The Shakti School

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Ep. 262 What is Swedish Death Cleaning? Nordic Winter Ayurveda

This is a picture of Katie Silcox. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find your true spiritual home with Katie Silcox."

Who knew the Nordic people were so Ayurvedic? From Swedish death cleaning to resilience-building Finnish saunas to cozy Icelandic rituals, Katie explores the wisdom of Nordic winter traditions. Discover how Swedish death cleaning can help you clear out not just your closets, but old identities, relationships, habits and dreams, making space for new opportunities and growth!

Ready to discover your Ayurveda? You’re invited to join our Divine Feminine Ayurveda School! Click here to learn more and enroll.

In this episode about Swedish death cleaning, you’ll hear:

~ Why Katie is turning her home into a grand hobbit hole!

~ The things we're holding onto (and what they're really costing us)

~ The benefits of practicing Swedish death cleaning

~ Hygge: How to turn your home into a cozy little sanctuary

~ Saunas, cold plunges and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

~ Finnish Sisu: Building resilience by doing the hard things

~ “Free air life” AKA Friluftsliv

~ Iceland's Christmas book tradition (because the screens are making us crazy!)

~ Lagom: The Goldilocks principle of having just enough

~ Why Swedish death cleaning goes way beyond your closet

~ Why you should “do a yoga” on your last will and testament!

~ Our gift to you: Click here to have our Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda Mini-Course delivered directly to your inbox!

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Books and resources mentioned in this episode:

~ The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson

~ Blackout by Sarah Hepola 

~ The Brightness by Chad Harbach 

~ Our sauna partner: Save up to $600 on a Sunlighten Sauna by using this link!

Episodes related to Swedish death cleaning and winter rituals:

~ Ep. 143 Hot Tips on Building Winter Immunity

~ Ep. 18 Sleep Like a Baby this Winter...Yes Please

Connect with Katie and The Shakti School:

~ Have questions about Ayurveda School? Book a free call with us here!

~ Email us at [email protected]

~ Follow The Shakti School on Instagram and Facebook

~ Read Katie’s latest book, Glow-Worthy!

Help Us Spread Our Pod Wings!

I hope you loved today's episode about winter rituals and Swedish death cleaning! If you'd like to support the pod, the most effective way you can help is to:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “Subscribe” in iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts
  2. Write us a review
  3. Share this episode with a friend right now!

It seems simple, but you’d be AMAZED to know how much it helps my little love project reach more people. Podcast app algorithms use ratings and reviews to determine what shows to suggest to others.

From my heart to yours,

Katie

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Eat To Support PMS: An Ayurvedic Guide

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Ayurveda views premenstrual symptoms as the manifestation of a doshic imbalance. Menstrual symptoms can reflect imbalance in any of the doshas, but typically, the premenstrual period is linked to vata and pitta dosha—things can get too dry, too heated or too emotional.⁠
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It’s especially important to tend to vata dosha during the luteal phase, the couple of weeks that precede your bleed. Tending to vata during this time means grounding, stabilizing and soothing the nervous system. ⁠
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Here are some Ayurvedic recommendations for your luteal phase:⁠

🍠 Eating For Your Luteal Phase

  • ⁠Root vegetables - Carrots, parsnips, beets and sweet potatoes are deeply nourishing and grounding, helping to counter vata anxiety ⁠
  • Ghee and healthy fats - Supports healthy hormones and nutrient absorption⁠
  • Steamed greens - Leafy greens offer vital nutrients and their bitterness and astringent qualities counter pitta’s heat⁠
  • Warm, cooked grains - Steady nourishment for smooth digestion and steady agni⁠
  • Soups and stews - Supports digestion and the nervous system at the same time—also beneficial for kapha types and kapha imbalances⁠

