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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:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

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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Ep. 186 Menopause Made Me Look Like My Mother with Mary Thompson

This is a picture of Mary Thompson and Katie Silcox. It links to the show notes for and episode of the Spirit Sessions podcast about menopause.

If you’re perimenopausal or know someone in menopause, this episode is for you! Unfortunately, much of the mainstream conversation around menopause shames women for experiencing symptoms, but in this episode, Katie and fellow Ayurveda wise woman Mary Thompson offer a softer, more spiritual perspective. They discuss common symptoms of perimenopause, simple Ayurvedic practices you can use to mitigate these symptoms and the spiritual gifts of menopause!

Want to learn more about menopause and women's wellness from Mary Thompson and our other amazing teachers? Our year-long Ayurveda School is open for registration!

 

In this episode you’ll hear: 

~ What's going on in your body during menopause?

~ Freeing yourself from shame

~ Common perimenopause symptoms

~ Ayurvedic practices to prevent and soothe symptoms of menopause

~ The deeper meaning of our symptoms and struggle

~ What does Ayurveda say about bioidentical hormones?

~ The maiden, mother, creatrix and crone

~ The Ama - Agni - Ojas formula

~ Benefits of seasonal Ayurvedic Cleansing for hormone balance

~ The spiritual gifts of menopause

~ Sign up for our free mini-course about Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda!

 

Other links mentioned in this episode:

~ Mary's Podcast: Ayur.. What Now?

~ Mary’s website: The Ayurvedic Approach

~ Herbalist Susun Weed

~ Book: Strong Women Stay Young

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

  • Ayurveda Certification
  • The Shakti School Subscription

HELP US SPREAD OUR POD WINGS

Did you love listening to this conversation about menopause and Ayurvedic practices to sooth perimenopause symptoms? This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you enjoy this 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
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

It 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.

Have fun stepping into the menopause energy of the Creatrix!

From my heart to your screen,

Katie

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Ep. 31 Better Digestion, Sex and Less Wrinkles? Thanks, Ghee!

Learn the ancient healing knowledge of Ghee and how it can be used to boost your digestion, sex and nourish skin.

In this episode I discuss:

~What the heck is a fat free burger?

~A dream about Ghee

~The truth about Fat

~How Ghee is healing and why Fat is your friend

~A fat-free lifestyle is a sex-free lifestyle.

~The mama energy

~The nectar of love

~Ghee as a Gut Balm

~Ghee moisturizer I love!

~Other Ghee products for the body: Banyan’s Beauty Balm, other balms

~How Ghee effects different tissues in your body

~How Ghee effects our fertility

~Ghee as a metaphor for love

~The use of Ghee in detoxification

~How to MAKE Ghee!

~Lineage of Love Free Trial!

~We have new friends in the Ahara Ghee family! Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Studies Cited:

~Harvard Study: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/is-butter-really-back/

~Fats: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/know-your-fats/the-skinny-on-fats/

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

Shakti Ayurveda School

Lineage of Love Community

HELP US SPREAD OUR POD WINGS

This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you enjoy this 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
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

