The Shakti School

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Discover Our Ayurveda School Graduates Part 1

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Our graduates are up to some really amazing things post-Ayurveda School, and we want to share them with you! Whether you're interested in becoming an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, or just want to learn the masters of Ayurvedic wisdom, there are endless ways to use your certification. Read below to gain some inspiration and see what some of our fellow grads are up to. You can even reach out to them directly for more information on their unique offerings!

 

Jordana Shay 

"Since graduating from Shakti school, I have created my first 3 dream offers, and I am so thrilled to share them with you and my Shakti family!

DHARMA READING + STORY CLARITY INTENSIVE (Half Day) 

I help guide women who are on their spiritual path, but feel burnt out, back into the story they were born to live. To find their highest calling at this moment in time. If you know you were born for something great, but don't understand how to bridge the gap between your lived story and your purpose, this is for you. Finding our purpose can be easier than we think - like a puzzle, we just need to know how to fit the pieces of our story, original essence and dharma together. We always have the answers within and with the right questions, frameworks and prompts, I'm able to help women remember who they truly are.

And, because finding our purpose can feel so hard, I make my intensives super fun and engaging - with spiritual games, dances, practices and jigsaw puzzles galore!

GAME OF GODDESSES (Half Day)

For all women who have a deep desire to step into the woman you were born to be - whether that’s to rewrite your story, share your unique medicine, or create that entrepreneurial vision. But feel stuck and resistant to moving forward in your life story.

Game of Goddesses is a women’s power reclamation journey into the story you were born to live.

Combining both the masculine outward journey towards transformation through the lense of the hero's journey, with the feminine embodied path to transformation, we deep dive into a journey of embodiment practices and rituals designed to embrace the exquisiteness of your full aliveness as a woman, the human experience and the experience of stepping into your most confident and courageous self. Practices include identifying your unspoken desires, improv identity,  embodiment shadow work like dancing your shadows and connecting with how they serve and protect you, ritualizing the crossing of the threshold into the unknown and more.  My goal is for you to get so comfortable and intimate with ALL of yourself, you can finally move through the fear and resistance into taking action. So you can get what you deeply want in life.

AYURVEDA INSPIRED CHILDRENS' BOOK

3 Breathes to the Sky, my very  first children's book, (in audio form), an Ayurveda inspired bedtime story for kids, empowers parents and children to become the fullest version of themselves.

On this wild ride your kids will take 3 deep breaths and go on a journey all the way up to the sky where they will meet the Sun, their north Star,  the Moon and  Rainbow who will help them celebrate their day, show them how to connect with their ancestors for extra safety and love,  and how to activate their highest creativity and fullest expression. As well as teach them about the connection between sleeping and healing.  Through this book, my children have learned that being who they truly are is the greatest gift to our planet. And that is the message I would love to share with your children too."

 

Abby Ampuja

"In true 'Gemini style', I have been keeping busy with many adventures since finishing Shakti School Level 1 (and starting Level 2!) I continue to run my own business, "Empowered Coaching", where I offer resiliency coaching, reiki healing, with some sweet Ayurvedic tools and wisdom peppered in (https://ampujaabby.wixsite.com/spot-of-serenity). I am planning to offer a workshop this fall for my community entitled "Ayurveda 101", and I've already gotten some keen interest when I mention it to friends and clients. I worked as a professor of Special Education at Meredith College this past year, where I offered resiliency and self-care workshops for both pre-service and in-service teachers--the 'waterfall down the back' is always a big hit! The other branch of my business ("The Empowered Learner") involves working with kids who have exceptional needs; I primarily focus on SEL (social emotional learning), resiliency, and nervous system regulation (http://empoweredcoachinggroup.com/). In a nutshell, the work I've done at Shakti School has seeped into all aspects of my life--both personally and professionally--and I couldn't be more thrilled! Grateful for this community and all that it continues to offer and teach me on my journey of evolution. Many thanks! Namaste."

 

Eva Peterson 

"Hi, I’m Eva, a Level 2 Shakti School graduate. With over 3 years of experience as a Life Coach and Ayurvedic Health Counselor, I guide leaders and changemakers to reconnect to their intuition, their body, and the cycles of nature so that they can heal burnout, master life balance, and ultimately create the change that they want to see in the world while truly enjoying life. I'm also the host of the Happy Me Happy Earth podcast where I share self-development tools and seasonal Ayurvedic self-care practices to help you reconnect to the cycles of nature and your true self.

I strive to embody the love-based, judgment-free, feminine form of Ayurveda that I learned at the Shakti School each day. I have integrated these teachings into my unique coaching business, and continue to revisit the lectures years later as I deepen my understanding of Ayurveda. The wisdom passed on to me through the Shakti School has not only enabled me to heal myself but has also empowered me to help others reconnect to their inner healer. I’m incredibly grateful and honored to be a link in the chain of Ayurvedic healer women. It’s a powerful lineage that extends thousands of years into the past, through the Shakti School into me and my fellow Shakti sisters, and into the future for thousands of years to come!"

 

Megha Choksi

"Megha is an intuitive Energy Healer and an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. She relocated to Abu Dhabi from Singapore where she began her journey as an Usui Reiki Practitioner. She combines her knowledge of Ayurveda along with Chakra Healing to help you release stress, find balance and gain inner clarity. Through Ayurveda Wellness Coaching, Megha will help you tap into your own body’s inner wisdom to live a life more in alignment with nature and its biological rhythms. Prior to this, she has worked in corporate for over 12 years across different geographies. Her passion and purpose in life is to support people on their self healing journey.

The Shakti School’s teachings helped to deepen my knowledge of Ayurveda and allowed me to better understand myself and my connection to nature. It taught me to be an observer without any judgment and witness how the dance of the different doshas impacts our emotions, actions and our bodies. It has helped me to manage my stress and anxiety and allowed me to live a life in alignment with nature and it’s seasons. I am grateful to Katie Silcox, who is an amazing teacher, mentor and a spirit woman. Her lectures and resources have inspired me to find my purpose in life as a healer and motivated me to share the wisdom of Ayurveda with my clients and friends and family."

 

Mindy Schlechter, MSW, RPYT

"Mindy Schlechter is an Ayurvedic psycho-spiritual wellness + life coach, hypnotherapist, prenatal yoga instructor, long-time labor and delivery social worker, and mama of 2. She teaches women how to hold the same nourishing space for themselves that they hold for others, and her coaching programs focus on restoring self-trust and intuition for healing. She is the owner + founder of Effloresce Coaching where she serves women who are seeking conscious conception, fertility & pregnancy health, postpartum balance, and support during early mothering years. Mindy is also deeply committed to the power of sisterhood and witnessing women along their quest for root-cause healing, as they move away from trauma and stigmatizing diagnoses and embrace their intrinsic wholeness. Mindy’s approach aims to help usher humanity into their next evolution, a consciously created “new earth” of light beings which starts by healing the women who will bear this new generation (and the lineages that will come after them!). Specific service offerings include 1:1 session work (in-person & remote) utilizing cognitive techniques like NLP and hypnosis, somatic techniques through movement/yoga, mindfulness based practices, and Ayurvedic counseling for holistic health. Effloresce also offers group coaching, prenatal yoga classes, women’s circle facilitation, and specialty workshops.

Graduating from Shakti School in 2021 allowed Mindy to finally fit all the pieces of her training together into one cohesive offering that serves mamas on all 4 levels; physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual! She is now enrolled in Level 2 and plans to deepen her offerings and scope of practice upon completion."

 

Claudi Sult

"Claudi is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor (600 hrs), mama, enthusiastic traveller, conscious creator and (com)passionate foodie. With her new project “Moonlit Mamas” she opened a holistic healing haven for Mamas in all stages of motherhood. Weaving together the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, Tantra & other feminine form medicine, she helps women to cultivate peace & balance, abundant energy & radical self love. Reconnecting with the woman beyond the mother & allowing her to make herself a priority! Claudi holds space through empowering workshops, 1:1 consultations and women’s circles & ceremonies, both online and offline in Portugal’s wavy Southwest coast.

Initially, I signed up to Shakti School for my personal healing. But only a few weeks in, the healer woman in me started to awaken - which has been in my lineage a long time ago, yet dormant through for many generations. The last 2 years transformed me to the depths of my tissues. I learnt to come back home into my body, heal my nervous system, open my heart, let go of my little demons, surrender and fully trust in the ever-present love and support of Mother Nature, the elements, the universe. On top of that, I found a "home" full of inspiring, light-spirited Shakti women, who continue to guide and hold me beyond our studies. Bowing to Katie & the team for gifting this to the world."

 

Kellie Hoffman

"Shakti School did inspire me to open my own business. During level 2, I also took Brooke Sullivan’s Sage Roots 200 hour level yoga training. I like doing the combination of yoga and Ayurveda because I feel they belong together. I love bringing these teachings to my community. My business is Be Centered Health Coaching & Yoga."

 

Caterina Boutagy

"Since completing my first year of ayurveda school, I have been building an online platform called Studio Ojas. It's a space where I share ayurvedic recipes, PDF guides, and lots of yoga and body yantra (meditation) practices. Alongside Studio Ojas, I also have a yoga retreat business called Rasa Lila. I just finished up a retreat in Bali where I offered my first ayurvedic herbal wisdom workshops, and my clients absolutely loved it. I am so grateful to all that I have learned in Shakti School, and how I have been able to weave the teachings alongside my work as a yoga teacher."

 

Jackie DeConti

"As a lover of many things, I am the host of Elixir Podcast, founder of Madre & The Muse, an Ayurvedic wellness company, and co-founder of Terra Sol Sanctuary, a yoga studio in Wilmington, NC. 

Having graduated from Shakti School Level 2 in 2022, as an Ayurvedic lifestyle guide, I work within the realms of feminine-form Ayurveda to inspire and empower women - infusing ancient wisdom with rituals and practices accessible to the modern world. With a multifaceted background in education, yoga, art, and music, I offer one-on-one Ayurvedic wellness consultations, private and public workshops, weekly live music yoga sessions, and yoga teacher trainings. My offerings weave in mindfulness and playfulness through a variety of experiential modalities. I am so grateful to the teachings that I learned from the incredible teachers in Shakti School and the community of fellow graduates that I still am connected with today."

