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Podcast

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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Katie

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theshaktischool

TheShaktiSchool

What does Ayurveda, modern neurophysiological rese What does Ayurveda, modern neurophysiological research say about RELATIONSHIPS? Juicy stuff tomorrow - only come if you wanna have more love and evolution on your intimate relating :) 12 eastern - FREE with me ! Link in bio 🐬
Beautiful person, here's your reminder: there is j Beautiful person, here's your reminder: there is just a little over ONE WEEK LEFT to claim our Hot Girl Summer: Lay Low & Glow Bonus. ☀️⁠
⁠
Imagine spending the next year learning how to support your nervous system, nourish your hormones, cultivate radiant skin, enjoy easier digestion and create a life that feels more peaceful, grounded and deeply aligned with your unique constitution.⁠
⁠
When you enroll in 2027 Ayurveda School (Level 1 or Level 2) before August 1st, you'll receive:⁠
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🌊 $100 off tuition (on top of Early Bird pricing)⁠
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🌺 A FREE Paavani Summer Sampler Kit with cooling body care essentials⁠
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🕯️A FREE year of Spirit Sessions featuring 130+ workshops, meditations and monthly live classes with Katie and special guests⁠
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🍑 Our Ayurveda for Summer Recipe E-Book filled with nourishing seasonal recipes.⁠
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By this time next year, you'll have a practical roadmap for eating, living and caring for yourself through every season, with the confidence to create a life rooted in vitality, beauty, resilience and ease, and support others in doing the same. ⁠
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Use code HGS100 at registration checkout to receive the discount and all the gifts.⁠
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🍉 Comment AYURVEDASCHOOL below to learn more and join us in 2027.
The relationship you have with your own body becom The relationship you have with your own body becomes the template for the relationships you create with others.⁠
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If you've ever wondered why one person shuts down during conflict while another pursues, why certain conversations leave you depleted, why you keep repeating the same relationship dynamics, or how to feel more connected without abandoning yourself, this class is for you. ⁠
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In classical Tantra, the inner and outer are reflections of one another. The body is not separate from the world, and your perceptual nervous system is not separate from your relationships. The way you meet your own body and all its complex sensations and emotions, becomes the way you will meet and respond to your partner. ⁠
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The way you relate to your own fear, longing, grief, desire and vulnerability becomes the way you relate to love itself. When we heal the inner relationship to OURSELVES, we transform the outer one. ⁠
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Join us for a free, hour-long class on Thursday, July 23rd 12pm Eastern US Time where you'll learn how Ayurveda and Tantra explain why you and the people you love communicate differently, what happens in the body during conflict and simple practices that help create more connection, repair and emotional safety. ⁠
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💞 Comment ATTRACT below for the link to register now for FREE.
Long before wellness became another checklist, Ayu Long before wellness became another checklist, Ayurveda understood that a woman’s vitality doesn’t come from hustling harder. 

It comes from slowing down enough to hear your body, honoring the rhythms of nature, making room for pleasure and creating the kind of safety that allows true radiance to emerge. 

When your nervous system softens, your digestion, hormones, skin and energy all have the opportunity to come into balance.

That’s the heart of our Hot Girl Summer: Lay Low & Glow intention. Less striving. More nourishment. Less optimization. More intuition. 

LESS HUSTLE, MORE OJAS. 🍯

To celebrate this summer, we’re giving every woman who enrolls in 2027 Ayurveda School (Level 1 or Level 2) our Hot Girl Summer Bonus. When you join before August 1st, you’ll receive:

🌞 $100 off tuition (on top of Early Bird pricing)

🥥 A FREE Paavani Summer Sampler Kit featuring a cooling spritzer, body oil and digestive blend

✨ A FREE year-long Spirit Sessions Membership with 130+ lectures, meditations and practices plus live monthly workshops with Katie and special guests

🍉 A downloadable Ayurveda for Summer Recipe E-Book filled with seasonal recipes straight outta’ Katie’s kitchen

Just use code HGS100 at registration checkout to receive the discount and ALL the gifts.

⏳ There are just 2 weeks left to claim this special bonus before it disappears on August 1st. Comment AYURVEDASCHOOL below to learn more and join us in 2027.

🌹 P.S. If you’re ready to discover how a regulated nervous system transforms not just your health but your relationships, join us for our FREE live class, Ayurveda Hot Girl Summer: RELATIONSHIP EDITION! on Thursday, July 23 from 12–1 p.m. Eastern. Comment ATTRACT below to save your spot.
Skincare gets complicated in the summer. On one ha Skincare gets complicated in the summer. On one hand, your skin requires more moisture from being dried out due to heat factors, which might also be making you sweat more, which oils up your skin.⁠
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Throw sun exposure in there and you have a recipe for potential skin damage. I have combination dry/oily skin, so I know this dance all too well. ⁠
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During the summer I’m active, getting exercise outside several days a week, sweating and dehydrating myself from the outside with the sun and the inside with all the heat I’m creating from exercise. ⁠
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Don’t let the humidity fool you - even if you live in the tropics, air humidity cannot completely protect your skin from the drying effects of the sun (and the AC). Whatever your skin type, eating these foods will help keep your skin in tip top shape for the long haul.⁠
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First of all, make sure you’re getting Zinc and D3 in your diet. Now you might be thinking: won’t I get vitamin D from the sun? Nope. What we get from the sun are the building blocks so that our body can produce vitamin D. And those special rays that help your body make vitamin D are only out when the sun is at a 30+ degree angle from where you are on earth. You can use the app DMinder to find out when that vitamin D window is where you are in the world. These are some additional superpower foods for protecting your skin, from the inside out.⁠
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🦪 Foods that are high in Zinc:⁠
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• Oysters (the richest source)⁠
• Beef⁠
• Chicken⁠
• Turkey⁠
• Freshwater fish⁠
• Sardines⁠
• Eggs⁠
• Pumpkin seeds⁠
• Hemp seeds⁠
• Lentils⁠
• Quinoa⁠
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🫐Some foods that provide protection from oxidative damage from the sun are: ⁠
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• Carrots⁠
• Watermelon⁠
• Aloe⁠
• Coconut oil⁠
• Grapes⁠
• Olive oil⁠
• Avocados⁠
• Sweet red peppers⁠
• Sweet potatoes⁠
• Sunflower seeds⁠
• Guava⁠
• Pomegranate⁠
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Are you ready to experience the power of Ayurveda right in your kitchen?⁠
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Join us for a FREE live class, "The DIY Goddess Beauty Lab", tomorrow Thursday, July 16 from 12–1 p.m. Eastern US time. We'll create beautiful body rituals using simple ingredients you probably already have at home.⁠
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🍉 Comment LAB below to save your spot.

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