, awareness, and ability to deal with things coming up in your life. But you’re always happy you did it.
I have done both private and group yoga nidra sessions with Devorah and have been consistently impressed with her level of preparation, her experience, and her level of awareness regarding what her students need. Individually, Devorah has shown me other forms of meditation to help stay «in touch» with the yoga nidra practice even when I don’t have the time for a 45 minute practice. My first yoga nidra session with Devorah? I thought I’d get a great little nap and maaaaaybeee get something deeper out of it. Almost 4 years later, I am completely in love with the practice and can barely wait for my monthly yoga nidra groups. Devorah is such an amazing facilitator — she manages to check in with everyone, without making you feel like you have to have the same experience that others are having.
Yoga nidra, with practice, helps us control our reactivity to the world. I have become a better, more peaceful, and more aware person through my work with Devorah. Yoga nidra is a wonderful and worthy practice no matter how you approach it, but yoga nidra with Devorah is truly special. I highly recommend contacting her to learn more about what this practice has to offer. You won’t regret it.