Yoga is not a workout, Reiki is not magic, and your mind is probably not as busy as you think — your life is. Josh Coke sits down with Laken Zimmerman, founder of Joy Punk Reiki and Yoga in Joplin, Missouri, for a grounded conversation about healing, nervous system regulation, and why the first step toward feeling better is often just slowing down. Laken shares the unlikely path that led her from restaurant work and media gigs into holistic care, including the earthship home and first yoga class that changed everything. She also breaks down how a decade of practice, a COVID-era certification push, and a deep curiosity about the body led her to build Joy Punk, a business centered on accessible mind-body awareness rather than perfect poses. You’ll discover:

• Why yoga is really a “work-in” and how breath, movement, and meditation support greater self-awareness
• What Reiki actually feels like in plain language, from chakra work to grounding, smudging, and intentional stillness
• How Laken blends sound healing, crystals, pendulums, and hypnotherapy into sessions that are tailored to each client
• Why breathwork activates the vagus nerve and helps shift the body out of survival mode
• How practices like dream journaling, gratitude, and simple touch anchors can help integrate healing long after a session ends

Josh and Laken also unpack common misconceptions about energy work, the role of discernment in the wellness world, and how to tell the difference between numbness and true regulation. Laken gets personal about the shingles experience that pushed her toward natural healing, the surprising joy she feels when others find relief, and the self-care boundaries that keep her grounded as an empath and practitioner. This conversation is for anyone who feels disconnected, overwhelmed, skeptical, or simply curious about what healing can look like without perfection or performance. If you’ve been looking for a practical, encouraging entry point into yoga, Reiki, breathwork, or conscious living, this episode offers both the philosophy and the first step. Laken is the founder of Joy Punk Reiki and Yoga and also shares beginner-friendly resources through her published books on meditation and chakra healing. If you want a reminder that your body matters, your joy matters, and healing can be both playful and profound, this one belongs on your queue.

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