Episode 20: Reverent Rest + Whispers from Spirit with Imani Joye Samuels
“Leave room for the magic — and by magic I mean Spirit. Leave room for Spirit to show up and show out.”
IN THIS EPISODE
Rest as a sacred act, trusting the whispers of Spirit, and pivoting to a sacred calling. Journey along as Shelby sits down with spiritual thought leader, speaker, and advocate, Imani Joye Samuels. They dive into spiritual foundations rooted in nature, resting with reverence in her own life through entrepreneurship, motherhood, and partnership, and more.
About imani
Imani Joye Samuels is a spiritual thought leader, speaker, and advocate for stillness and rest as means to find peace. As a champion of the practice of rest, Imani founded HURU, an organization on a mission to ensure every American has access to rest. Through her work, Imani dreams of a world that celebrates stillness as a means to discover peace.
Imani is also the creator of The Serenity Act, which challenges employers, government officials, and industry leaders to enact paid mental health leave. Her efforts to lead solo, group, and corporate rest retreats have helped thousands of individuals and organizations across North America, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Taiwan, UAE, and the UK.
Beyond her work with Huru, Imani is part of the Harvard Divinity School's working group "Past and Futures." She also serves as a consultant and speaker, promoting the importance of rest and stillness in personal and professional lives.
Before embarking on her journey as a spiritual thought leader, Imani directed Loyalty marketing at AARP and account management at a host of advertising agencies. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication from American University and is a graduate of the Spirituality Mind Body program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also a graduate of Howard University where she studied democratization and dance at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Imani is married with two young feminists, both who have a great sense of curiosity, purpose, and imagination. She is deeply committed to creating a world where everyone has access to rest and is inspired by the transformative power of stillness.