 

Veronica Burgess Loomis

"My passion is in helping mothers with teenage daughters shift from feeling shame, disconnection and overwhelm to feeling empowered, connected and supported to strengthen their mother-daughter bond.  As a mother of two daughters, I wanted to create an offering for mothers who may have spent many years disconnected from this part of themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. I also wanted to create a space for mothers to come together and feel supported as they are in the cycle of their daughters moving from childhood to womanhood. We need community and connection and I learned that from being in Shakti School. I have experienced firsthand how the teachings of Ayurveda and Tantra have had an impact in my own life and how I approach mothering. By integrating the feminine-form teachings from Shakti School, I was able to reconnect to my body and reclaim my story and all my parts and pieces. I found the most benefit in attuning to cyclical living and implementing womb care into my life. This allowed me the deeper connection to my own intuition and to mother from within. The more aware we are of our own cycles the more we can share this with our daughters to support them in their transitions. The teachings and the sacred container of Shakti School is something so invaluable and I can't seem to sum up in words. I deepened my understanding of myself, tapped into my heart in ways I never had before and made so many lasting connections. And I am still feeling the ripples of my time at Shakti School through my life in such a beautiful way."

 

Tara McKinney

"I’ve made a career out of serving others, though not in a way that always honored my needs. Ayurveda and The Shakti School helped me change that. They gave me so much more than teachings and practices. They gave me more access to the deeper layers of my being. I learned how to prioritize filling my cup and serve others from there. For that, I bow to all my teachers, including my Shakti sisters. 

I recently launched two businesses. Soul in Service Consulting focuses on enhancing nonprofits’ sustainability and impact via program design and personnel development. I help nonprofits align the way staff work with the rhythms of Mama Nature in order for staff to think more clearly and creatively, feel better in their bodies, and experience a higher quality of life overall. As staff receive more aligned support, it uplevels the support they offer those they serve. 

Also dear to me is accompanying women out of patterns of depletion and into ones of nourishment. Soul in Service offers Catholic women a Christian approach to wellness that helps them shift from faith as self-sacrificing service into faith as self-nourishing service. I integrate Catholic pastoral theology from my Master of Divinity (the professional degree of Catholic priests) with the teachings and practices of Ayurveda and yoga. Presently, I offer three ways to work with me: a three month group program; individual accompaniment via spiritual direction, coaching, or mindful movement; retreats and immersions."

 

Hadlee Garrison

"Hi I'm Hadlee, and I'm an Ayurveda Health & Life Coach, and founder of Happy Healthy with Hadlee. I help ambitious women stop the all-or-nothing cycle when it comes to their health so they can stop obsessing about their bodies and start really thriving in body, mind, and spirit. My health coaching program, Happy Healthy Habits, combines the foundational habits & routines of Ayurveda, food & body psychology, and nervous system regulation & emotional processing to help members experience greater health, energy, confidence, capacity, and joy in their everyday life.

I had coached people utilizing the wisdom of Ayurveda for 3.5 years before starting Shakti School. But Shakti School helped me bring all of these concepts so much deeper – both in my personal embodiment, and in making me a more effective coach. I especially appreciated the focus on emotional processing and nervous system support that is woven throughout Shakti School, which I haven't found in any other training. I'm so grateful to Shakti School – I have found that I'm so much more confident and compassionate with myself and others, and my clients' results have become even more profound than they were before! Thank you Katie and all the other amazing teachers in Shakti School!"

 

Claudia Batschari

"I have started my own business already during Level 2. It is called 'Ayurveda with Claudia’ and it is all about bringing everything I have learned about Ayurveda, wellness, and the feminine etc. in the last 2 years, into my community. My interest is to empower people and to give them tools to come closer to themselves again, trust themselves, get more embodied and remember their gifts, strength and inner voice.

I have- and had already quite a few 'one on one' clients, I first started with family and friends and now the circle is growing wider and wider. I have run 2 retreats (so far with friends), done 1 workshop and 1 very successful online cleanse. I have loved it all and I am learning constantly and my head is brimming with all the ideas I have and I love immersing myself further and further into this realm which I love.

Through my time in Shakti School I have gained so much strength and trust in myself that even if a critical voice comes in, when I feel into myself even deeper, I am vey clear about what my path is- and that it will go well! I feel at home in myself and with myself and it's been the best thing I could imagine. Before I started with Shakti School I have been running my own business called zanzibar-retreats, a website for beautiful handpicked accommodation in Zanzibar, for over 15 years and it is still running strong but I have taken myself more and more out. One of my visions is to eventually run an Ayurvedic retreat in Zanzibar and thus merge these two businesses…!!!

Our little European Shakti Sister Study group is still going strong and we meet once a month online. Watching each other spreading our wings is pure magic.

I am German based in Cape Town (I am currently for a 2 months sabbatical in Berlin) and would love to also extend my offerings to Germany and globally through online options."

 

Sheridan Ruth

"As a somatic trauma therapist specializing in nervous system regulation for anxiety free relationships with love and money, Ayurveda school has been infused into my work and given me new ways to support my client’s nervous system’s through the deep healing process. It has also supported me as I’ve expanded into more 1:1 work and even opened up Body Based Business coaching."

 

Amore St Ives

"Amore has the roots of the Pacific Northwest and the spirit of the Southern Coast.  She spent many of her formative years exploring the healing powers of nature in Portland Oregon that initiated her love of untethered travel and learning.  She went to school at The University California - San Diego, The Art Institute, Ashford University and Shakti School of Ayurveda to follow her passion for people, movement, art and wellness.  Currently she holds degrees in psychology, interior design, theatre dance and a Masters in management.  She is also a certified personal trainer and wellness coach.  In 2001 she served in the Peace Corps, Ghana Africa as a health and sanitation teacher to local villages.  Upon returning from Africa Amore was diagnosed with two auto-immune diseases; ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis.  This has only activated a deeper yearning to learn and share her experience and knowledge as a collective community of healing.

She continues to tap into her exploratory nature through her world travels, continuing education opportunities and yoga practice.  She is E-RYT 500-hour yoga certified, 600-hour Ayurvedic practitioner and plans to complete her doctorate in Ayurvedic medicine and philosophy.  Over the past 10 years she has facilitated countless trainings, workshops, retreats and community events integrated in yoga, nutrition and whole life wellness. Currently she is the CEO of Modrn Medicin, a wellness center including yoga, Ayurvedic café and treatment room in San Diego, CA.

Modrn Medicin: Modrn Medicin uses a whole system approach to wellness through the inclusion of nutrition, movement and community.  Our storefront location in San Diego, California offers health enhancing foods and drinks that are infused with medicinal plants.  We include the benefits of these healing remedies as part of the MM experience as well as offer educational workshops.  Our menu evolves seasonally to enhance the restorative effects of plant based medicine. MM also offers movement classes, sound healing, community acupuncture and special events.  Our community can also work with a private Ayurvedic counselor for customized health plans.

Shakti school has been instrumental in solidifying the root foundation of Ayurvedic healing for my own wellness journey, the services I offer my private Ayurvedic clients and the core values of my Ayurvedic company, Modrn Medicin. It also empowered me with the confidence to open the first physical Ayurvedic cafe in San Diego, California. I am so thankful for the community that Shakti school created for us and the endless opportunities to share the wonders of this ancient healing. It will be a part of me and my dharmic service always."

 

Crystal Hoshaw

"I've been studying and embodying Ayurveda in my life since my teens, but Shakti School finally gave me a way to synthesize my learnings and become certified so I can help others. Through my business, Simple Wild Free, I offer group and 1:1 coaching for women to make peace with their bodies and their plates through embodied eating. Using the wisdom of Ayurveda, intuitive eating, somatic practices, and mindful self-compassion, I teach the techniques and the mindset shifts necessary for receiving deep nourishment from food—on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. Shakti School has been a huge catalyst in my work, as the community itself has the depth and self-awareness to reflect on how we apply Ayurveda to our own lives. Through the wisdom of the SS teachers, I saw that even Ayurveda isn't immune to the ills of wellness culture, and that a compassionate, feminine, and embodied approach is the key for myself and thousands of women out there to find true healing and self-acceptance."

 

Emily Iannuzzelli

"Seasons IV was founded by two sisters who struggled to find seasonally appropriate skin care. Inspired by Ayurveda, each formulation is designed to provide your skin exactly what it needs in the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. We source the highest quality ingredients so you can glow year-round!  Emily Iannuzzelli is a graduate of Shakti School and was inspired by Meredith's Klines skincare module.  Recognizing how much work it takes to learn Ayurveda, Emily wanted to translate the wisdom of Ayurveda for clients who may not have the time or resources to dedicate to studying.  Emily has also translated the wisdom of Shakti School into several offerings at her improv theater in Baltimore including "Improv and the Nervous System," "Meditation for Improv," and "Improv as a Mindfulness Practice.

Emily Iannuzzelli is a graduate of Shakti School and was inspired by Meredith's Klines skincare module.  Recognizing how much work it takes to learn Ayurveda, Emily wanted to translate the wisdom of Ayurveda for clients who may not have the time or resources to dedicate to studying.  Emily has also translated the wisdom of Shakti School into several offerings at her improv theater in Baltimore including "Improv and the Nervous System," "Meditation for Improv," and "Improv as a Mindfulness Practice."

 

DaLisa Fritts

"I’m DaLisa, a Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, RYT-200 Yoga Instructor, fur mama and people person. A few of my favorite things are sun dresses, being barefoot in the grass, and a fully stocked kitchen.

My wellness journey started in my 20’s, but really I had struggled all my life with my health. My journey actually began when I became aware that even though all my issues were “normal” they didn’t have to be my reality.

I wanted more for myself, my future, and my family. I wanted to feel like the best version of myself everyday, and to bring that feeling of wholeness out in other women. To be a source of education, empowerment and support - the stuff we didn’t learn or have access to growing up.

DaLisa Fritts is a certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor specializing in women’s health from the Shakti School of Ayurveda. She is the founder of Blooming Luna Wellness where her mission is to educate, empower & support women on their life-long wellness journey. Specializing in stress management, nervous system work and loving awareness, DaLisa uses Ayurvedic practices, yoga, self-care and breathwork to help clients tune into their body’s wisdom & restore healthy balance in their life. By reconnecting to our natural rhythms through seasonal foods, herbs, spices, daily practices, movement & self care we can tap into the body’s inner wisdom and restore balance in our digestion, sleep, and mental health. 

