The Shakti School

Feminine Form Sacred Technology

ayurveda

Ep. 100 Why Love and Light Are Still Alright With Me

It’s cool to dismiss “love & light” these days as “toxic” - But what does that really mean? And is there still a place for authentic love & light in our public discourse? How do we build the fortitude to withstand our own individual and collective karma? It might be simpler than you think.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~Toxic positivity

~Authentic expression

~The misunderstanding with love

~Why we can’t weaponize love & light

~Love as a tool kit for deep presence

~Spiritual bypassing

~How we use non-verbal communication

~The polarization of trauma

~How we build the healing vortex in our daily lives

Resources:

~ Maya Angelou: Righteousness and Love: https://whatittakes.simplecast.com/episodes/f6a7725d-f6a7725d

~ Chloe Valdary, Great Learning Resource on Why Love Is Still The Way for True Change:

https://www.theoryofenchantment.com/

~ Kathy Kain, Somatic Practice: https://somaticpractice.net

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Sponsored: This episode is brought to you by Ahara Ghee. Visit them online at iloveghee.com. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

The Shakti School Subscription

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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:

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  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

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From my heart to your screen,

Katie

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Ep. 99 The Most Radiant: Deep Rest with Tracee Stanley

Tracee is not only a dear friend, but also an important emerging spiritual teacher in the realm of feminine-form Tantra. She's the Founder of Empowered Life Circle and shares teachings that are sourced from more than 20 years of study in the tradition of the Himalayan Masters and Sri Vidya Tantra. Tracee teaches an embodied and feminine form of Yoga Nidra and has a new book called 'Radiant Rest' available on March 9th. She’s a guest teacher in our Level 2 Ayurveda certification.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~ Yoga Nidra as a state of consciousness

~ Finding your true nature with Yoga Nidra

~ Embodied vs Disembodied practice

~ A practice of dissolution and Pratyahara

~ Embodying all of our levels of being

~ Digesting our lives with rest

~ The Roots of Yoga Nidra as a GODDESS energy within us

~ Find Tracee online at traceeyoga.com

Tracee’s gift to all of our listeners 

30% discount off Tracee's book "Radiant Rest" which is now on pre-order from the publisher's site with the code RR30 until 3/31/31 at https://www.shambhala.com/radiant-rest.html

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Sponsored: This episode is brought to you by Ahara Ghee. Visit them online at iloveghee.com. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Book a call with Amaury about Ayurveda School

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

LOVEFIT: The Shakti School Subscription

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

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The Power of Healthy Digestion

The Power of Healthy Digestion

A simple approach to feel and look amazing

Have you ever had those days where you wake up feeling amazing? There is a lightness in your step, your hair seems to look especially good, and your skin is glowing? And, then the very next day you have the opposite experience? You wake up feeling sluggish, a little puffy, and your hair is oddly oily or too dry, and things seem to upset you easily? Most likely the glorious day you had before also started off with the perfect poop. Yeah, that’s right, I said it. Poop.

Of course there can always be many other contributing factors at play here, but oftentimes it is our digestion that determines how we feel, how we look, and how we see our inner and outside world.

In Ayurveda, digestion is all about agni. When your digestion is strong your agni is strong. And, when agni is strong, you can easily tap into that glorious flow state. A flow state is when you are in the zone. It’s when your mental clarity is at its peak, you feel vibrant, full of life, and your shakti is lit up. When your digestive system is weakened it becomes much more difficult to follow through with daily tasks and your energy is usually pretty tanked. In Ayurveda, this is associated with an excess of ama. Ama is anything toxic that accumulates in the body. You can think of it as the sludge that slows down digestion. It is only when we are free from ama that we are able to digest our food properly and therefore we can more easily digest our life.

So, how do you clear ama and get the perfect poop? First it is helpful to determine what imbalances may be present within your actual stool. We love what John Doulliard published over at the Life Spa on The Perfect Poop. I highly suggest looking at the chart he created in order to do your own stool analysis. This will help give you a better idea of how to move forward with your dietary choices based off of your individual dosha.

