Sara is a Professor at  of Psychology at University of California where she directs the Sleep and Cognition Lab.  In this episode Sara lays out a little more about the premise of her book: The Power of the Downstate: Recharge Your Life Using Your Body's Own Restorative Systems and we discuss  steps that will help you  activate more consistent, health-promoting behaviors. Take some notes while you listen  and if you really want to dive deep into how to enhance you innate restorative systems read her book.

Sara's website: https://saramednick.com

For information about me and my work: https://donnalsherman.com

You can follow my voice and do this while seated or laying down. Please do your best to breathe in and out through your nose; that said, don't stress if nasal breathing feels awkward, it will feel more natural with time.

 Lisa is a  licensed psychotherapist, a long-time teacher of meditation, a fiercely intelligent and compassionate woman who has never shied away from speaking her straightforward truth. Lisa also  happens to be a dear friend of mine. This rich conversation between colleagues and friends was prompted by our shared concern that the often popular approach of "optimization" can be misleading and detract from the enduring insights and wisdom that a non-performance based meditation practice offers us.

To learn more about Lisa's work and her book visit: https:// lisadalemiller.com

To learn more about me and my work visit: https://donnalsherman.com

Listen to this introduction to the next SIA series and then we sure  to listen to the first rich and provocative conversation in this series with Lisa Dale Miller, LMFT, LPCC,SEP. Lisa is psychotherapist, long time practitioner and teacher of Buddhist psychology and the author of Effortless Mindfulness: Genuine Mental Health Through Awakened Presence.

Ethan has been involved in progressive international and domestic drug policy along with innovative harm reduction policies for decades. Our lively conversation includes many aspects of all things drug policy such as how justice intersects with drug policy and the human desire to alter our consciousness. We reveal some personal information about our marriage, the dissolution of our marriage and our transition from being married to being supportive co-parents, and good life-long friends.

https://donnalsherman.com

Sara, in her down to earth style, shares her vast scientific knowledge about how we can listen to, and utilize, our body's innate rhythmic cycles to increase our overall health. Sara has a vast and deep knowledge of our body's fascinating rhythmic nature and, more than that, she is devoted to bring her knowledge out into the wider world so we can all understand and work with our body's cyclic nature. This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation.For more information about her work: https://saramednick.com

Help me out so SIA can grow. Not asking for $$$ 

How we start our day matters. Chirps are like sonic hits of gratitude and joy. Listen to this 3 minute episode, try my suggestion and let me know how it works for you. More info and tools: https://donnalsherman.com

This episode falls into the "tools for better living" category of the podcast. This new 25 minute episode moves right into a guided practice that is designed to mitigate mental agitation and physical exhaustion so you can resume your day with a clear mind and settled body. For more info and tools: https://donnalsherman.com

Sy Montgomerys' love for our natural world, and all the creatures in it, has taken her on soul enlarging adventures to distant areas of the earth where she takes readers on deep dives  into the mystery and wonder of the minds and behaviors of fascinating- and wildly intelligent- creatures such as pacific octopuses, hawks, pigs, dogs, amazonian pink river dolphins, tigers, tarantulas and more. Sy's prose is gorgeous with detail and fierce with truth.  She explores the sacred in the natural world and from it, learns to"love like a God.' Listen and be inspired. Read her books and embark on an adventure that will enlarge your heart, feed your mind and light up your wonder and curiosity.

https://donnalsherman.com