By Greer Christos
I remember the first time I heard Katie say, "In Ayurveda, HOW we eat, is as, if not more important to what we eat.”
BOOM!
My entire body dropped knee length into the mud.
Held, supported... feeling like no matter how much I leaned to one side, mama earth’s wet, warm body had me. I would no longer be pushed over by external forces.
Of course, I wasn’t literally standing in a muddy pond, but I may as well have been.
I thought of alllllll of the times over all of the decades (3 in total!) I had been “battling” with what I should / shouldn’t eat, and “why” I should / shouldn’t be eating what I was.
I reflected on the synchronicities that had played out in the month prior to me going from “Ayur-whaaa?” to signing up to Shakti School Level 1 (& subsequently Level 2) & how the ease of what I was now receiving and truly ‘inner-standing’ (as opposed to ‘understanding) was one of those moments in time where everything shifts.
Despite thousands of hours of self-inquiry, talk-therapy, plant medicine, western-based psychology approaches, new-age/quantum activations, shamanic healings, (insert every healing modality you have heard of), I was still - STILL - struggling with letting go of the eternal-internal narrative of “why” am I STILL over eating and struggling with food addiction?
And whilst the above modalities & experiences had definitely helped with my chronic use of alcohol, drugs and general disassociation from my deeper needs & truth: the “food” thing still had me. And so, when Katie spoke those words in that sweet Southern accent of hers, it l a n d e d.
Yes in my mind, but more so in my body: and even more, in my Sacred heart.
It’s as if the burden of resisting food/bingeing (that I had become so used to carrying around and struggling to keep up above my head so I could continue searching for a way to be able to put it down), simply jumped out of my hands, arms & shoulders and vanished.
And so, for the next few months, I paid particular attention to HOW I was eating.
I stared to notice how I could rush my eating…
How I could hide…
How I could gobble & swallow almost whole…
How I would unconsciously tense my hands under the table when I was wanting a second serve but afraid of being judged…
How I would kid & shame myself about what I had eaten...
And on, and on, and on.
I also dived deeper back in to Geneen Roth’s work which was also really supportive, but what made it HEALING was the synergy of this increased awareness with my gradual, yet consistent and expanding devotion to practicing Dinacharya.
Up until being introduced to dinacharya, I had definitely gone through regular (but not necessarily consistent) waves of, what I had thought of was “self-care” but was actually a regime of exercise, meditation or other physical/mental/energetic practices. These periods had been helpful, activating, inspiring ~ for sure ~ but none of them lasting.
Yet something happened over the following two years, and I started to notice how as I cared for myself in this new way, I started to slow down, drop in, & gain a sense of ‘me’ on a day to day basis.
I would notice the days my skin was dryer, my tongue had more ama, my neti wouldn’t flow, and I would want to head straight to a cacao instead of my lemon-ginger water first thing.
I’d also notice the days I felt luscious, my tongue clear, my neti streamed effortlessly, and I’d embrace a full liter of warm fluids before anything else...
The practices were really great. They really were – and yet, after a while, I started to notice that even though these self-care practices were very nurturing, over time, they started to feel like “have-to’s”.
On the mornings I would have the time & space (I.e. when my 3 children would sleep in), it was wonderful. But sometimes they would wake early, or I would sleep in, & I would become subtly stressed that I wouldn’t have time to ‘get it all done’.
And I started to catch myself ‘rushing’ through my dinacharya. What had started as ritual, was gradually becoming a regime that, if I didn’t “tick off” would produce a subtle tension in my body & mind.
What started as an “ahhhhh” (insert relax tone of voice) was gradually becoming an “eeehhhhhhh” (insert rushed tone of voice).
And then it HIT me!!!
Just like food, HOW I practice my dinacharya is AS, if not MORE important than “what I do” for my dinacharya. And THAT, changed everything.
I suddenly realized that I don’t need to do it all. Sure, it’s great when I can. But if I find myself rushing, then I slow. If I find myself going on autopilot, I pause. I drop in to my body, & I open my heart, and ask,
“What is it I really need right this morning? In this moment?”
HOW could I love myself FULLY right, here, now?
Quite often, it’s just one or two practices done mindfully, heartfully.
S l o w l y.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s been since I’ve shifted HOW I self-care, that my relationship with food has truly healed.
Sure, sometimes I catch myself rushing, not fully chewing, etc. etc., but it happens so much less often. And when it does, I catch myself sooner, so there’s less fallout/casualties, and as I start my mornings in this slow & oh-so-yummy tempo,that echoes through my day which slows me down in all areas. And because I’m not rushing, I’ve got clarity of thought. I’m more patient with my kids. I can open more in my love-making.
And life,
Once again,
Becomes Sacred.
About Greer
Greer is a Feminine Embodiment Guide, Conscious Relationship Coach, & Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor. Greer specializes in supporting women rise from depletion & overwhelm to reclaim their juicy, authentic self & cultivate sacred ritual as a way of life.