DaLisa works in-person & virtually one-on-one as well as hosts workshops & retreats with women of all ages and life-stages to help them feel their best, bring awareness to their unique needs, and take control of their health."

 

Diana Damian

"Peristeam Hydrotherapist and Ayurvedic Wellness Coach since 2020, born and raised in Romania, living in Berlin since 2009. Pelvic Steaming with a plan is my jam. I combine my knowledge of Ayurveda and Pelvic Steaming to balance out the reproductive system. Since my training I have supported women in getting pregnant naturally, managing endometriosis and fibroids, dissolving cysts and trauma, balancing out painful periods and cycles as well as vaginal infections, during labor preparation and postpartum recovery, as well as in welcoming the menopause with ease. My next project is to approach teens and the menarche, to "start them young" and have an impact on the long run. On my website you can find podcasts, testimonials and blog articles.

I work as a steam guide, with constant support via chat or email over a span of 1, 2 or 4 months - depending on what timeline suits the client best. Having someone on your side during the changes which come with pelvic steaming is an important part of the healing journey. After filling out the (menstrual analysis) intake form I create a tailored steam plan including Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle guidelines according to your symptoms. Depending on the root causes, steaming might not be enough. In the end it all comes down to your digestion, both physically and mentally. Ayurvedic guidelines support you in increasing your digestion on all levels which impacts directly the reproductive system."

 

Zeynep Kesmis

"As a mother of two, it has been a challenge to remember to take care of myself and Shakti School just provided me the gentlest space to do that. The whole year was a journey to myself. This endless journey is one that I could not go alone. I feel so grateful for having joined this community and having learnt so much. All the teachers and Katie have affected my life in many ways and whenever I practice Ayurveda, I remember all the lovely teachers we had, the authentic ways they each told us their approaches. There really is something so magical about this school that is hard to put into words for me! I simply cherished the wisdom and compassion conveyed.

After receiving so much love and light, it was inevitable for me to share what I experienced. To fulfill that, I had the courage – putting myself out there is usually the least I like to do - to establish a personal website where I could connect and provide hopefully similar support that I received in my own journey.

I just feel that this positivity has a big ripple effect and we are all connected much more than we realize. This website is practically me practicing to follow my heart!"

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What It Means to Get ‘Juicy’ and Why You Should Try It

By Crystal Hoshaw

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A few things might come to mind when you hear the word juicy, but I’m not talking about couture or the Notorious B.I.G. 

Getting juicy doesn’t have anything to do with squeezing into a velour tracksuit or sporting curves like the Kardashians. 

It’s an inside-out affair that has to do with every layer of the self, from the subtle to the most physical. In fact, being juicy is one of the telltale signs of radiant, whole-person health.

So what does it really mean? In simplified terms, being juicy refers to lubrication. 

So much of the body depends on lubrication for optimum health, from the joints to the mouth to the eyes to the sexual organs. 

On a more microscopic level, the skin relies on lubrication in the form of collagen—a protein—and ceramides, a fat necessary to protect the skin from the elements as well as pathogens.

Plus, there’s even an emotional element to lubrication, if metaphorical. Think bouncing back from difficult emotions, resilience in hard times, or letting things roll off you like a big rubber raincoat.

The best way to think about the type of lubrication I’m talking about is to picture a big, juicy grape. Then compare it to a raisin. The raisin is dried up and shriveled, and doesn’t contain nearly the same amount of water as the grape. 

When it comes to wellness, we’re going for the grape.

Giving juiciness a name: Ojas

While there’s no equivalent for this type of all-encompassing lubrication in Western medicine, there is a name for it in Ayurveda: ojas. 

Sometimes translated as “vital fluids,” ojas is the juicy quality that makes life feel abundant, insulates us from the cold, and acts as a pathway for pleasure. 

Without it, life is dull, dry, brittle, and tight. It not only lacks hydration—it lacks flexibility, adaptability, and that je ne sais quoi, in-the-flow vibe that brings about joy. 

The lubrication that ojas provides is also responsible for immunity, as ojas feeds the mucous membranes and ceramides layer that are integral in keeping out infection.

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Physical effects of low ojas

When it comes to the physical body, there are several physical symptoms that may point to a lack of ojas:

  • dry skin and lips
  • brittle hair and nails
  • scanty sweating
  • dry mucous membranes
  • premature wrinkles
  • reduced immunity
  • vaginal dryness

An extreme lack of ojas can actually affect the nervous system and the cerebrospinal fluid, which provides nutrients to and protects the brain and spine. 

The nerves themselves are wrapped in a layer of myelin, a plasma membrane that helps protect them and contains the electrical impulses they carry. 

Without myelin, the nerves can become like livewires, which can be the beginning of a number of neurodegenerative disorders. 

 

Psychological effects of low ojas

Since ojas impacts the nerves, brain, and spine, it may not come as a surprise that the juiciness of ojas—or lack thereof—can affect the emotions as well. 

Psychological effects of low ojas can include:

  • insecurity
  • anxiety
  • paranoia
  • feeling ungrounded
  • feeling unsafe, or like you don’t belong
  • fatigue and tiredness
  • brain fog and poor memory

Needless to say, ojas is a must on both a physical and psycho-emotional level. 

When it comes down to it, ojas could be considered the closest physiological correlate to self-love. As such, it’s the core as well as the byproduct of a healthy wellness routine that’s focused on deep well-being. 

In other words, ojas is the refined essence of life that makes us feel like we’re wrapped in a big, warm, protective hug.

How to get juicy from the inside out

Now you know how essential ojas is for feeling your best, inside and out. Here’s how to dive into juiciness in every aspect of life. 

Focus on the sweet

While diet culture so often tells us to shun sweet things, ojas relies on sweetness to grow and flourish. 

However, sweetness doesn’t just come from sugary foods like cookies and cake. There are a whole host of things that can bring sweetness into your life, like:

  • a tender hug from a loved one
  • giving yourself a slow, sensual massage
  • a heart-to-heart chat with a dear friend
  • a cozy cuddle-up with a warm blanket, a tea, and a good book
  • listening to uplifting, inspiring music
  • surrounding yourself with colors that energize you
  • placing fresh plants or flowers throughout your space
  • eating your favorite comfort foods (especially when cooked with love!)

When you reframe sweet to encompass more than just the tub of ice cream in the freezer, you can start to meet your craving for sweet from other places. 

It doesn’t mean you have to skip the sweet foods—it’s just a way to expand where you get your sweetness from. 

The bottom line is that when you crave sweet, it’s often a deeper craving than the desire for sugar. It often speaks to a more subconscious desire for:

  • rest
  • calm
  • love
  • affection
  • tenderness
  • softness
  • a sense that you’re safe, held, and belong

By regularly and intentionally giving yourself the sweetness you crave in a variety of ways, you can reduce your dependence on any single source. 

This can do wonders for the quality of your diet just as much as it can for the quality of your relationships! 

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Take hydration to the next level

If getting juicy is the opposite of feeling dried out, then hydration can help you get there. 

Hydration can happen on so many levels, from getting enough water to using your favorite moisturizer.

Here are some quick tips for getting deeply hydrated:

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Add sea salt or trace minerals to your water.
  • Eat healthy fats like ghee and avocado oil.
  • Keep your skin barrier happy and protected with oils and moisturizers.

How much water is “plenty?” About half to one ounce per pound of body weight, according to Penn Medicine.

Salt and trace minerals can help add back important macro and micro minerals to the body. These are important for a number of reasons, including:

They also contain important electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium that support healthy hydration by affecting the amount of water your body retains.

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Make fat your friend

As mentioned above, healthy fat is one way to moisturize the body from the inside out. Adding healthy fats to your diet ensures your tissues are getting enough lubrication (read: juiciness). 

According to a 2021 review, omega−3 fatty acids can protect against metabolic disorders and chronic disease by increasing α-linolenic acid (ALA) in the diet. 

There are a number of great dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids, including:

  • walnuts
  • edamame
  • beans
  • chia seeds
  • hemp seeds
  • flax seeds
  • tofu
  • seaweed
  • fish like salmon, mackerel, and anchovies
  • MCT oil

Of course, you can always add an omega-3 supplement to your diet too. 

According to Ayurveda, ghee, or clarified butter, is considered an ideal healthy fat that’s used in cooking as well as body care. 

Along with being high in omega-3’s, ghee is a great source of butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid that may help reduce inflammation and support digestive health. It’s also high in antioxidants and fat soluble vitamins.

Healthy fats are incredibly beneficial for the health of a number of body systems, but it’s still important to maintain balance in your fat intake.

Moisturizing 3.0

You may know that moisturizing is essential for skin health, but there’s so much more to moisturizing than just applying lotion or serum.

Ayurveda recommends self-massage with oil, also known as Abhyanga, on the daily. 

This practice is incredibly soothing and relaxing when done with patience, presence, and care. It also often involves medicated oils or ghees that are deeply nourishing to the skin. 

These oils may also include herbal blends for encouraging specific health outcomes, and can be warmed to help open the pores for increased absorption. 

Applying warm oil to the entire body from head to toe each day is a wonderful way to send a signal to your body that it’s loved, nourished, and cared for. 

It’s also a sure-fire way to up your juiciness. 

The takeaway

Getting juicy goes beyond the surface level. It’s about bringing on the ooey-gooey love into every aspect of your health, from your emotions to your diet to your skin. 

With a few simple lifestyle habits, you can be dripping with juiciness—in other words, glowing with self-love from the inside out.

Sources:

Ahmad R. (2015). How Much Water Do You Need Each Day?. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2015/may/how-much-water-do-you-need-each-day

Bali S, et al. (2019). Ghee: the much maligned cooking medium, now slowly reclaiming its

therapeutic reputation. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sharadendu-Bali/publication/356498949_Ghee_-_The_Cooking_Medium_for_Good_Health/links/631d8079071ea12e3624b02a/Ghee-The-Cooking-Medium-for-Good-Health.pdf

Borycka-Kiciak K, et al. (2017). Butyric acid – a well-known molecule revisited. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5497138/

Chycki J, et al. (2017). The effect of mineral-based alkaline water on hydration status and the metabolic response to short-term anaerobic exercise. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5676322/

Gaffney-Stomberg E. (2018). The Impact of Trace Minerals on Bone Metabolism. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12011-018-1583-8

Han F, et al. (2019). Neuroinflammation and Myelin Status in Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Normal Aging Brains: A Small Sample Study. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/pd/2019/7975407/

Kumar Saini K, et al. (2021). Omega−3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs): Emerging Plant and Microbial Sources, Oxidative Stability, Bioavailability, and Health Benefits—A Review. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/10/1627

Mohammadifard N, et al. (2017). Trace minerals intake: Risks and benefits for cardiovascular health. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2017.1406332

Morell P, et al. (n.d.). The Myelin Sheath. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27954/

About Crystal

Crystal Hoshaw has been a student of yoga since 2004 and a student of Ayurveda since 2007. She earned her Ayurvedic Wellness Coach certification from The Shakti School after years of on-site study in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Thailand. She marries her knowledge of Ayurveda, mindfulness, and yogic philosophy through coaching and courses at www.simplewildfree.com. You can also find her on Instagram. 