🌿 Supportive Herbs & Spices⁠

  • Turmeric - Helps support the body’s detoxification pathways, aiding hormone regulation⁠
  • Ginger - Kindles agni and steadies digestion⁠
  • Ashwagandha - Provides essential nervous system steadiness through emotional waves⁠
  • Shatavari - Supports women’s hormonal balance; is cooling and moistening⁠
  • Brahmi - An Ayurvedic herb known for supporting mental ease and balance⁠
  • Cumin - Digestive aid soothing vata (aka goodbye gassiness!)⁠
  • Fennel - Cooling digestive support that helps reduce both vata and pitta ⁠
  • Coriander - Pitta-reducing to help mitigate irritability and excess heat⁠
  • Sesame Seeds - Contain essential minerals and fatty acids that promote hormonal balance⁠
  • Fenugreek - Anti-inflammatory qualities may help ease menstrual discomfort⁠
  • Mint - Helps to cool and aid digestion, balancing both pitta and vata⁠

🥀 Save this guide for your next grocery trip during your luteal phase!

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Sweet Dreams Milk: An Ayurvedic Sleep Tonic

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This is a milky beverage that counteracts insomnia and nervousness before bed.

Ayurveda provides nourishing and grounding remedies that help settle both body and mind. 🌀☁️

Warm milk is traditionally used as an ojas-building tonic that supports deep restoration, while valerian helps calm the nervous system, ashwagandha supports stress resilience, nutmeg is used for its gently sedative qualities, and saffron eases the mind toward rest. 🫖

When taken together, you have a soothing ritual that reduces excess movement in the mind and invites deep ease before bedtime. 🌙

You can also enhance the effects of this milky medicine by rubbing some warm sesame oil and a few drops of jatamansi essential oil on the soles of your feet before covering them in socks.

Here's How To Make It:

Ingredients

Directions

  • Put the ghee in a saucepan and heat on low with all the spices, except for the saffron. Once the mixture becomes aromatic, add the milk and saffron and whisk until hot.
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Ep. 234 Turmeric Magic & Midlife Messiness with Dr. Shivani Gupta

This is a picture of Katie Silcox. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find your true spiritual home with Katie Silcox."

Are you living an Ayurvedic lifestyle, but still missing your spark? Today on the podcast, Katie chats with Dr. Shivani Gupta - author, turmeric researcher, and new teacher here at The Shakti School - about why so many women in midlife feel disconnected from their spark.

Dr. Shivani and Katie open up about navigating life as high-pitta entrepreneurs and the power of embracing the mess. Dr. Shivani shares how turmeric has changed her life and why so many of us suffer from inflammation in the body and “mental inflammation." Tune in for behind-the-scenes book-launch stories, mom-entrepreneur wisdom and our first-ever Ayurveda girl-power lightning round!

Ready to truly live Ayurveda? The 2026 class of our Divine Feminine Ayurveda School starts on January 14th, 2026! We’d love to chat with you if you have questions about the program.  Click here to book a FREE call!

In this episode about turmeric, midlife and so much more, you’ll hear:

~ Why so many women in their 40s and 50s feel like they’ve lost their spark

~ When living the perfect Ayurvedic lifestyle doesn’t make you feel better

~ The Fusionary Formulas turmeric supplement and herbal tea that Katie swears by!

~ Taking care of your inner world

~ The voice of self-doubt and self-criticism

~ What is mental inflammation?

~ Navigating life as a high-pitta person

~ Behind the scenes of Dr. Shivani’s book launch promo

~ Balancing motherhood and business

~ Allowing life to be imbalanced and messy

~ Are you running from your true nature?

~ The health benefits of turmeric

~ Herbs first vs. lifestyle first

~ The music of Snatam Kaur

~ Sign up for our free mini-course about Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda!

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Connect with Dr. Shivani Gupta and The Shakti School:

~ Read Dr. Shivani Gupta’s new book, The Inflammation Code

~ Listen to the Fusionary Health Podcast

~ Connect with Dr. Shivani Gupta on Instagram and Facebook

~ Follow The Shakti School on Instagram and Facebook

~ 2026 Chakra Yoga Nidra Retreat: Deep dive into the chakras with Katie as your guide in the Bahamas in spring 2026!

