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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

We’ve been taught to chase healing like an endle We’ve been taught to chase healing like an endless laundry list of ways to “fix” ourselves. ⁠
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But nervous system regulation doesn’t come from doing more…it comes from being with what’s here.⁠
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If you’ve been feeling amped, anxious or like your nervous system’s running on fumes, I FEEL YOU. ⁠
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And you’re not alone. ⁠
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But the truth is: your body was never meant to live in fight-or-flight all the time. ⁠
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What is more, have you ever noticed that you feel GUILTY about feeling out of whack? ⁠
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It’s like a double whammy to the soul (and the nervous system). ⁠
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Here’s what I want us all to remember: your nervous system isn’t broken.�⁠
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It’s just overwhelmed. Overcooked. Overlooked. I know you, because I AM you. ⁠
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Here are a few new ways I’ve been helping myself calm down from the inside out:⁠
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1️⃣ 🌬 Low-belly breath and minerals in my water before coffee. Two minutes. Hands on your womb. Feel the exhale lengthen. Drink water BEFORE caffeine in the AM. ⁠
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2️⃣ 🌿 Warm and wet heals everything. Warm water, warm foods, warm embraces and warm words to yourself.⁠
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3️⃣ 💃 Micro-movement = macro-shift. Roll your shoulders. Circle your hips. Shake for 60 seconds. ⁠
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4️⃣ 🕯 Create a micro-altar. Light a candle. Put a sticky note on it. Whatever it takes to find moments of intention.⁠
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5️⃣ 💗 Replace self-fixing with LOVING the ever loving heck out of this incarnation. You don’t need another plan. You need presence and love dropping down into your flesh like HONEY. ⁠
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With love,�Katie⁠
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💻 Want my FREE video masterclass on Somatic Ayurveda: Balance Your Nervous System with Ancient Embodiment? Just comment ENERGY below and I’ll send you the class where we dive in deep.⁠
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✨ At The Shakti School, we believe women's wellness isn't another protocol to perfect. It's a lifelong relationship with your body, your intuition and the wisdom of Ayurveda. Early Bird registration for our 2027 Level 1 training is officially open: comment AYURVEDASCHOOL to book a free coaching call and learn more.
Ready to learn how to transform your digestion wit Ready to learn how to transform your digestion with Ayurveda and support others in doing the same?! We have a whole module on Nutrition & Ayurvedic Cleansing in Ayurveda School Level 1, plus cooking classes with incredible chefs to inspire you! ⁠
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In the Nutrition & Cleansing Module we cover:⁠
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🥄  Six Tastes, Cravings, Rasa⁠
🥄  Digestion⁠
🥄  Kitchen Setup and Cooking Basics & Making Kitchari⁠
🥄  Cleansing Guide⁠
 🥄 Psychology of Eating⁠
🥄  Embodied Nourishment & Cooking⁠
🥄  Ayurvedic-Inspired Desserts Making⁠
🥄  Ayurvedic Dinner for the Whole Family Cooking Tutorial ⁠
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...and so much more!⁠
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Want to dive deeper? Katie shares ALL the Ayurvedic digestion secrets in Episode 4 of Spirit Sessions. Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts or comment “004” and we’ll send the episode straight to your DMs! ⁠
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can be so Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can be so thirsty but water alone doesn’t seem to satiate?

That’s because our tissues need to be coaxed into opening up to receive the moisture of deeper hydration. 

Ancient Ayurveda understood that simply pouring water into our systems is like throwing water onto a hard stone. In order to soften the tissues of the body to be able to receive the moisture and nourishment, we need carriers like herbs, foods and minerals.

Here are a few of my modern takes on hydrating helpfully with delicious summer elixirs. Each of these work with approximately 3-5 cups of purified or filtered water. 💧

• Add 1/2 a lime and a 1/4 tsp of sea or rock salt to water.

• Add 1 T food grade organic aloe to your water (add 1 tsp honey and 1/2 a lime’s juice to make it even more delish).

• Use a squirt of Trace Minerals to your water - 20 drops or so will do.

• Add 1 tsp of raw honey or maple syrup, 1/2 a lemon and 1/4 teaspoon of ground licorice powder.

• Make a cup of nettles tea (use 2-3 bags for a strong infusion). After the tea cools, add it to your drinking water. Nettles are chocked full of natural minerals.

• Blend 4 lemons, 2 grapefruits and 1 lime (peeled, add the whole fruit excusing seeds) to 4 cups of water. Strain and store in the fridge for a concentrated hydration ingredient ready for your water throughout the week.

• Drink coconut water + 1 full lime juiced +1/4 teaspoon pink rock salt- add to normal water or drink alone.

• Add one dropper full of liquid chlorophyll - a great source of copper.

1/4 teaspoon slippery elm powder and 1/4 teaspoon marshmallow powder. Blend into water for a quick hydration help, or steep as a tea.

• Blend a whole peeled cucumber into a blender with the water for fast hydration.

Ready to go deeper? Get our FREE class, Somatic Ayurveda: Balance Your Nervous System with Ancient Embodiment and discover how Ayurveda, Tantra and neuroscience can help you cultivate greater regulation, vitality and presence. 

🌌 Comment ENERGY below to get the class recording.
One of the best parts of our school is our incredi One of the best parts of our school is our incredible faculty. I always say that they are “smart ➕ heart.” Last week we had this beautiful goddess, @sandhiyaramaswamy - teaching the depths of Ayurveda Philosophy AND teaching us her mother’s recipes from her own kitchen. ❤️
Different foods require different digestive enzyme Different foods require different digestive enzymes to break them down.⁠
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Throwing two foods with dramatically different enzymatic requirements at your body is like yelling at your belly, "Hey, you, work harder!" ⁠
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By avoiding these sad-belly food combinations, we make life easy for our poor little tummy, and it can respond by giving us great digestion and amazing glowy-ness.⁠
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Here's the deal:⁠
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1. Eating fruit alone is best. Melon should always be eaten alone.⁠
2. Milk should be taken alone or with things that are sweet (grains, honey, brown sugar, etc.) Milk digests best when it is hot and spiced. Great milk spices include: cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and nutmeg. Milk has a particularly hard time alongside bananas, sour fruits, yeasty breads, fish/meat, and yogurt.⁠
3. Avoid eating any dairy products with fish.⁠
4. Eggs don't mix well with fruit, milk, meat and yogurt.⁠
5. Honey should never be boiled or cooked. Mix it with warming spices, warm milk or combine with ghee (in equal amounts by volume, not weight).⁠
6. Nightshades (eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes) don't mix well with melon, cucumber or dairy.⁠
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Happy food combining! 🫚 ⁠
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🪔 Ready to deepen your relationship with Divine Feminine Ayurveda? Comment WISDOM and we’ll send you our free course, Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda so that you can start diving in right now.⁠
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🌿 If you're ready to learn how to eat, live and move in harmony with your unique body and the rhythms of nature, we'd love to welcome you into our community. Early Bird registration for our 2027 Level 1 Ayurvedic Wellness Coach Certification Training is now open: comment AYURVEDASCHOOL for more information or to book a free call with one of our graduates.

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