 

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2023 Ayurveda School Scholarship Recipients

Scholarship Winners!

We are happy to announce the following 2023 Ayurveda School scholarship winners. Thank you for all your soulful and love-filled participation. We deeply appreciate all of the honesty and effort poured into the submissions. Our team watched every single video sent and felt truly inspired by many! Without further ado, below are some of the recipients of this year's 2023 winners and their testimonials.

 

Rosa Rodriguez | Austin, Minnesota | @brujabonita_

"Hola! My name is Rosa, born and raised in Texas, but have made Minnesota my home for over 20 years. My roots come from a Mexican decent, both my parents and older siblings were born and raised in Mexico and I couldn’t be more blessed to have that fire running through my veins. I found Ayurveda very interesting because all of the wonderful approaches to healing oneself through natural medicine and not a one size fits all kind of scheme. I grew up where folk medicine is a traditional way of healing and finding remedies through nature is very common (mind, body & soul). I truly believe this knowledge will add so much more to my current lifestyle and most importantly help me, help others, in finding their way of healing for their own bodies (physically, mentally and spiritually). I also plan on finding ways to incorporate both Ayurveda and folk medicine together to help not only continue my healing journey, but guiding others looking for alternative ways to western medicine. Ayurveda adds so much consistency to my ~Bruja Bonita~ creation and leads me to wholeheartedly believe I am on the right path. I am completely over the moon having received this scholarship for Shakti School and my heart is filled with gratitude! Thank you so much for this opportunity! Para siempre agradecida."

 

Gretchen Clore | Indiana | @gretchenlouiseclore

"Originally, I was led to Ayurveda via my past yoga teacher trainings. I wanted to study Ayurveda more in-depth, but it took me nearly 3 years to find a school/program that felt right for me. I found The Shakti School through Brett Larkin and Nicole Foos. After listening to Katie's Spirit Sessions podcasts, I was hooked!  This program is a perfect fit for my lifestyle as I teach yoga part-time, recently remarried, and am a bonus momma for an 11-year old girl who is involved in lots of extracurriculars. 

I was worried about "fitting in" because I am 56-1/2.  The study of Ayurveda appeals to me more than ever now because it is helping me navigate the menopausal years in a more natural and compassionate way. As a vata dosha type, I have all of the tendencies: anxiety; dry skin, hair, tongue; cold hands/feet, fast walking, love of travel, hatred of being in one place, doing too many things at one time, understanding concepts immediately but then forgetting them just as easily. My natural tendencies impacted my experience of menopause by disturbing my already-fragile sleep.  I'm happy to report that I'm finally in a place where I can slow down and really lean into this experience. My tribe is helping me to remember that Love is Strengthening Me, and Self Doubt is Weakening Me. As I inhale, my mantra is "Stay in my heart"; as I exhale, my mantra is "Live less in the mind".

Thank you Shakti School for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity to be situated in the truth of who I am."

 

Julee Davidson | Michigan | @juleestar

"Hi my name is Julee Davidson and I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am to have been chosen for a partial scholarship with The Shakti School. The unconditional love and support that this community of women has given to not only myself but to thousands of women throughout the world is both amazing and awe inspiring!  

For years I have suffered with migraines and intestinal issues along with being scattered and unfocused, but thanks to Ayurveda and the Shakti School I am completely healed, not only of physical issues but my life has opened like a beautiful lotus flower to living a spiritual life full of beauty and purpose. 

My goal is to transform others' lives like I was through the Shakti School with Katie and all the wonderful teachers we had. This experience continues to hold that sacred space for me!  Om Shanti Shanti Shanti"

 

Taylor Iverson | Canada 

"My name is Taylor and I come from a small town in Northwestern Ontario. Like many, it was Yoga that sent me on a journey to travel and search for the deeper roots of this wild reality we call life. I first dabbled in the wisdom of Ayurveda during a yoga course and knew I would one day return to it. Shakti school has been beyond what I could have imagined, making the ancient teachings so accessible to us 21st century women. I'm currently living on the west coast of Canada, a student of creative writing at Vancouver Island University and Yoga Therapeutics at Ajna Yoga Centre. My hopes are to be able to use my voice, both on paper and with clients within my community to help resurface the nature-knowledge that is timeless. It's been just short of a decade since I've first embarked, and the change that's happened in that time, within mainstream health's openness and confidence in these practices, is amazing."

 

Katricia Kelly | Las Vegas, Nevada | @katriciakellyyoga

"I am a San Francisco native that has made Las Vegas her home for the past 28 years.  I love the desert landscape and its scenic views.  If I could hike every week I would as the mountains bring me so much peace and calmness.  But, when the trail isn't available, then you can catch me hanging out with my cute little dog Tazzy or inside of a yoga studio.  Either taking a class or teaching one.  I'm also a huge foodie and love supporting my local restaurants. I've been a yoga teacher since 2015 and I can honestly say that achieving this goal has been one of my biggest accomplishments.  I feel that combining Ayurveda with yoga will benefit my students even more.  They both look at the human being as a whole.  They compliment each other and would be beneficial for self healing all around.  I would love to incorporate workshops and private sessions for the Las Vegas community.  Offering a complete package of love & wellness!" 

 

Leanne Warren | Massachusetts | @lwarren05

"Hi 🙂 My name is Leanne Warren and I am from Littleton, MA! I am truly so grateful to The Shakti School and the scholarship program for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow. Being a part of this Ayurveda community and being introduced to so many people across the world is truly a beautiful thing that is hard to put into words. I have to give a huge shoutout to Nikki Nie, a Level 1 Shakti School graduate who is now enrolled in Level 2, who introduced me to the world of Yoga, Ayurveda, and loving myself first. Finding Nikki and this path has put me on such a divine journey of self-healing, self-love and exploring knowledge.

I knew that 2023 was the year that I would expand my mind and gain knowledge in so many fields that I love. I am here to learn more about the overarching beauty that is Ayurveda, what it means, how to use these practices, and how to balance myself first before I apply that knowledge to others. Maybe this course will bring me to the work of helping and healing others but first I need to help and heal myself. Whether I share this knowledge professionally or personally, these Ayurvedic tools will always be a constant in my life. It really is such an honor to be taught this sacred knowledge and I know The Shakti School will only push me closer to the life I want to live!"

 

Fanny Akasha | Berlin | @fanny.akasha

"My name is Fanny, I am originally from France, based now in Berlin for many years. I used to work in a marketing company for many years, until I finally found the courage to quit, as I could feel it was not fulfilling me, I was very stressed and at the same time I got diagnosed with endometriosis, and had to do a surgery.

I needed to change some things in my life, and I also refused to take the pills that would suppress my menstruation. So I had to look for alternative ways to heal myself. The practice of yoga has helped me a lot and through yoga I discovered Ayurveda. I discovered Katie  two years ago and was dreaming of joining her training as I am a big fan of her teaching. Also, the feminine approach to Ayurveda really resonates with me. 

I am teaching yoga in Berlin, but the yoga scene here is very competitive and hard to live only with yoga teaching, i was combining it with working in a restaurant. Then I had an amazing opportunity to volunteer in India in an ashram and improve my yoga teaching.

Now I am back here with the huge luck of being part of Shakti School and I am developing a yoga and ayurveda coaching for women who suffer from endometriosis. I am trusting that it will work. I can already integrate the teaching from the shakti school into my life, my relationship, my works, I am so grateful. Thank you!"

 

Michelle Taylor | Dorset, UK | @michellemaslintaylor

"I’m a yoga and reiki teacher based in the UK. Ayurveda is something I’ve felt called to study more for some time but all the training and books I came across were really prescriptive and didn’t feel at all flexible or easily applicate to modern life as a busy yoga teacher and mum of three - I felt like I had failed before even getting started. Enter Katie! I just love her approach to Ayurveda, simplifying and taking what you can without guilt over not “doing it all perfectly”. My mission is to support stressed out, burnout yogis for whom yoga alone is just not enough to create the balanced nervous system and healthy body and mind they crave. I see an epidemic of burnt out yoga teachers who are running themselves ragged running from class to class without nurturing themselves. My vision is to see these teachers including Ayurvedic principles and rituals to support them in a way that can work with their schedules and support their own health and wellness while they hold space for others." 

 

Leighton Murphy | Chile | @bellyandsoulwellness & bellyandsoulwellness.com

"Hi, my name is Leighton Murphy. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon. The twists and turns of life have led me to the Chilean Patagonia, which I have called home for the past six years. I dedicate myself to growing my food, tending to our animals, raising a resilient child, and being a Health Coach. My motivation to grow my own food sustainably comes from a love for this marvelous and generous planet and this body I have been blessed with. I am fascinated by learning how to best nurture it in a sustainable way that cycles with the seasons and with us females. My coaching currently focuses on helping women return to the magic of cooking, fermenting, and locally sourcing their food. I plan to continue to Level 2 Ayurveda School after this year and become an Ayurvedic Health Consultant. My true passion within all of this is the sacredness of childbearing. I aspire to one day have a thriving practice as an Ayurvedic Practitioner, focusing on holistically nurturing and supporting Mamas, before, during, and after pregnancy."

 

Irene Díez| Spain | @irene10yoga

"My first encounter with ayurveda helped with some digestive issues that were bugging me for a long time, it was such a simple yet effective solution that I got hooked and wanted to learn more. Fast forward quite a few years... during my recent pregnancy but most profoundly during postpartum, ayurveda has been a key practice to bring myself back to balance. I've been craving community, ancestral knowledge, and support. I feel that in our western culture this has somehow got lost... It's my deepest desire to bring this wisdom and intuitive approach to mamas and babies, especially during postpartum because let's be real, the fourth trimester it's just not enough! I'm also super lit up to share with my yoga and movement community. Feeling lucky and blessed to be part of this, thank you!!!"