She currently resides in Tasmania, Australia where she’s raising her young family. She works alongside her husband Aaron in their business Tantra for Parents; offering a range of online & in-person workshops, Ceremonies, mentorships & retreats. You can find more info at her website at www.tantraforparents.com.
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"Hello and Sat Sri Akal my sisters. 
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"I have been in the healing/light worker career for over 25 years. I have learned many different modalities to help people and recently animals. I have always known the greatest gift is to LOVE. All of the help I have given others comes from my heart and from that love and the universal love.
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"I didn’t dream when a sudden inspiration two weeks after my 80th birthday led me to enroll in Shakti Ayurveda School how much it would enliven and enrich my life. A long-time meditator and Yoga practitioner, I’d been feeling like I’d lost my source of inspiration and enrichment but hadn’t found a place to turn. The words “Divine Feminine” Ayurveda studies lit me up and that light has just increased month after month. Studying with Katie Silcox and the teachers she’s so carefully selected has been challenging in all the best ways. I feel like I’m expanding in every direction and I’m excited to move into my second year of study.
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The practice of Abhyanga has been one of the most powerful and needed rituals for us both. Based on this, we have designed a beautiful line of products that bring this nurturing, loving, and compassionate self-care practice, into your Dinacharya. We created our 'Everything Abhyanga Box’ based on our need to have a more simplified Abhyanga practice. Included in this box is a: Tri-doshic Body Oil, Oil Warming Jar, Sugar Shower Scrub, an all cotton Body Wrap/Sarong with a matching Scrunchie, and an instructional card. We have found that having all of this accessible to us has made it easier to reap the benefits of oil and love into our bodies.
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"Working in the field of healthcare for over 14 years, Lauren witnessed the impact stress and disconnection from self can have on overall health. Through her own story of personal growth, going through a divorce and becoming a single mother of two, Lauren embarked on a journey of self-discovery. Her longing to live a more joyous and fulfilled life led her to Ayurveda. 
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Learning, practicing, embodying and sharing Ayurveda, especially feminine form Ayurveda as we learned in Shakti School, ignited something in me that had been dormant for some time. I have always held a deep reverence to mama Earth and all of her nature beings. It was through my journey in Shakti School that all of the pieces came together. My passion for nature and ways in which I could share holistic wellbeing modalities with others became more clear and so did my confidence in honoring my dharma. 
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"Samantha Boersma is a visionary, intuitive, and creatress moved by the magic available to us in every moment. She speaks the language of the flowers, acting as a bridge from spirit to physical to remind you how connected, supported, and nourished you really are. Her work intends to inspire a sense of belonging with all things and awaken you to the remembrance that all the wisdom you seek lives within you.
"Ginevra Are, M.A., is an Integrative Holistic Counselor, an Ayurveda Women's Wellness Lifestyle Coach, an Herbalist, a Yoga Teacher, and more. 
Her signature products are 3 seasonal Abhyanga oils for whole body self-massage and to pacify the Doshas. Urth Herbal's Abhyanga oils are made with the traditional double-infused Ayurvedic method. Each small batch of herbs is first made into a strong decoction, and then transferred into the oil of choice. The mixture is left to slowly simmer on the stove on low heat for up to 48 hours, getting stronger and stronger in the process. We use both water and oil because each liquid extracts different properties from the plants so that you are sure to get the most benefits out of each herb (including minerals that your skin will love!). What is left is a potent, formulated and concentrated oil. 
"I’m Lily Russo, a 500-hour ERYT Yoga Teacher and leader of Prana Vinyasa Teacher Trainings. I’ve been studying Ayurveda for the past 15 years. I became fascinated with Ayurveda when it was a part of my first yoga teacher training and love how it has transformed my relationships: with myself, with my loved ones, with food, with nature.
"Lisa M. Gunshore is a tantric yogini, certified quantum coach, and functional Ayurveda wellness coach with initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her work is rooted in advocating for non-violence and compassion, with a focus on creating vitality in the body, understanding ancestry and personal genome, and purifying to raise frequency. Lisa is also a medium and shaman, supporting the healing of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies through genetic transformation and ancestral healing.
"I’m Emma Cust. Since starting Ayurveda School last year I have:
"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!
"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 (
"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.
"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.
"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
"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.
"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."
"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."
"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. 
"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."
"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. 
"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 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.
"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 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.
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.
"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, 
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."
"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.
"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.
"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.
While there’s no equivalent for this type of all-encompassing lubrication in Western medicine, there is a name for it in Ayurveda: ojas. 
You may know that moisturizing is essential for skin health, but there’s so much more to moisturizing than just applying lotion or serum.
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 
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"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!"
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"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."
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"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.
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?”
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.
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
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 
Attempting to stamp out the non-spiritual
Letting go of control
Crystal Hoshaw is a mama, writer, and lifelong lover of the sacred. She's the founder of