Food

Pitta-Friendly Summer Mocktail ft. Heart-Healing ROSE Water

Wondering what to sip this summer that’s not going to dampen your agni but that’s still a little indulgent and fun?

(To my down-under ladies, you can enjoy this too, especially if you have more PITTA aka fire in your constitution!)

This cooling, goddess-worthy bev is perfect for when you wanna sip something cooling but still delicious, enjoy a mocktail, or get a hydrating boost on a hot summer afternoon.

The recipe makes 1 so be sure to double or triple if making it for friends 😉

Ingredients to help soothe inner heat while gently supporting agni:

🥀Rose Water

Rosewater is mildly astringent which gives it a cooling property both topically and internally. It’s great for balancing excess heat, aka pitta dosha in the digestive system, helping to aid digestive discomfort, bloating and heartburn.

Plus there’s nothing more nourishing to the subtle heart center than ingesting rose!

(See below on how to whip up your own rose water at home.)

🍋Lemon

If you’re not-so-new to Ayurveda you’ll know that warm lemon water is a key part of a traditional Ayurvedic morning routine—this is because lemon has a powerful agni boosting effect (meaning, it’s a major digestion helper!). Lemon gives our stomach the signal to start creating digestive juices and tells our liver to produce bile, both of which can help ease indigestion.

🍁Maple Syrup

Maple syrup encompasses the “sweet” quality in Ayurveda (plus, it’s derived from actual SAP - ojas boost, anyone?). The sweet taste soothes Pitta and Vata but can be a little aggravating to Kapha, so feel free to sub in some raw honey if you’re dealing with a Kapha imbalance.

Ingredients (makes one serving):

2 tablespoons of rosewater (see how to make your own below or purchase rosewater already made!)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon good quality maple syrup
1 cup plain seltzer (or sub in hibiscus infusion)
Optional garnish: cucumber, mint, orange, strawberries, etc.!

Directions:

Step 1. Make the rose water: add 1 teaspoon rose powder to a jar or glass measuring cup. Pour 1 cup boiling water over it. Allow to sit for 30 minutes then strain with a fine mesh strainer.

Step 2. Once cooled, add 2 tablespoons of rosewater into your mocktail glass.

Step 3. Add juice from 1/2 lemon.

Step 4. Add 1 tbsp good quality maple syrup. Stir up ingredients to combine.

Step 5. Top with 1 cup plain seltzer (or alternatively a chilled hibiscus infusion if you want to avoid seltzer!)

Garnish with a few cucumber slices, mint leaves, or orange slices!

Sip and stay cool 😎

How to do a Spring Cleanse

Spring is the perfect time to do a gentle cleanse.

Ayurveda teaches us to mimic what is happening in the natural world. In Spring, the Earth’s core begins to heat up as fungi, bugs, insects, and bees make their way to the surface pollinating and helping to prepare the soil for the growth to come.

After many months enduring the cold and dampness of winter, it’s likely that some extra Kapha accumulation could be present. This can take the form of excess mucus in the lungs and sinuses, a possible accumulation of weight, or a feeling of lethargy or depression.

Thankfully, with the help of Ayurveda and the willingness to slightly shift up your routine you can be easing into that springtime flow in no time.

So, what does it mean to detox Ayurvedically?

Ayurveda does not suggest some kind of crazy fasting or overly-restrictive cleansing. In fact it’s quite the opposite.

An Ayurvedic cleanse is gentle.

What most of us actually need is something that can allow our body to deeply relax.

In order to “let go” of all the unwanted stuff inside of us, your body needs to know that you have the space to step away from your daily hustle and grind, to step into the parasympathetic nervous system and deeply relax.

This is why, for example, as part of an Ayurvedic cleanse, getting warm, medicated oil rubbed on you was always part of the cleansing protocol.

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For this simple cleanse I’m gonna share with you, it’s not at all about restricting food intake.

It’s all about giving your body and digestion the space and time to deeply rest.

We have this idea in our culture that cleansing must be about suffering and penance and purification, Ayurvedic cleansing isn’t about any of those things. It’s about sweetness and love and slowing down. And saying to your body “I’m going to let you do what you need to do to come into balance.”

NOT using willpower to force our bodies to further the goals of the mind.

So I put together this little spring Kitchari recipe and simple cleansing protocol that’s a really easeful intro to Ayurvedic cleansing.

Plus there’s some more amazing resources below if you want to take it even deeper.

Get the Guide Here

Additional Cleansing Resources:

For Learning More About How to Do an Ayurvedic Cleanse:

Ep. 07 Spirit Sessions Podcast: Detox the Ayurveda Way

For a Guide to Spiritual Spring Cleaning:

Ep. 11 Spirit Sessions Podcast: Holy Shit, How to Become a Tantric House Witch

For Boosting Your Elimination and Achieving “Poophoria”:

Ep. 46 Spirit Sessions Podcast: Poophoria: Getting Perfect ?!

Happy spring cleansing!