~ Read Katie’s latest book, Glow-Worthy!

Related episodes:

~ Ep. 193 Triphala: The #1 Ayurvedic Herb I Keep Coming Back To

~ Ep. 186 Menopause Made Me Look Like My Mother with Mary Thompson

 

Help Us Spread Our Pod Wings!

I hope you loved this episode about turmeric and navigating the messiness of midlife! This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you love the show and want a free and easy way to help it grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
  2. Write us a review in iTunes or your podcast player of choice
  3. Share this show with a friend right now!

It seems simple, but you’d be AMAZED to know how much it helps my little love project reach more people. iTunes’ algorithm uses ratings and reviews to know who to show our show to in their app.

Here’s the link to leave us reviews in iTunes.

From my heart to yours,

Katie

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Sacred Cycle Sweets

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Cooling, grounding and hormone-nourishing, these Sacred Cycle Sweets weave together shatavari, fennel and cardamom to support women’s cycles while offering a naturally sweet treat for body and spirit.

Here's How to Make My Sacred Cycle Sweets:

Ingredients (makes ~10):

  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup cashews, soaked 2 hrs
  • 6 Medjool dates
  • 1 tsp shatavari powder
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp fennel powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch pink salt
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions:

  • Blend cashews + coconut into a paste.
  • Add dates, shatavari, spices + vanilla. Process until dough forms.
  • Roll into balls, coat with extra coconut. Refrigerate.
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Raspberry Oat Hormone Bars

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Sweet, tart and chocolatey comfort! These bars blend magnesium-rich nuts, fiber-filled oats, and antioxidant raspberries to steady mood, ease PMS cravings, and nourish your hormones the Ayurvedic way.

Here's How to Make Them:

Ingredients (makes ~12 bars):

Base:

  • 1 cup rolled oats (ground to flour)
  • ½ cup walnuts or almonds (magnesium powerhouse)
  • 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • Pinch sea salt

Raspberry Layer:

  • 1½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp vanilla

Chocolate Topping:

  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (at least 70%)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Process oats, nuts, dates, almond butter + salt until dough forms. Press into pan.
  2. In a saucepan, simmer raspberries, chia, maple + vanilla for 10 minutes until jammy. Spread over base.
  3. Melt chocolate + coconut oil, stir in cinnamon, and pour over raspberry layer.
  4. Chill until firm, slice into bars.
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Ep. 221 I’m Married to Algae: Katie Talks To Algae Expert and ENERGYbits® Founder, Catharine Arnston

This graphic includes a picture of Katie Silcox and Catharine Arnston. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find Your True Spiritual Home." It links to an episode of the Spirit Sessions podcast called, Ep. 221 I'm Married to Algae: Katie Talks To World Class Algae Expert and ENERGYbits CEO, Catharine Arnston

In this inspiring conversation, Katie sits down with Catharine Arnston, founder of ENERGYbits®, wellness thought leader, and the “voice of algae,” to explore the profound science and spirituality behind one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods.

From the ancient wisdom of the Rishis to scientific evidence of algae’s unmatched nutrition, Catharine shares how she followed her inner voice from corporate life to purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Tune in to learn the health benefits of spirulina and chlorella, how to spot high-quality algae, and why these superfoods are not just powerful medicine for the body, but nourishment for the soul.

Ready to experience all of the benefits of algae for yourself? Use the discount code THESHAKTISCHOOL at checkout to get 20% off your order at energybits.com!

