Geri Portnoy

geri1Geri Portnoy has been teaching yoga for almost two decades. She is the founder of Yoga of Awakening an integrated system for supporting and accelerating spiritual awakening. She is also the founder and senior teacher of Yoga Del Mar – which was voted best yoga studio in San Diego County. She has helped thousands of students learn the ancient practice of yoga, by translating the spiritual potency of yoga into everyday language. She has a gift for teaching practical spirituality by providing real life examples of how yoga can also be practiced off the mat, right in the midst of everyday life, to bring greater peace, and dependable resilience even in times of chaos and great uncertainty.

She holds a Master’s degree in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Upon graduation she joined Teach for America and volunteered to teach Science and Martial Arts in the inner city of East Los Angeles. There she established peer mediation programs to help train Middle School students in the communication skills necessary to resolve their own conflicts non-violently. In addition to teaching conflict resolution and science courses in the public schools, she also spent several years teaching Environmental Education in the mountains of southern California.

Geri is a sought after speaker and published author with a potent message that clearly defines the source of modern day suffering and provides proven practices and strategies to lead people into the heart of connection, renewal and awakening. Through classes, workshops, radio appearances, and teleseminars she’s shared her inspirational message with people around the world. Her article entitled “Dark Night of the Soul: Crisis and Opportunity of our Times” was published in Kosmos: the Journal for World Citizens Creating the New Civilization. She is also a featured co-author of the bestselling book The Voyage to Your Vision: Top Experts Chart the Course for Your Professional and Personal Journey to Success. And she has been a featured speaker at TEDx reminding people of the ancient prophecy that “We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For.”

After decades of spiritual seeking, and an intense inner journey, Geri underwent a profound transformation that changed the way she experienced herself and her life forever. She dropped down into her body, and opened up into an undifferentiated seamless field of oneness – eyes open, right in the midst life. Since then, and as a Waking Down teacher, it has been her mission and her passion to guide others on the path of personal transformation and spiritual awakening.