Herbal Sleepytime Mocktail

We had to put our Shakti-fied twist on the Sleepy Mocktail 🍹This herbal sleepy time tonic is the perfect nighttime bev for getting your beauty rest! 💤⁣
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Adding passionflower and ashwaghanda, which have both linked with stress relief, give this mocktail some extra relaxation oomf 💪🏼⁣
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Passionflower has also been linked with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain, and GABA reduces activity in the central nervous system which can support relaxation and sleep.⁣
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Here’s what you’re gonna need:⁣
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~ ½ cup passion flower tea infusion (make this ahead of time- add one teabag or 1 tsp of loose passion flower to 1 cup boiling water. Let steep for about 15mins (you can also make this in bulk and leave in the fridge to have on hand all week 😉)⁣
⁣~ ½ cup tart cherry juice⁣
⁣~ Magnesium powder (one serving according to your powder’s instructions!)⁣
⁣~ 1-2 droppers full ashwaghanda (or 1/2 tsp powder)⁣
⁣~ A pinch of mineral salt and squeeze of lime⁣
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Add all ingredients and shake or blend!⁣
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🍒Ayurveda Rebel Version: add a splash of sparkling water (we won’t tell if you won’t 🤫)⁣
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🌬Vata-friendly Version: warm cherry juice slightly (or mix into your warm tea infusion to warm it up) and forgo the sparkling water. Enjoy 😉

Shakti Fire Cider

Here’s your winter immunity boost recipe (and home-made gift idea!) ⁣⁣
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Here’s how to make it:⁣⁣
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~ 1 medium onion, chopped⁣⁣
~ 10 garlic cloves, smashed or roughly chopped⁣⁣
~ 2 jalapeños, sliced⁣⁣
~ 1 organic lemon (grate it and juice it)⁣⁣
~ 1/3 cup grated ginger⁣⁣
~ A bunch (3-4 sprigs) of fresh rosemary (dried is also fine!)⁣⁣
~ 1 T black pepper seeds, crushed⁣⁣
~ 1 T cardamom pods, crushed⁣⁣
~ 2 blood oranges, finely sliced⁣⁣
~ A few of cinnamon sticks⁣⁣
~ 1 T cloves⁣⁣
~ A big dollop of raw, local, honey ⁣⁣
~ Apple cider vinegar⁣⁣
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Add all ingredients to a quart size jar. Cover completely with ACV (push down everything in the jar so that it’s below the ACV). Place a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the jar to prevent any transfer from the lid. Shake daily, storing in a cool place for about a month.⁣⁣
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Then sip daily (you can also add it to your salad dressing or food, but don’t heat because of the honey! 🍯🍯🍯)

Heart-Opening Winter Elixir

The holidays can be a season of both feelings of connection and grief. We’ve created this special Shakti School heart opening elixir featuring skullcap, damiana and rose to get you through the waves of beauty, bliss, and pain.⁣
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🌹 Skullcap: Think soothing, stress relief, and relaxation - this nervine is an emotional balance supporter and restores the functioning of the nervous system.⁣
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🌹 Damiana: This aphrodisiac helper pairs well with skullcap for relaxation while also giving a little boost to mood and digestion.⁣
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🌹 Rose: Associated with the heart chakra, rose is said to help heal a broken heart and enhance feelings of self-love and emotional balance.⁣
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Here’s how to make it:⁣

~ 1/4 cup dried skullcap⁣
~ ¼ cup dried damiana⁣
~ 1/4 cup dried rose petal⁣
~ A few cinnamon sticks⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed cardamom pods⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed star anise⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed cloves⁣
~ an orange peel⁣
~ 1/2 c honey⁣
~ Brandy to cover ⁣
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Add all ingredients to a mason jar. Cover completely with brandy (push down everything in the jar so that it’s below the liquid). Place a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the jar to prevent any transfer from the lid or vice versa. Shake daily, storing in a cool place for about a month.⁣
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Enjoy in small servings as a healing tonic for your heart ❤️

Ojas-Building “Hot Shake”

We have to clue you in on one of our ultimate Ojas-building aphrodisiac tonics!
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Ojas is our core immunity- our bodies’ ability to renew itself. In the body, it’s related to our reproductive, hormones, and cerebrospinal fluid. ⁣
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It’s also your psychophysical shield, helping us ward off stress and disease (both physically and emotionally). ⁣
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Having strong ojas isn’t just about building it up, it’s also about not losing it. What (and WHO) we pour our creative energy into (if you know what I mean 😉😉) can deplete our ojas especially if we’re not being intentional. ⁣
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But, when we make love with an attitude of complete surrender, and without fear or reservation, Ayurveda says that it can actually BOOST our sense of trust which in turn builds health. ⁣
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Aphrodisiacs can help turn up our passion-pleasure-zest. What we consume also helps build our emotional-physical-resiliency, aka our ojas. That’s where this ojas-boosting love tonic comes in. ⁣
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This warm, spicy-sweet milk is amazing for building ojas, and when combined with these virility-boosting super herbs, it gives our inner lover just the boost we need. Make it for you and your lover before or after your holy lovemaking sesh (or for yourself!)

Ojas-Building Hot Shake Ingredients:

10 skinless almonds
5 dates, pitted
2 cups milk (any kind)
1/2 teaspoon ashwagandha
1/2 teaspoon kapikacchu
1/2 teaspoon vidari kanda
1/2 teaspoon maca
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Ojas-Building Hot Shake Directions:

If you wish, soak the almonds and dates overnight, then drain. (This makes them more digestible, but is not required.)
In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a low boil. Add the herbs and spice and whisk.
Pour the milk mixture into a blender, add the almonds and dates, and blend on high for 30-60 seconds, until completely smooth.
Enjoy with your lover (or inner lover 😉)

Fall Lickable

This little lickable is great for when you’ve got the ick (a.k.a. Cold and Flu season)

Add together:

3 tablespoons Manuka honey
3 tablespoons Grass-fed ghee
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp. Licorice powder
½ tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Cardamom
A few dashes of Cayenne Pepper powder (*leave out if it’s too much heat for your system)

Mix all together until a smooth paste.

Lick a teaspoon a few times a day!

Carrot & Winter Squash Chutney Recipe

Ingredients:

1 small delicata squash or any other winter squash (acorn or butternut would work well), seeds removed and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup roasted and unsalted almonds
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
1/4 teaspoon ajwain
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
Water
Salt to taste