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 your screen,

Katie

Continue Reading

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theshaktischool

TheShaktiSchool

The Shakti School’s Level 2 Ayurvedic Health Cou The Shakti School’s Level 2 Ayurvedic Health Counselor Certification Training begins in just one week and these are some of the most popular modules in our one-of-a-kind feminine-form Ayurveda + Tantra curriculum. ✨⁠
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🌹 Deeper Self-Care 🌹⁠
• Women and the Moon⁠
• Sacred Tantric Rituals⁠
• Yoni Ritucharya⁠
• Ojas and Deep Tantric Breast Magic⁠
• Skin Care⁠
• Disordered Eating⁠
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👩🏽‍🍼 Children, Men & Elders 👩🏽‍🍼⁠
• Graceful Aging⁠
• The Needs of Elders⁠
• Ayurveda for Men⁠
• Ayurveda for Babies & Children⁠
• Rasayanas & Longevity Science⁠
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⚡️ The Body Electric ⚡️⁠
• Marma Vidya⁠
• Movement for Dosha⁠
• The Power of Bhakti⁠
• Manifestation⁠
• Launching Your Business⁠
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If you’re ready to elevate your practice, deepen your learning and advance your mastery of feminine-form medicine, Level 2 is where you belong. Join us for another year of Ayurveda Tuesdays, heart-based sisterhood and immersive spiritual embodiment. ⁠
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💎 Comment “LEVEL2” for more information. ⁠
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🪽 Upcoming Level 2 students—which class or topic are you most looking forward to? We wanna’ hear from you! Let us know down below. 👇🏼
Ayurveda divides us into mind-body types called do Ayurveda divides us into mind-body types called doshas, which simply means “that which is waiting to go out of balance.” Through observing patterns over thousands of years, the Ayurvedic sages discovered that some of us are like delicate orchids, some of us are like big, beautiful bullfrogs, and some of us are fiery creatures somewhere in the middle. 🌸⁠
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🌀 Vata dosha is made of air and ether, and it’s the principle of movement, change and creativity. These are the people who are imaginative, expressive, quick, sensitive and full of ideas. ⁠
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→ When Vata is in balance there is inspiration, freedom and flow. And when it’s out of balance, that same movement can turn into anxiety, overwhelm or feeling ungrounded.⁠
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🌿 Kapha is the combination of the earth and water elements. Heavy, cool and damp, Kapha is the principle of stability, solidity and growth, that which builds and that which stays. ⁠
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→ Kapha types are strong, grounded, reliable and emotional in that watery, loving way. When they’re out of balance, they might hold on a little too much - to things, weight and old grievances that don’t want to move.⁠
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🔥 Pitta is made of fire with a little bit of water, and it’s the principle of transformation, of heat, of intensity, of that which takes one thing and turns it into something else. These are the fiery ones, the ones with strong digestion, strong opinions and strong focus. ⁠
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→ They are bright, sharp and driven, and when they’re in balance they’re powerful leaders and visionaries. When they’re out of balance, that fire can get a little too hot, showing up as irritability, inflammation or pushing too hard.⁠
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🦋 Ladies, Level 2 is starting in just ONE WEEK. In Level 2, we’ll take the study of the doshas to the next level, including tongue and pulse assessment, to help you and your clients find greater balance, ease and radiance. The doors are closing soon, so don’t wait.⁠
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🌷 Interested in learning more about the doshas right now? Comment “179” and I’ll send you my podcast where we explore the three mind-body types.
Ayurveda is the science of life. 🌎🌺🦋 We Ayurveda is the science of life. 🌎🌺🦋 

We can understand Ayurveda as this beautiful art and philosophy that has been held for humanity for thousands of years. It’s really a study of nature - the way the seasons move, the way the body responds, the way you are uniquely made.

And maybe most importantly, it’s about understanding how you are different. Because in this wide, wide world of nature, everything is unique. Nature created delicate orchids and big, beautiful, chunky bullfrogs. Both are perfect. But each is totally different. 🐸🌷

Ayurveda says we’re all made up of these elemental patterns, and it divides us into mind-body types called doshas, which means “that which is waiting to go out of balance.” 

We were each both with our dosha or “type”—in other words, it’s not going to change.

Kapha is earth and water. When we feel into Kapha, we feel its heaviness, coolness and steadiness. Kapha is the mud, the structure, the part of you that builds and stays. It’s the bricks, the mortar, the thing that makes life feel safe and held.

People with more Kapha tend to be strong, grounded and resilient. Kaphas hold more substance - more muscle, more softness and more presence. And emotionally, there’s that beautiful watery quality of love, attachment, bonding and deep feeling. 🌊

They gather, they hold, and they stay.

Kapha’s ability to feel deeply, to trust their inner sense, to stay connected to what’s true… that’s their medicine.

🌙 If you’re loving learning about the doshas, you’ll love our free Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda mini-course where we’ll dive even deeper into feminine-form Ayurveda and understanding your unique nature. Comment WISDOM to access now.
Level 2 is for the healers in training. ⁠ ⁠ It Level 2 is for the healers in training. ⁠
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It’s for the women who feel called to walk the path of the healer. Not as a title or a credential, but as a deep, lived way of being.⁠
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Level 2 is an invitation into a lineage of those who have tended, listened and held others for thousands of years. The lay healers, the wise women, the ones who learned through devotion, intuition and deep relationship with life. 🪔⁠
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In Level 2, Ayurveda becomes something you live in your bones—a feminine, embodied way of healing, not just something you study.⁠
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Level 2 is a space to honor the archetype of the healer within you, deepening even further into what you tapped into in Level 1.⁠
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Becoming a healer isn’t about arriving. It’s about committing to the endless unfolding.⁠
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🪶 We begin April 21st—will you be there for our first Ayurveda Tuesday of 2026? Let us know if you’re coming. 👇🏼
On a spiritual and energetic level, getting rid of On a spiritual and energetic level, getting rid of the old heavy clutter in your life is super important.⁠
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Tantra actually says that the rhythmic quality of cleaning is very similar to the rhythmic quality of mantra, or the rhythmic quality of making love, or the rhythmic quality of a dance or yoga where you're just in this magical, physical space of repetition.⁠
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The upcoming new moon is a perfect opportunity to pour magic and intention into a task that would normally be done as a chore. ⁠
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Happy House Cleaning! 🧹✨⁠
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🕯️ Ready to learn how Tantra and Ayurveda can transform your life? Comment WISDOM for instant access to my free Women's Wisdom and Ayurveda course.

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