 

Jasmine Jelsema | West Olive, MI | @jasminejelsema & jasmineapothecary.com

"It feels so amazing that I have already put some of my ayurvedic wisdom into practice. A few of my friends have told me that certain information I have shared just seems to stick. Ayurveda makes sense and as I explore more profoundly, I notice that so much of the ayurvedic teaching is solidifying my own internal wisdom. It is like the universe is confirming my intuition, "you are right".  There is so much that I want to do/ can do with my Ayurveda Education. Currently, I am a reiki energy healer, yoga teacher, and artist. I also work as a creative learning associate at an art museum and a writer for a local blog. After studying Alternative Medicine at Evergreen State College. I discovered a deep passion for teaching at an outdoor nature school. Initially, I plan to continue to incorporate ayurveda into my reiki sessions. It has helped me to gain more knowledge and be introduced to vocabulary that is conducive to my healing sessions. In the future, I plan to offer health coaching services and create holistic courses inspired by ayurveda and reiki."

 

Mahashweta Sengupta | India | @learning_with_missmaha

"Hi there, beautiful people, Namaste! I am Mahasweta Sengupta, a passionate school educator and trainer with over 9 years of experience in the world of education! I am currently living in India! I started off as a French language specialist and slowly took up responsibility and became a lead teacher and now I’m heading the Primary years and looking at promoting wellness and Social emotional learning across the school (need of the hour)!

I grew up in Pondicherry, in a progressive school called Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education where I got interested in wellness as it was a big part of our curriculum! I am a lifelong learner and consider myself grateful to be able to have the freedom to grow and learn every day! My love for ayurveda and the deep wisdom of ancient India drew me to this wonderful course and I am really looking forward to spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda and becoming more aware of myself through this journey! I can’t wait to tap into the magic and wonders of Ayurveda and truly live through this course more deeply! 

Through this course I am sure to impact wellness in its truest forms and promote it in a more holistic way back into the classrooms to the young budding changemakers - the students! Did you ever wonder what a powerful impact it would be, if children had access to the magic and wisdom of Ayurveda and learnt to live more in tune with themselves and really understand the science of life?

What if we did not have to wait long to comprehend and incorporate the truths of sustainable and holistic living right from an early age? I bet it would make all the difference!

I can’t wait to demystify the truths of life and take my health into my hands and start my journey by tapping into my being with intention, joy, love and purpose and by spreading the knowledge and magic to the children and my community! I am so thankful and thrilled for this amazing opportunity, so grateful to the entire Shakti school team and of course to Katie Silcox for creating this school! If you are looking for an empowering course on Ayurveda, one that fits into the modern lifestyle and schedule, look no further, you’ve found the right place!"

 

Mylinda Ogundipe | Ohio | @the_worlds_linda

"My name is Mylinda Ogundipe and I live in Northwest Ohio with my husband and our daughter. I am currently a 200 hour certified yoga teacher, a mindfulness coach, and am in the process of becoming a yoga therapist. My interest in the health and wellness space was sparked by my desire to increase the health of my daughter, who was born with Sickle Cell Disease, an inherited blood disorder that causes organ damage as well as pain in various parts of the body. Our research into holistic support maintained that a healthy diet, yoga, and meditation could help manage this disease, so after a deep dive into yoga, I found Ayurveda. My initial interests in this program was to help my daughter and others living with Sickle Cell Disease. I still want to specialize in assisting those with Sickle Cell Disease, yet after being exposed to all the good that Ayurveda can do, I have expanded my focus to include individuals living with chronic pain in general. As a woman of color, I also believe that Ayurveda can serve as a protective factor against the disparities faced at all points of the motherhood journey, so I would like to expand my focus to help women of color along the path of motherhood. My ultimate goal would be to marry this Ayurvedic knowledge with yoga therapy in order to assist as many people in as many ways as possible. I know this Ayurvedic journey has just begun, and I am so very excited to learn more! Thank you so much for this scholarship opportunity!"

 

Michelle Murphy | Vancouver, BC, Canada | @puravedaa

"I spend my time homeschooling my 14yo daughter and we currently incorporate Ayurveda as part of our curriculum.  I am using Ayurveda to understand my own health challenges and hope to be able to utilize what I learn to address some long standing concerns. If I am able to assist others in a meaningful way, I will happily share this new found knowledge."

 

Lori | San Francisco, CA

"I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and pretty much have lived in California my whole life. I have over twenty years of a strong business background, and over twenty years of dedicated yoga practice. In 2015 I earned my certified yoga teacher training certificate of which I am very proud!

In 2006 my health and life veered, and in approx 2015, they took a hard left.

My doctor led me to Ayurveda last year, and I purchased Katie’s HHS book and couldn’t put it down. I happened to see the Shakti Ayurveda School was offering scholarships for 2023, and I applied last summer.

Last September I flew out of state for an appointment and left it with very low spirits. I was happily shocked to get back to my hotel room and receive Sarah’s message that I had been awarded a scholarship for Shakti School. I was beside myself. I was so filled with gratitude, and in the midst of everything I’d been through, I felt like I’d gotten my first break. As great as I thought Shakti School was going to be, it’s been so much more.

A few weeks into the curriculum, wondering if I would ever learn the words, I woke up in the very early am hours one day with Ayurvedic doshic language running through my head. It was all there, in the Ayurveda, the Rishis knew what they were talking about.

I’m not exactly sure how my Ayurveda education will manifest itself out there, but I have a feeling it’s going to be much bigger than I’d even imagined. I’m already sharing what I’ve learned with others, and even “diagnosing” them ; ) And for this, I am so grateful again. : )"

 

LaToya Jones | Richmond, Virginia | @yoga_enchantress & www.rootedandcrowned.com

"Hi, I’m LaToya Maria! I am a therapeutic yoga teacher, feminine embodiment guide and wellbeing educator with an intentional focus on women’s health. I'm the founder of Rooted & Crowned, a collective devoted to creating bespoke holistic wellness experiences for women. Known by many as an energy alchemist, I passionately guide women on a holistic journey into embodiment, liberation, and ease. My devotion to mindbody intimacy led me to yoga as a personal practice in 2015. In 2017 I took a sabbatical from work and traveled to India to study yoga philosophy where I completed my hatha yoga and meditation teacher training in Rishikesh, India. I have over 15 years of energy and movement-centered well-being expertise which contributed to the development of my signature style, Enchanted Flow- aimed at increasing reproductive health, honoring women’s cyclical nature, and expanding innate wisdom to support overall well-being. After spending 10 years living outside of my home country, losing my job in 2020 and grieving my father’s death in 2022, I found myself in deep need of care. I found my way back to Ayurveda through the comfort of food, rest and healing touch. I rediscovered Shakti School last year and felt a spark of light shine within me that said, “this is a practice that not only supports you, but the women and girls you hold space for.” I intend to bring Ayurveda for the female form into my community in an accessible way. I envision myself facilitating workshops and retreats that can transform women across all socioeconomic statuses. Wellness and wellbeing isn’t a luxury, it is our birthright! I am so grateful for this scholarship and to be a part of this community. I intend to move on to Level II next year."

 

Lisa Chan | Wales, UK | @shakti_lisa & lovelettersfromshaktilisa.wordpress.com

"Hi, my name is Lisa. I am absolutely thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Women's Ayurveda Tantra Course Level 1 on a partial scholarship for the whole of 2023. I am an intuitive creatrix with the ability to feel and sense emotions from others and the collective. I am deeply passionate about personal development especially in the field of women's health on all levels. 

I have been on the spiritual path for the last 15 years which started due to major health challenges in dealing with chronic pain, which I was able to heal from but then returned in a different form in my body. It has given me the gift of going deeper into the healing heart space and to learn to trust this journey I'm on.

When I traveled to Kerala in 2017 it sparked my interest in Ayurveda. A year later I started my studies in naturopathic nutrition which I am still loving today. Now feels like the right time to bring Ayurveda into my life. Being part of the Shakti School this year will support me further with my studies knowing I am here to be part of the conversation of bringing back Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Age in the rise of the Divine Feminine and female empowerment. My areas of interest include spirituality, holistic health, nutrition, tantra and many other subjects that support us as women.

In following my path, I want to show other women that despite health challenges, when we learn to love and honour ourselves where we are we can create space and invitation for love, healing and empowerment that ripples out into the world, our lives and the Universe. It gives us the courage to step back into the remembrance of who we are."

 

Jenny Ebelke | Kansas City, Kansas

"Hi everyone! My name is Jenny Ebelke and I live in Kansas City, Kansas.  I am a retired Firefighter Paramedic and recently started teaching Emergency Medicine at a local University to chiropractic students.  I also teach students at a local community college the skills and assessments they will need to become First Responders,  EMTs, and Paramedics.  While I worked in the field, I didn't always take the best care of myself or my mental health.  After an injury forced me to retire from the field due to permanent deficits, I began a long journey of self-healing and self-love.  I have made leaps and bounds in the last 4.5 years since retiring and will be a life-long learner/practitioner of self-love, yoga, and Ayurveda. One of the things I accomplished that has helped me grow was becoming a Certified Life Coach helping others evaluate their lives based on 7 key areas to figure out where they are currently, and where they want to go.  The one category I'm most excited for is the "Fitness" category which includes all things mental and physical in regards to health. I'm completing my yoga instructor certification shortly and I am thoroughly LOVING Shakti School!  I have learned so much in these past few months and can't wait to incorporate my Ayurveda knowledge into my coaching career.  Thank you so much for this opportunity!!"

 

Aminah Thomas | New Orleans, Louisiana | @givinglifewellness

"Greetings, my name is Aminah Thomas, and I have been certified as a Holistic Wellness Consultant and Yoga Instructor. In this life, I have the divine pleasure of guiding and raising four beautiful children. I am also blessed to have a magnificent husband to partner with on the amazing journey. 

I was introduced to Ayurveda through my yoga teacher training, and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the course. The more I learned, the more I was called to learn more. How grateful am I that ayurveda has found me? Extremely grateful!!!!  Coupled with yoga, meditation and breathwork, ayurveda has changed how I interact with myself and the world.

