We know that being well-rested improves the quality of our lives because we can FEEL it. But what if there were more women measuring the impact of practices like yoga nidra? In this episode, I introduce you to a women who has done it.

Dr. Nicole Bowman showed up in the Daring to Rest world one year ago with tremendous enthusiasm to dare to rest, a beautiful spirit, and a knack for data and tracking experiences that make a difference in the world. She is the founder and president of Bowman Performance Consulting, a firm dedicated to culturally responsive evaluation, research, training and technical assistance. An indigenous woman from the Mohican and Lunappe Nation, and a self-described blue-collar scholar, Nicole holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she is a leading authority in the realm of multijurisdictional education policy and Indigenous evaluation.  

In this episode, Nicole joins me to explain how she used the 40-day Daring to Rest yoga nidra program to complement her efforts to slow down after knee surgery - and how she continued Daring to Rest and tracking the impact of her experience for one year. She shares the connections between the yoga nidra and indigenous concepts and discusses how Daring to Rest’s idea of ‘chuck perfect’ helps her eliminate the guilt associated with allocating time to rest. Nicole also describes how yoga nidra meditation, and the intention to be a well-rested woman, has enhanced her work, helping her work less and still attract lucrative projects and write in a way that is divinely inspired.

Nicole honors both her personal story of rest and the data. As she says, “The stories of my data are just as important as the data points.” Listen in for insight on how she tracks yoga nidra’s impact on her health and learn how data – and Nicole’s compelling story - elevates the case for deep rest. 

By the way, we're releasing this episode on National Day of Racial Healing in the United States because silence on racial inequity is exhausting and must stop. There are lots of links in today's show resources to learn more about these issues and how you can make a difference.

Key Takeaways

• How yoga nidra complemented Nicole’s efforts at slowing down

• How Nicole struggled with meditation before yoga nidra

• The connections between yoga nidra and indigenous concepts

• How yoga nidra has become an essential part of Nicole’s days

• How the idea of ‘chuck perfect’ helps Nicole eliminate guilt

• Nicole’s system of tracking yoga nidra’s impact on her health

• How yoga nidra affects Nicole’s heartrate, sleep and work hours

• How yoga nidra has improved the quality of Nicole’s ‘inner life’

• Nicole’s intention to lead from a place of rest in 2019

• How Nicole’s writing was divinely inspired through yoga nidra

• How daring to rest has helped Nicole attract lucrative projects

• Nicole’s insight on the need for women to hold each other up

• Yoga nidra’s potential to reconcile intergenerational trauma

SHOW RESOURCES

• Learn more about Dr. Nicole Bowman: Bowman Performance Consulting and Nicole on Facebook

• Check out Nicole’s Daring to Rest data logs.

• (Break the) Sounds of Silence video. Words are here. “Yoga nidra made this happen.  First time ever in my life.  Hopefully not the last!”  

• Weighted blanket article - Nicole’s is on the list.

• Daring to Rest Yoga Nidra Naps for Women Facebook Group

• Daring to Rest: Reclaim Your Power with Yoga Nidra Rest Meditation by Karen Brody

• Daring to Rest Academy waitlist. (Opens soon).

• A recent study and news report about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

  Note from Dr. Bowman: We have many Native women’s causes/websites/social media pages in North America.  Here are a few that you could consider donating to if you’d like.  Also if you want to follow them you’ll see updates as well as beautiful Indigenous women stories of strength and resilience.  I am intentionally speaking that into existence one prayer, meditation, ceremony, yoga nidra session, conference, paper and keynote at a time! 

  • ps://www.facebook.com/mmiwusa/ MMIW-USA

  • http://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/ MMIW-Canada

  • http://itstartswithus-mmiw.com/ MMIW National Registry/Database

  • http://www.niwrc.org/resource-topic/missing-and-murdered-native-women National indigenous Women’s Resource Center

  • https://www.csvanw.org/mmiw/ Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women  

  • https://www.culturalsurvival.org/ Cultural Survival

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