In this episode about algae and Catharine’s incredible life, you’ll hear:

~ An invitation to deepen your spiritual journey in Ayurveda School

~ How Catharine followed her intuition to become the voice of algae

~ How the ancient Rishis communicated with plants

~ The spirituality of spirulina

~ Health benefits of algae

~ Going back to college in your 60s

~ How miracles happen when you listen to your inner voice

~ Overcoming impostor syndrome and fear

~ What it feels like to be on the right path

~ Dr. Jack Krust

~ Exactly how Catharine incorporates algae into her daily diet

~ Using chlorella and spirulina for optimal health

~ The importance of a satvic diet as we age

~ Mitochondrial health

~ Free radicals and antioxidants

~ How to identify good quality spirulina

~ Why most algae supplements are a waste of money

~ Scientific evidence of the effects of algae on dementia, diabetes, cancer and heart disease

~ The Ayurvedic perspective of algae

~ Why Spirulina is Mother Nature's breast milk

~ Catharine wants you to Google phycocyanin

~ Root cause medicine

~ How and when to take spirulina and chlorella 

~ Sign up for our free Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda mini-course!

Learn more about algae and connect with ENERGYbits®:

~ Learn more about ENERGYbits® on their website, energybits.com

~ Use the discount code THESHAKTISCHOOL at checkout to get 20% off your order

~ Follow @energybits on Instagram

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Other resources related to this episode:

~ Learn more about Ayurveda School

~ 2025 Chakra Yoga Nidra Workshop: Study with Katie and other luminary teachers this fall in the Bahamas!

~ 2026 Chakra Yoga Nidra Retreat: Deep dive into the chakras with Katie as your guide in the beautiful Bahamas in spring 2026!

~ Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

~ Katie’s latest book, Glow-Worthy

If you liked today’s episode about algae, you might also like:

~ Ep. 193 Triphala: The #1 Ayurvedic Herb I Keep Coming Back To

~ Ep. 168 Ayurveda & Tantric Herbalism with Brooke Sullivan

 

Help Us Spread Our Pod Wings!

I hope you loved this fun and inspiring conversation all about algae! This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you love the show and want a free and easy way to help it grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

It’s seems simple, but you’d be AMAZED to know how much it helps my little love project reach more people. iTunes’ algorithm uses ratings and reviews to know who to show our show to in their app.

Here’s the link to leave us reviews in iTunes.

From my heart to yours,

Katie

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How to Make the Perfect Summer Salad

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Summertime is the time for salad—the possibilities are endless. 🌺🌱🍅 In the Virginia summers, greens grow in abundance, fruit starts popping off and there are edible flowers galore! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. ⁠

Of course Ayurveda suggests not over consuming raw food, but there are plenty of ways around this. Salads are appropriate in the hot summer months and if your digestive system is a little sluggish, you can always pair your greens with a cooked element or additional spices to support your specific needs. ⁠
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I love going to the farmer’s market in the summer and seeing what creations I can make with the various colors and shapes of the vegetables. Making food should feel like an art (of course it’s not always going to feel easy), but it is an act of creativity that can really serve you well. ⁠
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When it comes to making salads you can get really creative. Just simply think of what flavors and textures you love most and create a salad from that. For me, I love crunch, I love FAT and I love citrus. I usually end up making a big bowl of greens, some sort of seed sautéed in ghee, avocado, radishes and all of it topped with a lemon vinaigrette. I often will always add some sort of protein source. Grilled chicken, fried tempeh and hard boiled (farm fresh eggs) are all my favorite go-to forms of protein.

Here's How to Make my Perfect Summer Salad:

Salad Ingredients:

  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 ½ cups summer greens (mix of your choice-diced)
  • 1 tbsp lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup summer cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 handful of summer sprouts
  • Optional protein add ons: ¼ cup cooked chickpeas or grilled chicken

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp vegan mayo
  • ¼ cup fresh mint & parsley mix (diced)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Assemble all of your salad ingredients into a bowl (except the sprouts) organizing however you would like. Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl using a fork (adding more or less apple cider vinegar depending on preference). Generously pour dressing over the salad. Garnish with fresh edible flowers and sprouts!

Enjoy! 🥬🌱🍅🌼

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