Walking Gently: Meditations on Indigenous Leadership

Episode One: Arriving in the Body, Arriving on the Land

Here at Indigenous Insights Collective, we believe that the stories we tell matter and that it's time to tell new stories. These meditations are an invitation to pause, slow down, reflect, and be intentional in connecting with yourself. They are an opportunity to resist the “hustle” and re-center yourself. In the words of Dr. Bayo Akomolafe, “the times are urgent; let us slow down.” 
 
About this Meditation
This meditation invites you to arrive fully, into your body and onto the land you are on. Designed as a grounding practice, it supports those who move quickly between spaces and responsibilities to pause and remember that they are held. The land is not separate from your work; it is part of how you are supported to do it.
 
Reflection Prompts
Where do I feel supported right now?
What does my body need before I move into my work today?
How does the land I am on shape how I show up?
 
About Us
Tansi, Aaniin, and Greetings. Welcome, my relatives, to our meditation series. My name is Gladys Rowe. I am a Muskego Inniniw Iskwew (Swampy Cree woman) from Fox Lake Cree Nation. I also hold relations with family from Ireland, England, Norway and Ukraine.
I am the Founder and Director of the Indigenous Insights Collective, which is made up of brilliant, passionate individuals who bring their expertise, lived experiences, and creativity to everything we do. Together, we strive to embody relational accountability, cultural safety, and a deep commitment to transformative practices that center Indigenous knowledge systems and decolonial approaches.
Our mission is to weave hearts, minds, and stories into a tapestry of transformative change. Through deeply relational processes and guided by principles of reciprocity, respect, humility, resilience, integrity, inclusivity, and love, we invite individuals and organizations to embark on a journey of unlearning and learning, reflection and imagination. Together, we can honor the stories we carry, celebrate the gifts we bring, and envision decolonial futures where all can thrive.

Start here: Overview of the Series

Tansi, Aaniin, and Greetings. Welcome, my relatives, to our meditation series. My name is Gladys Rowe. I am a Muskego Inniniw Iskwew (Swampy Cree woman) from Fox Lake Cree Nation and I also have relations from Ireland, England, Norway, and Ukraine. 
I am the Founder and Director of the Indigenous Insights Collective, which is made up of brilliant, passionate individuals who bring their expertise, lived experiences, and creativity to everything we do. Together, we strive to embody relational accountability, cultural safety, and a deep commitment to transformative practices that center Indigenous knowledge systems and decolonial approaches.
Our mission is to weave hearts, minds, and stories into a tapestry of transformative change. Through deeply relational processes and guided by principles of reciprocity, respect, humility, resilience, integrity, inclusivity, and love, we invite individuals and organizations to embark on a journey of unlearning and learning, reflection and imagination. Together, we can honor the stories we carry, celebrate the gifts we bring, and envision decolonial futures where all can thrive. This series was created to support moments of pause and reflection. These moments are ones we prioritize on our team and in our roles.
Here at Indigenous Insights Collective, we believe that the stories we tell matter and that it's time to tell new stories. These meditations are an invitation to pause, slow down, reflect, and be intentional in connecting with yourself. They are an opportunity to resist the “hustle” and re-center yourself. In the words of Dr. Bayo Akomolafe, “the times are urgent; let us slow down.”
As you move through this series,
May you feel accompanied.May you feel seen.May you feel nourished.May you feel a little more rooted in who you are and who you are becoming.