My life story is filled with several synchronicities that have led me here, to The Shakti School. I am so honored that I have been gifted the opportunity to learn in this beautiful environment of loving and knowledgeable beings of wisdom.  It brings me so much joy knowing that I get to integrate the practices of ayurveda for my own healing, and ultimately, I will share what I have embodied with others so that they may create a healing space within themselves. I am here to absorb, embody and share. I see myself sharing Ayurveda with people in this world who look like me, and whose hearing connects with my words."

 

Cindy Ward Schrick | Minnesota, USA | @cindyward__ & www.cindyward.co

"My name is Cindy Ward Schrick and I live in St. Paul, Minnesota, my hometown. With a background in psychology, art and business I worked mostly abroad in Marketing and left it quite happily as my two boys were born just 17 months apart. After a traumatic end to a toxic marriage I repatriated back home. I first experienced Ayurveda during my divorce through a neighbor who taught at the European Academy of Ayurveda. I did an at home group cleanse with her and couldn’t believe how incredibly nourished I felt at a time when I was completely depleted!

Upon returning home another traumatic event happened- my eldest son wasn’t returned following a visit with his dad in Germany. I supported myself and my youngest son who was with me through the shock and traumatic loss. Mostly for my own healing and growth I did training in Breathwork. Once out on the other side I was fortunate to win several scholarships that enabled me to become a certified Co-active Coach and Relational Trauma Coach. I often work at the intersection of Coaching and trauma and know from my own experience that Ayurveda holds a life wisdom that is needed in our trauma infused world. I’m not sure exactly what it will look like but I know as I integrate Ayurveda in my own life there will be an integration with my coaching and ripple out to others. As I’ve studied Vedic spiritual teachings with Ayurvedic teacher Acharya Shunya, my heart has been tuned in to Katie and Shakti School’s feminine form for years; so of course I was beyond happy dancing when Sarah shared that I had won a partial scholarship!! 

With love and gratitude to be here with all of you <3"

 

Gabriela Beatriz | Brisbane, Australia

"Hi, my name is Gabriela. I am originally from Brazil, currently living in Brisbane, Australia, and loving every second of Shakti School! I’m profoundly touched by these teachings and very grateful for this amazing opportunity.

Growing up I found myself many times longing for guidance, growth, wholeness, and healing from a community led by women. Unfortunately, modern life had made this yearning difficult because most women are disconnected from community and also from their own bodies and important rites of passage. 

So, my deep desire is to be able to create a space where women from different backgrounds can access the beautiful wisdom of this feminine form of Ayurveda taught in Shakti School. All women deserve to feel their best selves, safely supported by other women, and engaged in nourishing practices that help bring balance back into their lives.

Part of that desire also includes my fellow women back in South America, mainly in Brazil and Argentina. And, I would love to include other modalities that I am trained in, like Australian Bush Flower Essences, Saraswati Healing and Shakti Yoga. All a perfect complement to Ayurveda!

I’m forever grateful for Shakti School and its wonderful teachers. Ayurveda is about honouring the uniqueness of each individual and the knowledge and empowerment that comes with understanding our bodies and the environment is invaluable."

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Subtly Sweet Harvest Muffins

~sweeter foods are a reminder of the sweetness of life~
Summer Blog copy

Craving more sweets this fall? A vata-pacifying diet actually calls for more sweet (madhura) taste. Beyond being comforting, soul-hugging and grounding, the sweet taste pacifies vata, invigorates the mind, strengthens the immune system, nourishes body tissues and enhances the ojas. Satisfy your sweet taste with these yummy fall muffins crafted from whole grains, a good dose of vata-pacifying spices and some orchard-fresh apples! 

Gluten-free Buckwheat Muffins with Apples & Walnuts

Dry ingredients: ½ cup crushed walnuts; 1 cup almond flour; ½ cup buckwheat flour; ⅓ cup ground flax seed; 1 tsp each powdered ginger, cinnamon & salt;  ¼ tsp each nutmeg, cardamom & allspice; ½ tsp each of baking powder & baking soda

Wet ingredients: ½ cup coconut oil, ½ cup maple syrup, 3 eggs, ⅓ cup non-dairy yogurt, ¼ cup nut milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 finely diced apples (medium-sized)

Instructions: Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients, including apples. Add wet to dry and mix well. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tin and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Pair a freshly baked muffin with a nourishing cup of Golden Yogini Milk or another Shakti-infused recipe.

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Tips for Autumn Thriving and Lovin’ on Your Liver

Just… WHEW! As we shift from summer’s on-the-go intensity to the calmer, more introspective winter months, let’s pause and take a cleansing breath, shall we? 🙏🙏🙏

Change is in the air, and we’re in that blurry space between summer and fall. During this time of flux, you might experience Mamma Earth’s seasonal changes in yourself: dry leaves = dry skin; windy weather = gassy belly; swirling, erratic leaves = scattered mind; naked trees = raw, exposed feelings. ⚡POW!⚡

Repeat after me: Grounding. Warming. Routine. Release. That’s my autumn mantra for vata-balancing goodness. 

⭐Grounding: Rather than maintaining the activity of summer, now’s the time to slow down and adopt different rhythms. Savor simplicity and cultivate balance in the stillness. Stabilize your mind with rhythmic breathing and leave space in your day to rest and reflect. During your yoga practice, try less postures with longer breaths. 

⭐Warming: Introduce vata-based nutrition: root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and beets; soups and broths; and late-summer harvested apples and pears. Lube your skin with oil massages, take a bath with ginger powder and use warming essential oils like geranium, mahanarayan and vetiver.

⭐Routine: Make conscious effort to stick to your daily routines of sleep, work, exercise and eating. Routine is always a good idea, especially during fall when erratic vata can knock you off balance. 

⭐Release: Autumn invites time to pause and reflect on what is holding you back from reaching your life’s true dharma and purpose. Just as the leaves eventually release and let go this season, YOU TOO can release what is not serving you. ❤️

Cleanse Your Liver with Ease this Fall

 ~give your liver some lovin’~

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Ode to the liver! As our body’s primary detoxifying powerhouse, we want to keep our livers in tip-top shape. 🎺Enter a liver detox!🎺 Before vata can take over this fall, help your body get rid of old pitta heat accumulated over the summer. A simple liver detox will help you restore and enhance liver functionality, boost your immune system and prep your body for the winter ahead. 

✨Limit caffeine, alcohol, sugar and dairy and swap excess fats and proteins for more vegetables, bitter greens, aloe vera, rice and berries. 

✨Eat lighter, smaller portions (broth-based soups are great!) Steam or lightly saute your foods.

✨Prioritize your Zzzzz’s. Liver detoxification happens during sleeping hours.

✨Your liver is a hotpot of emotions. Quiet your mind with meditation, pranayama and yoga.

✨Add herbs that support a liver cleanse: bhumyamalaki, kutki, guduchi, amla + turmeric.

✨Cleanse your colon. Yes, really. Your colon is home to the vata dosha and a therapeutic enema (basti) can be a powerful step in cleansing toxins and buildup.

✨If you’re seeking a more in-depth, traditional Ayurvedic cleanse this fall, get started with Katie’s kitchari recipe!

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It’s Never Too Late: Honoring the Unlimited Power of the Wise Older Woman

By Christine Griggs

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I will never forget my first day of Shakti School.

I had signed up for Level 1 of the Ayurveda Training just two months before. It had caught my eye -and my soul- over a year ago, but I kept
finding reasons not to sign up.

~I was 58 years old. I already had my midlife crisis when I gave up my
translator career to become a yoga teacher thirteen years ago. Did I
really need to embark on something new? Wasn’t yoga enough?

~Wasn’t it too late to learn Ayurveda, The Science of Life, when over half
of my life was behind me?

~Wasn’t it too late to change my lifestyle with new Ayurveda practices?

~And, as some of my acquaintances felt the need to share: “I could do it
too, but it’s too much of a commitment.”

As I sat in our virtual classroom, seeing fresh young faces pop up in their Zoom boxes, I realized I was one of the oldest participants, and this question popped into my mind: “Do I belong here?”

I sat with the discomfort for a few minutes, I melted into it and let it carry me into our first class. As the class unfolded and Katie did her magic, I realized that YES I belonged here. And the commitment was a joy. Over the next 2 ½ years, those classmates became sisters, some are now dear friends. Age did not matter at all. I felt closer to those young women than I did to most women my age. It was not too late for me to enter this sisterhood. It was exactly the right time!

At 61, I just graduated from Level 2 as an Ayurveda counselor. Not joining Level 2 was not even an option! I couldn’t imagine a better container of love and support to enter my sixties than my family of sisters and this ancient knowledge that sustains me.

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The fear of getting older

Most women fear getting older. Our society does everything to drive that fear, bombarding us with images of what the ideal woman supposedly looks like: eternally smooth-skinned and flat-bellied. Once they’ve instilled that fear in us, we’re a captive audience to buy their stuff that will supposedly make us feel and look younger. It’s a billion-dollar industry.

My friend Debbie is 73 and has been letting her gray roots grow out. Her female acquaintances are pestering her with: “You should cover those grays, it ages you.” She started to doubt herself. Believe me, she looks vibrant and beautiful. And I keep reminding her of that. A woman should never submit to society’s pressure of what she should look like or do. What liberates her is what makes her beautiful.

Let’s encourage our sisters to be themselves instead of gnawing at their self-esteem with words that stunt their growth.

“The making of a woman who has continued to grow is a beautiful thing to behold.” –Naomi Wolf

Dare to be yourself

Like most of us, when I was younger, I thought 60 was super old: time to retire and pursue hobbies. But I find myself in my sixties feeling young and vibrant, with a growing business and more projects and ideas than I can handle. I’m pursuing the dreams I didn’t have time for as a householder working and taking care of my family.

My first love is writing and, growing up in France, I dreamed of being the youngest literary prodigy of the century. Well, it took me several decades to write my first book, not as a young prodigy, but as a 57-year-old woman who believed it’s never too late. Remember that your dreams take different shapes.

My friend Dede just launched her own brand at 62, combining her love of dancing and helping others. She tells me she’s never felt so alive: “It’s my time now.”

Carol has been my private yoga student for 10 years. She dared to start yoga at 69, because “some part of me was not whole. I could feel it in every part of my being. I had no idea what was in store for me…” It changed her life.

On the other hand, I know many women of my generation who are paralyzed by the fear of stepping out of the box society built for them. They’re so worried about doing the “right acceptable things” that they’re not doing the right thing for them. This box is comfortable, but it’s not fulfilling. Filling the box with more stuff does not fill their soul.

