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Ep. 150 The Healing Climate in Spiritual Practice (and life)

Spirit Sessions Podcast Guest for website

For the past four years, I have had the incredible good fortune to work very closely with a one-on-one mentor and therapist named Cristal Mortensen.  And today, I am so honored to share this podcast with you where I interview her. In it, we discuss what she calls "the healing climate," and why, without it, our efforts to heal ourselves and to hold space for others may work against our deepest desire. This podcast touches deep into the essence of my personal inner practice, as well as the ethos we are working each day to do our best to uphold within what we teach at The Shakti School.

In this episode you’ll hear: 

~ What the healing climate is and how it can help us 

~ Resistance and how finding ‘the spot’ within ourselves can be supportive of healing 

~ The importance of compassion and gentleness toward ourselves

~ Letting awareness be the light that shines through our uncomfortable feelings, rather than changing them

~ Our unique resources within and how we may be able to better access them

~ How these techniques can impact manifestation intentions

~ Noticing how we experience ourselves energetically and the way it can bring self-compassion

~ Being in relationship with energy

~ Join Katie and The Shakti School for the Embodied Ayurveda + Mystical Mind live in-person and virtual retreat May 6th and 7th. Live spaces are filling up fast, so register now to get in! Payment plan options available.

~ Cristal Mortensen is a trauma and nervous system specialist and Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, in private practice for over 20 years. She helps people heal and clear unresolved trauma, attachment wounds, balance energetic, emotional and mental disequilibriums, find their way back to themselves and discover their wholeness.  Her multidimensional approach to trauma healing developed out of her own journey of healing, which began when she learned yoga and meditation at the age of 16 and henceforth dedicated her life to the path of healing.  She has healed from debilitating complex PTSD, severe anxiety and depression, addiction, disordered eating, chronic pain and physical illness and has dedicated her life to supporting others in healing from the pain of trauma and finding freedom. 

Cristal’s ability to deftly weave between and integrate the realms of the mind, emotion, physical body, subtle body, energy and spirit and bridge ordinary and non ordinary reality, along with her compassionate presence has made her unique work highly sought after.

She has practiced and studied extensively over the past 30 years with masters in the fields of trauma, attachment, somatics, meditation, breath, movement and energy healing, bringing the balance of ancient wisdom and modern science to her work.  She has developed Multidimensional Trauma Healing and Sacred Attachment work, out of the need for an approach to trauma healing that is truly effective and transformative.   Her work builds access to an organizing matrix from which inherent safety, security and an integrated mind and body can develop, creating a new template from which we can heal and our life can evolve.  Her mission is to be a guiding light for those suffering from trauma.  She believes passionately that the seeds of healing and transformation are within each of us, waiting to be discovered and activated.  You can connect with her at awarealignedawake.com

 

This episode is brought to you by PAAVANI Ayurveda. Use discount code SHAKTI15 at checkout for 15% off a one time purchase on paavaniayurveda.com

Female founded PAAVANI Ayurveda is an artisan line of small-batch, pure, organic health & skincare products formulated in Northern California. 

Handcrafted with the wisdom of Ayurveda, these gals seek to raise conscious awareness of the whole by practicing the philosophy of ahimsa or nonviolence in making their products. This means that their offerings are certified cruelty free and vegan and that PAAVANI carefully selects herbal ingredients that are sustainable, ensuring that plant medicine is abundant for future generations. 

In addition to mindful formulations, PAAVANI Ayurveda packages their products in glass to maintain the integrity of their herbal ingredients. Additionally, their labels are printed on recycled paper stock, using water-based inks that generate little to no paper waste & no harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

With every purchase made with PAAVANI Ayurveda, you are supporting a female founded, small business that strives to maintain the health of not only your skin, but also our earth. 

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From my heart to your screen,

Katie

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theshaktischool

TheShaktiSchool

Many of you know my house pretty much was totaled Many of you know my house pretty much was totaled in a fire. Lost most everything I owned in the span of a few hours. ⁠
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I was amazed at my resiliency. Still am. ⁠
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But I wanna’ be honest with you about my “aftermath.”⁠
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As the insurance “battles” mounted and the home rebuild “project” ensued, I have found myself asking myself to become even more disciplined than ever. ⁠
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But that level of ask is hard on a woman’s body. We aren’t meant to always be “on.” We are not meant for war. ⁠
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Women are not small men.⁠
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Over and over again over the past few months, I have had to remind myself that my biology is cyclical, rhythmic, relational and sensitive to stress. I need nourishment, sunlight, sleep, safety, touch, meaning, laughter and connection.⁠
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I’ve had to remind myself that I am not like my boyfriend, whose man-hormones largely operate on a 24-hour cycle. My body moves through an intricate symphony over the course of a month. ⁠
Ayurveda has understood this for thousands of years.⁠
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In Ayurveda, healing is not domination over the body. Healing comes from creating a loving relationship with the body.⁠
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The feminine system thrives with:⁠
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🌞 warmth⁠
🌞 mineral-rich nourishment⁠
🌞 adequate rest⁠
🌞 cyclical living⁠
🌞 pleasure without guilt⁠
🌞 movement that energizes instead of depletes⁠
🌞 deep breathing states⁠
🌞 community⁠
🌞 rhythm⁠
🌞 enoughness⁠
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This does not mean women are weak. ⁠
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It means women are powerful in a different way. And men need these things too. ⁠
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As I do less and feel more, the results are pretty fast: sleep deepens, cravings calm, I have more energy to workout, my skin tone improves, my belly flattens and my desire to love-romp returns. ⁠
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Here’s a reminder to myself and you in what can be challenging times: stop believing your worth is measured by how much exhaustion you can tolerate.⁠
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At The Shakti School, this is one of the deepest conversations we have with women.⁠
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We dive into all of this and more in our free course, Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda. And it’s yours to dive into starting right now. ⁠
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Just comment WISDOM below and I’ll send it to you. 🌹🌙⁠
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With warmth,⁠
Katie
June marks the rise of pitta season in the Norther June marks the rise of pitta season in the Northern Hemisphere. 🔥🍉 That means more heat in the environment, which can translate to more heat in the body. Too much pitta might show up as irritability, skin flare-ups, acid reflux, loose stools or feeling like your fuse is running short.

