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Podcast

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:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
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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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TheShaktiSchool

When you were born with a whole ‘lotta pitta dos When you were born with a whole ‘lotta pitta dosha in your constitution… 🤣🔥🧨⁠
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One “quick task” turns into ten, the inner fire gets a little too bright and suddenly vata comes in and starts whipping it around… now you’re scattered, overdoing it and wondering why you’re completely burnt out. I bet you can relate, no? 😉⁠
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🌱 Learn more about the three Ayurvedic doshas in my podcast episode, “The Three Doshas: Are You a Bullfrog or an Orchid?” Comment “179” and I’ll send you the link!⁠
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Meme: Unknown
Ayurveda divides the tastes into six categories: s Ayurveda divides the tastes into six categories: sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. The goal is to get a little of all six tastes into your meals (unless you are working with a specific imbalance or disease). ⁠
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Each taste has a medicinal value for both the body and the mind, in the proper amounts and at the right time. Here are the energetics of each.👇🏼⁠
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🥛 Sweet: Increases kapha, reduces pitta ⁠
• Grains, breads, rice, honey, sugar, meat, milk, most fats, most fruits, nuts⁠
• Builds, rejuvenates, nourishes, satisfies, grounds.⁠
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🍋‍🟩 Sour: Increases pitta and kapha, reduces vata ⁠
• Vinegar, sour apples, raspberries, tempeh, yogurt, fermented foods, citrus fruits⁠
• Cleanses, aids digestion, creates alertness in body and mind⁠
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🧂 Salty: Increases pitta and kapha, reduces vata ⁠
• Rock salt, sea salt, seaweed, seafood ⁠
• Opens blocked channels, improves circulation, creates a sense of enthusiasm⁠
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🌶️ Pungent: Increases pitta, reduces vata when taken in small amounts, reduces kapha⁠
• All spicy peppers and chilies, ginger, garlic, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mustard, horseradish, oregano, rosemary, thyme, spearmint⁠
• Boosts appetite, purifies food, helps dissolve fat and toxins⁠
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🍵 Bitter: Increases vata, reduces pitta and kapha ⁠
• Leafy greens, green tea, mate⁠
• Antibacterial, detoxifying, the body, reduces tissues, cleanser for the organs⁠
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🫘 Astringent: Increases vata, reduces pitta and kapha ⁠
• Most lentils and beans (including green beans), green apples, pomegranate, cranberries, açaí berries, asparagus, teas high in tannins⁠
• Antiseptic, constricts channels that are overly open, holds nutrients in the body⁠
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🌙 Begin your study of feminine-form Ayurveda⁠. Comment WISDOM to get our free Women’s Wisdom & Ayurveda course and start learning.
This is your invitation to slow down and come back This is your invitation to slow down and come back to yourself. ✨⁠
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This spring cleanse is a week carved out just for you… to feel, to heal, to let go, to deeply nourish and restore.⁠
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This cleanse is for the ones who are always holding everything and everyone else, and are ready to create a little space for their own body, their own rhythm and their own breath.⁠
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An Ayurvedic Cleanse isn’t about deprivation. It’s about true nourishment… the kind you can feel in your digestion, your energy, your mood and your heart.⁠
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You’re invited to join us May 4–8 for a 5-Day Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse & Gut Reset guided by Charlotte Oddi, Ayurvedic Health Counselor and Shakti Ayurveda School graduate. This gentle, supportive experience is designed to help you reset digestion, lighten what’s been building and reconnect with your natural rhythm.⁠
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🌿 Included with registration:⁠
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• 3 live Zoom calls (Kickoff on Saturday the 2nd, mid-week call on Wednesday the 6th, and Closing Call on Saturday the 9th, all taking place at 12pm Eastern US Time)⁠
• Cleanse 101 Class to learn more about what Ayurvedic cleansing is (ready for you to watch in the classroom as soon as you sign up!)⁠
• Private cleanse community⁠
• Detailed Cleanse Guide + recipe book⁠
• 1 year access to recordings⁠
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Live calls are recorded, so you can still participate if you can’t attend live.⁠
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If this is calling to you, comment CLEANSE INFO for the link to join us. 💛⁠
Level 2 is an invitation to step into your own inn Level 2 is an invitation to step into your own inner authority. To stop approaching Ayurveda as something outside of you… and begin to BE it.⁠
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There’s this idea that the flesh becomes the poem, that your embodiment holds the teachings. ⁠
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Your life becomes the expression of what you’ve learned.⁠
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It’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about letting it live through you.⁠
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The second class of the year is in session today at 2pm US Eastern Time, and it’s not too late to join us. ✨
Feminine-form Ayurveda is about connecting with yo Feminine-form Ayurveda is about connecting with your own Inner Wisdom.

You are the only authority on your mental, spiritual and emotional well-being. Ayurveda provides a beautiful and wise roadmap for understanding and navigating reality. 

But it’s ultimately up to us to take this beautiful map, embody its wisdom, internalize it and channel it into our modern, unique, individual lives.
The principle of the feminine encourages us to trust the direct experience of our bodies.

To listen to our own intuition and follow our hearts as our ultimate inner guide and healer.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend. 🌹🌸🌴🌼🐚

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