Sadly, most of the time, we’re the ones setting limitations for ourselves. For example, whenever people hear I’m French, they almost always tell me: “I always wanted to learn French, I dream to go to Paris and speak French with the locals.” My answer always is: “Why don’t you?” And they invariably answer: “Oh, it’s too late now!” And I reply: “No, it’s not too late! You could either start now and you will be ordering pastries in French in a Parisian patisserie next year or not start and be in the exact same place: wishing you were speaking French in Paris.”

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.” –C.S. Lewis.

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Wear the Crown of the Crone

Our society has been disparaging old age, especially in women, for too long. The meaning of Crone is not the derogatory term used in our society, that of the withered disheveled ragged old hag. The Crone is a majestic title to wear with pride, it means the One who wears the Crown.

Disrespecting the older woman means dishonoring the Sacred Feminine, a principle seriously lacking in our modern world. Our role as women is to put the Crone back on her throne. As we do this, we reclaim our Goddess status for ourselves and future generations.

I have made it my mission to demystify aging. I want my younger sisters to see passing years as a joy and privilege and something they can actually look forward to.

I also want to encourage my older sisters to see their mature years as an empowering opportunity to learn, grow and dream, and be a role model for younger generations. Not with their material possessions, but with their wealth of experience, wisdom and especially with their example. Young women look up to us to see what “getting older” looks like. They notice how we act and react. They notice if we still have a passion for life and if we care about the world. They notice if we are willing to take risks and go on adventures, learn and grow alongside them. Just as they are our hope, we are their hope for what’s awaiting them. Let’s show them that owning their aging journey is their superpower!

“This time belongs to the Crone. She’s arriving into the greatest time of her life. Creativity is blossoming, even exploding within her. She’s never felt more free and she’s never felt more empowered than now to be all of herself.” –Sukhvinder Sircar

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The Wise Older Woman’s Empowerment Journey through her Chakras energy centers

As we become older, we become what the Vedic teachings call The Forest- Dweller. While still playing our part in the world, we’re able to detach ourselves from mundane attachments and spend more time attuning to the deepest parts of our being. We become our own best friend. I have noticed a deeper relationship and dialogue with my energy centers and I’d like to share the lessons they have taught me about becoming a wise older woman.

1. I am Grounded in the Roots of my ancestors and my culture. I honor my heritage, but I do not let my history limit me. I am not stuck in the drama of the past. My roots are my strength, not my burden.

2. The power of my womb is not limited to its physical ability to create human life. It is an unlimited fountain of spiritual and sensual creativity. It is a fertile ground for the awakening and flow of the Goddess energy all around me. I Feel and I Flow.

3. I am Worthy. I am exactly who I want to be and I am becoming who I want to become. I truly don’t care what people say or whisper about me. I do not judge myself or others. I have no time for gossip and limitations. I keep company with souls who uplift and support me. I am Strong and I Can do anything.

4. I give myself the greatest gift of all: Forgiveness. I stop keeping tabs on who didn’t love me enough and who hurt me. I forgive, but I am careful about whom I allow into the sacred space of my heart. I focus on gratitude for the love that I have. I know that I Love and that I Am Loved unconditionally.

5. I speak my spiritual Truth and what I believe in. I surround myself with the voices of teachers and soul companions who inspire me. I use my Voice for good. The world needs to hear my Voice.

6. I Trust my Inner Guidance. I know how to find it in stillness and meditation. The merging of my Intuition with my life experience is a magical formula that guides my decisions and every step I take.

7. I know that I am Connected to Source and never alone. I let go of anything that causes separation and honor my community of Souls who share my journey. Together we are stronger.

Women helping women

One of my greatest teachers was Frau Ursula Redeppening. I was her au pair while studying in Munich. I was 21, she was in her early forties. She
was a formidable woman, divorced mother of two teenagers, the youngest woman ever elected to the Bavarian parliament. She was a prodigy! One evening, as we sat together sipping wine, she gave me one of the greatest lessons one can give to a young woman. She told me that her perfect life was not one she had chosen for herself, she had followed others’ vision of her: her deepest desire was not to be a famous politician, but to help the world and reduce hunger and poverty. And then she said the words that guided my life: “When my children are raised, I will follow my own vision. It’s never too late.”

It is now my turn to pass along the wisdom I was given. Whatever age you are, know that it’s never too late. Write that book, take that course, learn a new language, a new dance, train for a marathon, travel, move to your dream city or country, make brand new friends, have a love affair, start your business, and most importantly, let your Spirit shine. The world needs your Light!

“You playing small doesn’t serve the world… As you let your own light shine, you indirectly give others permission to do the same.” –Marianne
Williamson

About Christine

Growing up in France, Christine always felt a deep longing for the spiritual and the powerful resonance of words and stories, accompanied with a passionate desire to explore the world. After years of globetrotting, this multilingual translator Mama of 3 and her family settled down in Coastal Virginia, where she discovered yoga. She instantly knew she had found the universal language that would help her empower others to find their own voice and share it with the world. She is an ERYT-500 Yoga and Meditation Teacher and Trainer, and an Ayurveda Health Counselor. Yoga helped her reconnect with her love of writing and write her first book: “Yoga with a French Twist: A Journey through the Chakras” as well as create her business: Yin Traveler. Her love of learning, Nature, and Spiritual Activism led her to Shakti School and the integration of Ayurveda into her teachings. Her new projects include a new book and planning spiritual retreats. You can find more info at her website at Yintraveler.com

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How I Learned To Embrace the Life-Affirming Nature of Ayurveda

By Crystal Hoshaw

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I wasn't a typical little girl in pigtails and Mary Janes. I was an unapologetic tomboy. 

I loved all things tough and rough and turned up my nose with disdain at my finger-nail-painting and dress-up-playing contemporaries. 

Tagging along behind the boys like Anybodies following the Jets, I was ostracized in much the same way. 

No matter what sports I excelled at or Mortal Combat nemesis I defeated, I was forever branded by my unsavory gender, to my great chagrin. 

On top of that, I saw myself and my fellow females through the eyes of the boys. 

I avoided the “girly girls” like the plague. I strained to avoid displays of emotionality, frivolity, and vulnerability—traits I had come to understand as patently feminine. 

It wasn't until much later in my life that I understood this rejection of my own gender as a rejection of myself.

Still, this masculine tone carried into my attitude as a teen. I felt I had to single-handedly prove that women could be just as good as men at anything, and had a duty to my gender to not be conventionally, predictably, vapidly feminine. 

I wove in and out of this head trip for much of my life, ranging from a bleach-blonde cheerleader with acrylic nails to an angry feminist who only wore men’s clothes and didn’t shave her legs for several years.

Through it all, I was seeking my authentic self, behind all the conditioning, ideology, and social judgment. 

Attempting to stamp out the non-spiritual

My anti-feminine attitude bled into my spiritual outlook as well. 

When I joined a 10 month yoga teacher training at seventeen, I was the pitta kid in the front of class competing with myself, obsessed with nailing every asana.

That same training introduced me to Ayurveda, but my approach was no different. If I was going to do it, I was going to do it hard. 

That meant vegan, sattvic, salt/garlic/onion-free, and no more than two anjalis—or handfuls of food—on my plate at a time.

I thought of the Buddha's feeble renunciate's body, nourished only by a single handful of rice each day. That’s real spirituality, right? 

This strictness gave me the false belief that I had succeeded at controlling my desires and base impulses. In reality, I was repressing them. 

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Waking down into the body

While reading in the cafe on my college campus one day, I came across a line in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda saying that sex—at least, to the detached, enlightened mind—was just as inconsequential as rubbing two sticks together.

That can’t be right, I thought.

Surely the aim and fruit of enlightenment isn’t to reduce our human experience to something so unfeeling. Surely the point is not to desensitize ourselves to the basic, innate, and ultimately innocent pleasure of being embodied.

Shouldn’t our spiritual path lead us to an experience of life that’s more vivid, more multidimensional, more intimate? Even more sensual and pleasurable?

This was an early tell-tale sign that I needed Tantra in my life.

After enough little insights like this, it eventually dawned on me that my previous spiritual orientation held a subtle desire for self-negation. 

Just as I had tried and failed to negate my gender as a young girl, I found myself attempting to negate the qualities that made me human, woman, and allowed me to express my unique and divine personality. 

Through a misunderstanding of what it means to lead a spiritual life, I had confused individuality with ego and strove for spiritual homogeneity instead of authenticity. 

Letting go of control

This applied to my food choices too. 

When I learned the word “orthorexia,” alarm bells went off in my head. First coined by American physician Steve Bratman in 1997, it comes from the Greek word “orthos,” or “right.” 

It wasn’t that I was fighting with my weight or my body in the conventional sense. I was fighting with a constant need to be correct. Of course, I was only setting myself up to fail. 

When I started to give up the need to make the “right” choice all the time and the pressure that goes along with it, I started to experience an inherent pleasure and satisfaction with life that is the true beginning of the road to spiritual bliss. 

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No better teacher than the body

When I became pregnant with my son, I experienced a resurgence of my body’s inherent intelligence and natural wisdom that completely overrode any conceptualizations I might have had about ahimsa and veganism. 

While pregnant, my regular diet included steak, a hefty pile of dark leafy greens, and over a gallon of whole cow’s milk a day. This rapid shift came at the ardent insistence of my natural urges—urges I didn’t even know I had. 

As a result, I felt nourished, juicy, and—to my midwife’s great relief—no longer tested as anemic. 

I learned firsthand that depriving the body of what it needs is a form of violence. Somehow, this only became clear to me when I had another body growing inside of me to make the point. 

Now I know that my body, on its own, deserves the same gentle compassion and nurturing care. 

After all, even the Buddha gave up his meager renunciate’s diet, to the dismay of many of his austere followers.

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Ayurveda reimagined

As I sought a way to continue to deepen my relationship with Ayurveda while honoring these newfound insights, I found myself turning away from so much of the messaging I encountered, whether in courses, in books, or on social media.

Like so many fields, many of the voices are men. Like many rich traditions, much of the messaging has been distorted by the legacy of colonialism. 

And like so much of wellness culture, there’s often subtle language implying that our bodies, impulses, and desires are threatening—even dangerous, that they should be controlled, subdued, and even snuffed out completely. 

Then I found The Shakti School. 