It’s time to focus on supporting the liver and blood (sites where pitta typically accumulates) and cooling qualities to prevent excess heat from building up.

P.S. - For my Southern Hemisphere ladies… you’re moving deeper into the cool, dry vata season right now, so for you, it’s time to focus on balancing vata. 🌬️🌀

Some of the best foods for this month:

🍉 Watermelon is sweet, cooling and hydrating for our tissues.

🌺 Hibiscus tea is tart and brings coolness to the blood - perfect for pitta.

🫛 Sweet peas are nourishing and mildly sweet, without bringing too much heaviness.

🍋 Homemade lemon or limeade (especially when made with a little mineral salt and raw honey) replenishes essential minerals.

🌿 Aloe vera delivers the bitter taste directly to the liver and is traditionally used to cool excess pitta.

🥬 Bitter greens are especially supportive for healthy liver function.

🫖 CCF tea is an Ayurvedic staple that supports digestion without aggravating pitta.

🍌 Bananas help replenish fluids and calm irritated tissues.

🌱 Cilantro is one of Ayurveda’s favorite cooling herbs for excess pitta and heat in the blood. Top your meals with it!

🍍 Pineapple is super hydrating, and provides digestive support when eaten in moderation.

🌿 Mint cools the digestive tract and also helps cool the mind.

🥒 Cucumber is super hydrating - and they’re immediately cooling for pitta constitutions. Add to your water or salads!

🥥 Coconut water replenishes electrolytes and offers essential potassium.

🥬 Cabbage is great for digestion - cooling and slightly bitter.

🌾 Fennel is one of Ayurveda’s classic remedies for soothing heat in the digestive system.

Lady, the doors to 2027 Ayurveda School are officially OPEN! 🌹✨ 

Register before June 5th (that’s this Friday) and we’re gonna’ gift you all of your required books for class FREE. 

📚 Comment AYURVEDASCHOOL below to learn more.
OR… they’ll say something in the most emotiona OR… they’ll say something in the most emotionally intelligent way imaginable. 🌿🌊 Kaphas often tolerate a lot before speaking because they value peace, loyalty and preserving connection. Under stress, they may withdraw, over-accommodate, or hold onto hurt longer than they let on. But when conflict needs tending, Kaphas are often the ones bringing patience, forgiveness and calm nervous systems into the room. There’s a reason they’re the people you want beside you during heartbreak, illness or major life changes.

Tag your favorite kapha below (or maybe it’s you!) 👇🏼

🌱 Are you curious to learn more about the three Ayurvedic doshas? Comment “179” and I’ll send you the link to my podcast episode, “The Three Doshas: Are You a Bullfrog or an Orchid?”

Meme inspired by @mytherapistsays
The doors to our 2027 Ayurvedic Wellness Coach Cer The doors to our 2027 Ayurvedic Wellness Coach Certification are officially open! 🌹✨ ⁠
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If you’ve felt the quiet nudge to deepen your healing, understand women’s health in a whole new way, or become the grounded guide your community needs…this may be your year. ⁠
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Ayurveda School is more than an education - it’s a year-long mentorship with your own body and soul. ❤️‍🔥 ⁠
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Register before June 5th and we’ll gift you all the books you need for class (a $200+ value) completely free, in addition to Early Bird pricing. ⁠
⁠
📚 If your heart already knows, don’t wait too long. Comment AYURVEDASCHOOL (one word) or visit the link in bio to learn more and claim your spot.
Mama nature usually gives us clear indications of Mama nature usually gives us clear indications of her changes if we open our eyes to her subtlety. The more we can align with these rhythms, the easier it is to maintain body/mind health. Just as seasonal shifts transform the weather where we live, they also shake up the internal landscape within our bodies. ⁠
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In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to start gently incorporating pitta-balancing elements into our food and lifestyle. ⁠
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Depending on where you live, it’s generally a good time to lean into pitta-balancing practices when you start to notice:⁠
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☀️ Warmer temperatures⁠
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☀️ Longer daylight hours⁠
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☀️ A shift from the lush, wet heaviness of spring to a drier, sharper heat⁠
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☀️ Increased internal heat (like irritability, skin flare-ups or digestive intensity)⁠
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Most simply put, once you start feeling more heat and dryness in your body than you do watery heaviness, it’s a green light to start introducing some pitta-balancing practices into your routine. ⁠
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Save these tips for navigating the spring > summer transition with watery ease. 🌊⁠
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🌱 If you're ready for more, comment WISDOM to access our free Divine Feminine Ayurveda course now.

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