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Ep. 209 A Good Death: Sensuality, Life and Learning to Die Authentically with Katy Butler

Spirit Sessions Podcast Ep. 209 A Good Death: Sensuality, Life and Learning to Die Authentically with Katy Butler

Today Katie is joined by Buddhist journalist and New York Times bestseller, Katy Butler. Her books examine how our culture has over-medicalized death and lost touch with its sacredness. In this episode, Katy and Katie candidly discuss the topics others often avoid including food addictions, death and finding your voice in the bedroom!

If you’re ready to deepen your spiritual practice we invite you to join the 2025 class of our Divine Feminine Ayurveda School. Doors close soon, so click here to learn more and enroll today!

CW: Abuse against women and childhood abuse are mentioned in this episode which may be triggering for some listeners.

In this episode with Katy Butler, you’ll hear:

~ An invitation to our Feminine-Form Ayurveda School!

~ How Katy overcame her food addiction

~ How to start shedding shame

~ Katy Butlers’s experiences studying with Thich Nhat Hanh

~ The importance of telling your story

~ How Katy Butler found her journalistic voice

~ The five Buddhist remembrances

~ Lessons learned from watching a loved one die

~ What is a good death?

~ The Ars Moriendi (The Art of Dying)

~ Bringing homegrown ritual into your life and death

~ Finding your voice in the bedroom

~ How Katy keeps her relationship steamy in her 70s

~ Get our free mini-course about Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda!

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

~ Learn more about our Ayurveda School

~ Connect with Katy Butler on her website and Facebook

~ Katy’s first book, Knocking on Heaven’s Door

~ Katy’s latest book, The Art of Dying Well

~ Read Katy Butler’s article in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Not Empty, Not Full

~ The Hite Report: A National Study of Female Sexuality

~ Our Spirit Sessions Membership

~ Follow The Shakti School on Instagram and Facebook

Related episodes:

~ Ep. 142 360 Degree Love: It Ain’t All Sex, Bonbons and Roses

~ Ep. 205 Winter Magic, Death and Dignity

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

  • Ayurveda Certification
  • The Shakti School Subscription

Help Us Spread Our Pod Wings!

I hope you loved this discussion with Katy Butler! This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you love show and want a free and easy way to help it grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

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From my heart to yours,

Katie

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Flirting with the idea of joining us for our Ayurv Flirting with the idea of joining us for our Ayurvedic Wellness Coach certification program in 2026? Hop on a complimentary call with one of our coaches to learn more about the program and explore if it’s the next right step for you! ⁠
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Jackie, Laurie, Nikki, Eva, Dominique, Natalie and TaKisha are here to be a real-life touch point as you contemplate taking a step towards a career in the healing arts or making a radical choice to further your own personal healing.⁠
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Book a complimentary clarity call now at the link in our bio or comment “MORE INFO” and we’ll send you the link. ☎️⁠
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P.S. We still have a few spots left for our special bonus gift - the first ten ladies to join us in 2026 will receive all the books they need for class ($200 value) as a totally FREE gift! (These spots have been going quick so make sure to grab one up if you know you’re IN for 2026!) 🔥
According to the Vedas (the spiritual root texts o According to the Vedas (the spiritual root texts of Ayurveda), your soul has four goals or desires, which the texts call the purusharthas, “that which is for the purpose of the soul.” The Ayurvedic tradition takes these four core human motivations and gives us permission to enjoy and pursue them, while not becoming overly attached to any of them. ⁠
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In this way, we can enjoy pleasure, seek success and purpose, strive for material gain and seek out the practices and mentors that will teach us how to live a more integrated, enlightened, soulful life. ⁠
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By no means will this quick overview do justice to the complex tapestry of what these four motivators are or how we can succeed in their fulfillment, but it will offer a little peek at the four aims that are paramount to our sense of total health and happiness.⁠
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Are you ready to dive deeper into Vedic philosophy and Divine Feminine Ayurveda?⁠
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If this philosophy is lighting you up, you’re gonna’ love our free course, Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda. Comment WISDOM below to get instant access to the 3+ hour video series now!
🚨Only 5 bonus gift spots left! → The doors ar 🚨Only 5 bonus gift spots left! → The doors are open for our 2026 Ayurvedic Wellness Coach Certification - and we have already welcomed several of you ladies into this upcoming Level 1 Year! 🌹🎉⁠
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If you know in your bones that 2026 is your year for heart-centered community, deepening your Ayurveda wisdom and evolving your own spiritual growth, now’s the time, ‘cause…⁠
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…we’re giving away all the books you’ll need for the course to the first ten women who register for 2026! ⁠
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Y’all are registering so fast that there are only 5 spots left to claim this free $200 gift, so if you know you’re in for 2026, don’t wait.⁠
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This training is more than just learning Ayurveda - it’s a spiritual homecoming. ⁠
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If you’re ready to walk that path with us, be one of the next 5 women to join us in 2026 Level 1 Ayurveda School and I’m personally sending you all of your course books + your beautiful manual as a special love-gift. 🎁
One of the keys to good digestion in Ayurveda is k One of the keys to good digestion in Ayurveda is keeping things SIMPLE. Less complicated meals give our digestive fire a chance to rest and truly metabolize the fuel we’re feeding the fire. ⁠
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Peas are light, astringent and slightly drying—aka they help balance kapha’s natural heaviness and tendency to hold onto all the things (mucus, water, emotional clutter... you name it). Plus, they're packed with protein and fiber without being overly dense.⁠
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On top of that, soup is basically kapha’s best friend. It’s warm, light AND easy to digest. Broth and veggie-based soups are the perfect go-to option for spring dinners that aren’t too heavy! Enjoy! 🌿
When the Universe sends you a gentle nudge to grow When the Universe sends you a gentle nudge to grow and you respond by eating four too many cookies and texting your ex. 📞🍪✨ (We’ve all been there 😉.) Sometimes chaos is just a part of the human curriculum - we’re all beginners in this weird and beautiful school of life.

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