It is important that you are properly assimilating the foods you eat. Your morning movement (the one you do in the bathroom) shouldn’t be too loose, difficult to pass, and it should be free of all food particles. If you fall into either of these categories, you most certainly will want to focus on optimizing your digestion. It’s also possible that your morning movement could look totally normal, but your energy is still lagging behind. In these cases I would still suggest trying out some of the habits and tips mentioned below for increasing your digestive fire.

Food should make you feel sexy

When your gut is off - your brain is off, and most likely, you won’t feel quite yourself. Ever heard of the term gut feeling? The gut and the brain are in constant communication. There’s tons of research to support that having a healthier gut leads to an increase in mood, clearer thinking, and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. (The Psychobiotic-Revolution: Science Gut Brain Connection)

So, how can you amplify your digestion today? 

  • Sip on warm water or herbal tea throughout the day 
  • Add spices like cumin, fennel, and coriander to your meals
  • Chew on ginger before/after meals
  • Consider taking Triphala at bedtime
  • Consider seasonal cleanses
  • Move your body
  • Abyhanagha 
  • Manage Stress

And...

  • Address food sensitivities 
  • Avoid cold beverages
  • Avoid negative emotions or excessive thinking
  • Avoid eating in excess or emotional eating 
  • Avoid cheese or other heavy dairy products
  • Avoid drinking too much (especially caffeine & alcohol)

The healing tradition of Ayurveda is very tuned into this concept of healthy digestion. So much of our well being (if not all) depends upon how easily we can digest the things around us. If there is a threat to our physical, emotional, or spiritual environment the state of our digestion will surely be affected. But, through careful attention and possibly a few lifestyle changes, we can improve the state of our digestion and the state of our being. When things are moving more freely through us we will always be able to move freely through our lives.

Shop our Favorite Digestive Aids

Banyan Detox Digest

Banyan Triphala

Banyan Cleanse Bundle

For Banyan Botanicals use code KATIES15 for 15% off at checkout

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Ep. 98 The essence of SOMA with Indu Arora

Indu Arora teaches in Level 1 and 2 of our Ayurveda Certification. Indu has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda since 1999. She is inspired by and taught under Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga, Kashmir Shivaism and Sivananda Yoga lineages. Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner Guru. Her core philosophy is, ‘Nothing has the greatest power to heal, but Self!” She’s authored several books including YOGA: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision, and her recent e-book SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~ What is Soma?

~ The teachings of the Motherly

~ The energy of the Moon

~ How to merge the Traditional + Modern

~ Beauty standards

~ Self acceptance and discipline in the self-care space

~ The work of extraction

~ Ignorance as bondage + inner insight

~ What Self-Care is and is not in Ayurveda

Find Indu Online:

~ SOMA - eBook on Amazon

Indu’s Upcoming Self-Care Series:

~ Energize: https://yogsadhna.com/upcoming/details/self-care_series_-_energize

~ Beautify: https://www.yogsadhna.com/upcoming/details/self-care_series_-_beautify

~ Restore: https://www.yogsadhna.com/upcoming/details/self-care_series_-_restore

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Sponsored: This episode is brought to you by Ahara Ghee. Visit them online at iloveghee.com. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Book a call with Amaury about Ayurveda School

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

LOVEFIT: The Shakti School Subscription

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

The Brain, Gut, and Heart

The Brain, Gut, and Heart

Our Gateways into Resetting for the New Year

Every year around all parts of the globe there are celebrations of a new year. In America, it falls on the first of January with the common expectation to set some sort of a resolution for the new calendar year ahead. As I’ve mentioned in my monthly Shakti Letter every January, I don’t really love the idea of New Year’s resolutions. Instead of setting resolutions, I like to think about setting goals that will support any idea of a resolution. For example, if you don’t want to binge eat ice cream every night, rather than restricting ice cream all together, why not integrate a mindfulness practice to cultivate more presence with your behavioral patterns?

Do you know what you are?
You are a manuscript oƒ a divine letter.
You are a mirror reflecting a noble face.
This universe is not outside of you.
Look inside yourself;
everything that you want,
you are already that.
Rumi

You are your biggest resource when it comes to getting more of what you want. The key is being connected to your higher self, the part of you that intuitively knows what is best for you and your success. One of the best ways to reconnect to your higher self, is to do a full body reset. The reset is intended to stoke your internal fire (your metabolic processes) and the fire of your soul. These tips and practices will activate your spirit while also allowing the body to find more space for restfulness, ease, and clarity. This kind of reset can be done at any time of the year (and multiple times throughout the year).