Finally, an Ayurvedic community addressing this strange self-negating bent in what is actually a deeply intuitive, life-affirming science. 

“Ayurveda is the science of love, intuition, and intellect,” writes Vasant Lad in The Textbook of Ayurveda.

To me, this triad represents the union of intuitive Shakti with intellectual Shiva. The result? The pure, unadulterated love that is our true nature. 

Just like an excess of tejas can burn off ojas and disturb prana, an excess of intellectualizing and rule-following reduces Ayurveda to a dogma instead of the living embodiment of natural wisdom that it is.

The chaos of Shakti is necessary for life, and the hosting energy of Shiva provides the stage where chaos can dance. From this perspective, the categories of good and bad, profane and sacred become indistinct, even limiting. 

Ayurveda in its most profound expression presents us with the freedom and responsibility of meeting the world each moment without the aid of simplistic dichotomies of right and wrong, requiring an open and hosting attitude toward the polarities of our own experience and of existence itself. 

True Ayurveda is the ultimate compassion. 

Just as much as Ayurveda asks us to get real with ourselves, to practice discipline, and implement healthy boundaries, it also asks us to do so with a softness, acceptance, and reverence for our human experience and everything that comes along with it—including our cravings for ice cream, our emotional breakdowns, and those times we decide to skip the gym to binge Netflix instead.

For Ayurveda, beauty and pleasure and even coffee and depression can be medicine. 

Ayurveda can host all of it, and when we live Ayurveda as a practice, so can we. 

This is the gift that The Shakti School provides: a community to marinate in acceptance of ourselves—foibles and all—as a means to deep, connected, embodied health and wellbeing.

About Crystal

Crystal Hoshaw is a mama, writer, and lifelong lover of the sacred. She's the founder of Simple Wild Free, where she leads online group courses for adults and teens to learn deep self-care based on the wisdom of Ayurveda, the power of intuition, and the insight of sacred creativity. Follow her on Instagram and join the community on Vibely.

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What I learned in Shakti School: Radical Responsibility, Remembering the Wisdom of the Body and Launching a New Business

By Becky Nethery

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When I signed up for Shakti School, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and how the trajectory of my life would transform.

Back in 2018, a good friend told me about Shakti School and I checked it out online. I had never heard of this southern woman with a beautiful drawl, but her book Happy, Healthy, Sexy, sounded pretty epic. “Ah, ya…I want more of that,” I remember thinking.

I’d read a little bit about Ayurveda, but I didn’t really get it. It seemed pretty confusing and like a lot of rules, which just piqued my inner rebel. I’d been on my own healing journey for many years and I had a lifelong love of all things spiritual, mystical and philosophical. So I signed up and got ready to learn. But little did I know that Shakti School would become a major turning point in my life.

At the time, I was in my 10th year working as a high school teacher in Canada, feeling deeply constrained by the role and wanting the freedom to truly be myself. I felt that what I was teaching teenagers didn’t truly serve them. Instead of teaching iambic pentameter or how to pass a standardized test, I wanted to help them explore their gifts, talents, and how they wanted to contribute to the world. I believed in education and learning but I was losing my faith in the system and feeling deeply frustrated by the constraints on how I could show up. I also had this deep inkling that I wanted more for my life. I was ready for the next adventure. I wanted to keep learning. I wanted true expression and connection. I was sick of hiding as this hollow version of myself. I wanted to be myself, all the time. Maybe you can relate?

From the very first call of Shakti School, I felt the energy of the divine. I can still recall this full- body presence as the group gathered and Katie initiated that year of Shakti School. For the first time in my life, someone was saying the things that I knew deep inside but had never had the words to express. The more I learned about honouring the feminine and respecting the beauty, magic and simplicity of life, the more I started to feel at home in myself. It was a mystical remembering of things that had been buried, but not lost.

Of everything that I learned throughout that year, the concept of radical responsibility took hold the strongest. Realizing that I had the power to create the life I wanted was a double edge sword. It was extremely freeing and yet equally terrifying. Instead of playing victim, I slowly started to realize that I could honour my experience and desires. I knew that I felt deeply unexpressed in my career and confined to showing up as a “robot” version of who I was every day as a teacher. And yet, it wasn’t quite the right time to leave.

As I continued studying, another life-changing concept that I was introduced to through Shakti School was the concept of embodiment. It sounds so obvious now, but it was an entirely new learning for me. I had always valued my intellect, being smart, solving problems and making plans. I thought these were my superpowers (when in fact they were deeply honed survival patterns and trauma responses).

When Katie would pause the intellectual learning in class to do an embodiment practice, I would feel deeply frustrated. I remember thinking “I’m not here to feel, I’m here to learn.” My reactions reflected the deep imbalance that values the thinking mind above all else, as reflected in education and society at large. This imbalance had been internalized. “Thinking will keep you safe, thinking will solve everything. Thinking is what matters the most.”

But through Shakti School, something radical started to happen. For the first time in my life, I started to connect and truly witness the wisdom that was present in my body. It was an entirely new experience and it changed my life forever. It was a portal into something that I knew deep inside but didn’t know how to articulate, let alone the community to express and explore with. The reality that I could access this inner wisdom at any time, just by bringing my simple awareness to my body was deeply transformational.

It was a reconnection to the pieces of me that I had ignored, abandoned and neglected, both consciously and unconsciously. Honouring the divine feminine and moving into my body and out of the realm of the thinking mind helped me to feel deeply grounded and present. I started to feel stronger and more powerful in my ability to trust myself. My body offered me this strength, courage, knowing and presence that I had never been able to access just with this floating brain, disconnected from my body. I felt these “other” parts of me start to come online and they had so much to offer me. I started to feel safe again, safe to be me.

Between these two concepts, radical responsibility and reconnecting with the wisdom of my body, I realized that something needed to change. I longed deeply for true expression and contribution where I could show up with all of my gifts. I wanted to contribute my zone of genius to helping end suffering on the planet and I deeply wanted to honour my creative expression. To put it bluntly, I wanted the freedom to be myself.

And it’s pretty amazing how life conspires to support our desires.

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Through various circumstances, that September I bravely decided to take a year-long leave of absence from teaching. I didn’t have it all figured out, but I had the courage and the faith to make the jump.

I decided to take radical responsibility for my life. I opened my own copywriting business and started writing brand stories and website content for local entrepreneurs who were in the healing modalities or who were doing good in the world.

You see, I deeply believe that business can be a powerful conduit for change in the world. Honouring our creative expression and gifts has the power to deeply heal us, as many of us have abandoned our creative expression and gifts in exchange for doing what we think will keep us “safe.” Yet, this so-called safety is slowly killing us. At least that was my experience. Opening your own business can offer healing to yourself and to the collective. It’s the ultimate growth opportunity as you must first honour your gifts, talents and contributions and then bring them forward to help others.

Not everyone can do what you do. There is a creative contribution that wants to flow through you, it’s the thing that lights you up, it’s this creative prana, and it’s when you feel most alive. And the really cool thing is that people are looking for your gifts. And they will pay you for them if you want! (Although I also strongly believe that not all creativity should be commodified.)

The more I learned about business and connected with entrepreneurs, I started to realize that they were deeply engaged with life, they were connected, innovative, and passionate and they were expressing their creative energy and contributing to making the world a better place. They were my kind of people. And despite my imposter syndrome, they wanted to work with me!

Since opening my business, there have been many ups and downs as I continued to learn and grow. All of the areas of personal healing showed up in my business, inviting me to continue releasing what doesn't serve me and coming back to the wisdom of my body, being present in the moment and offering my gifts to the divine and the collective.

Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve helped 100+ heart-centred business owners clarify their brand message so they can make real connections, show up with confidence online and make more impact and money. I absolutely LOVE the clients that I work with. They are badass entrepreneurs who are using their gifts and talents to solve problems for people and help end suffering on the planet. But they often have no idea how to position themselves and tell their story in a way that truly resonates and helps them sell their services or programs.

They are gifted and talented changemakers, but they need help with their messaging as over-thinking, imposter syndrome, comparison and self-doubt often creep in.

It is my honour to witness my clients, truly see them in their greatness, and contribute my writing, gifts and intuition to craft their brand story in a way that sets their business up for success. They feel seen, heard, understood and clear, excited and confident to move forward with their business. I get to show up with all of my talents and I’m no longer operating as a “robot” version of who I once was as a teacher.

Shakti School gave me the foundation to make this leap of faith and take radical responsibility for my life. I can’t say that I would have done it on my own. Through the teachings of Ayurveda and the Shakti School, I continue to ground into and connect with the truth of who I am. Shakti School provides the fundamental health foundation that every woman needs to help nurture her true expression. And this is deeply healing.

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I’m so thankful for Katie and the Shakti School staff and this epic community. It has been a safe place to explore who I am and how I can show up as the happiest, healthiest and sexiest version of myself.

I’m studying Level 2 this year and continue to be amazed by the practical teachings that help me regulate my nervous system and connect with the divine through the wisdom of my body. I truly believe that even if you don’t want to be an Ayurvedic Health Coach, studying Ayurveda with Shakti School has the power to transform your life in ways you might not expect. But that is the beauty and joy of this great unfolding called life.

If you need help with copywriting or telling your brand story, I’d love to connect with you. Check me out at beckynethery.com and follow me on Instagram. It would be my absolute pleasure to help you establish your brand, connect with your people and make more money in your business.

I also created a course called The Embodied Marketing Method where I teach entrepreneurs how to write for their business by first being grounded in the body. By combining embodiment techniques and copywriting skills, you can learn how to connect with your message and use your marketing as a form of leadership and service. If this sounds like something that could help your business or you’d like to learn more, check out this FREE GUIDE I created on how embodiment can revolutionize your marketing.

About Becky

Becky Nethery is a Copywriter and Brand Strategist who helps heart-centred business owners clarify their message, so they can show up with confidence, attract their ideal clients and sell with ease.

Writing high converting copy, Becky translates business ideas into clear and powerful brand stories that truly resonate and lead to an increase in profits. She is passionate about using business as a tool for change and loves supporting entrepreneurs who are bravely honouring their creative skills, solving real-world problems and making life better for their clients.

She is also the creator of The Embodied Marketing Method a program that teaches entrepreneurs how to use their marketing as an act of divine service. And she is also the co-host of the Entrepreneurial Inquiries Podcast which explores the intersection of business and being.

Connect with Becky today! Visit beckynethery.com or email [email protected]

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