Reset Your Gut 

This will look differently for each person, but a very simple way to reset the gut and break bad habits around food, is to commit to eating real and whole foods. Ditch the sugar all together and focus on foods that are as closest to their natural form as possible. Cook your own food and eat in a way that works for you. Try for Ayurveda-focused eating: eat with the season, eat for what’s going on in your life, and eat for your body type (not your best friend’s body type, your sister’s or your husbands).

In general, aim to boost Agni (digestive fire). Add digestive spices to all your dishes (fennel, coriander, cumin, and ginger). Eat light. Eating light does not mean fasting. It’s fully possible to eat grounding and nourishing foods while also eating light. Give your digestion a break. Create longer gaps between meals. Consider eating your largest meal earlier in the day and go lighter in the evening (simple soup or broth).

Carrot and Soup

Take Triphala (use code KATIES15 for 15% off). Triphala is the sacred trio in Ayurveda composed of the dried fruits amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki, and can be super helpful in getting your digestion in check and the whole body operating more functionally.

Move your body in the morning. Dry brushing, stretching, and oil massage will help to get the lymph circulating and the internal organs stimulated which will help with digestion and energy production.

Reset Your Brain

One of my favorite teachers, Tara Brach, said,

 “In moments of presence is when we reconnect with goodness” 

Goodness is a positive brain state. It’s when we can be in a flow state, when we are productive, and most energetically alive. How can you best find your connection to goodness? You may already know what activities bring you into your own innate goodness (and if you do, do more of those). But, for most people, these are some practices that are bound to help.

Reset Your Brain

Explore meditation. Even just five minutes a day can drastically improve the quality of your day. In life we are in a continuous flow of remembering and forgetting (our higher self). When we take time to slow down we often come back to remembering.

Immerse yourself in nature. Take a long walk, go to a park, or find a mountain and get to the top!

Try a week-long digital detox. This is such a great way to get more centered in your True Self. Unfortunately, as a society we’ve become far too addicted to devices and distraction. It’s essential that you find your own healthy limit with how much energy you invest in mindless scrolling. Exercise for you. Again, stick to what works for you. What makes you feel the most alive and full of energy afterwards when it comes to movement practices? Maybe it’s daily stretching, taking a walk, or maybe you have a lot of Kapha energy and need a morning run. Whatever it is, do some sort of movement that elevates your energy.

Reset Your Heart

Matters of the heart can be difficult to heal. And more often than not it takes a lot of time. By resetting the gut and the brain first, you will have better luck when it comes to healing the heart. If you are experiencing any trauma related emotions, it is best to work with a professional in somatic experience who can help you navigate that space.

Manage your stress levels. This is something you can start doing now. Stress plays a huge role in emotional well being (which also leads to a lot of physiological effects as well). When we are stressed, we are disconnected. Become more familiar with the ways you disconnect so that you can best prepare yourself for when it comes up.

Take time for prayer. Praying doesn’t have to be a religious act. Prayer can be mantra reciting, it can be through repetition of a positive affirmation, or it can look totally different.

Keep a journal and write in it. Getting your thoughts on paper will help you to sort through your emotional hang ups or will simply help to process the day. It is in journaling when I gain some of my best inspiration.

Manage your time + make the time to unwind and relax. In our go, go, go society there can often be pressure associated with non-stop doing. Push against this societal norm and make space for doing nothing. It is in that space where you will be able to find stillness, your body can decompress, and your heart will have the time to heal and make peace. Check out this Inner Bliss Meditation to start finding ease and more aliveness in the heart.

Reset Your Heart

And, Sleep! 

High quality sleep is vital for optimal brain function, heart health, mood, hormones, and the list can go on and on. It’s crucial for resetting your whole nervous system into a state of balance and resiliency. And it’s not just about the amount of sleeping hours you get in a night, but the quality of your sleep too. The largest sleep study ever conducted (on 1.1 million people) showed that it’s quality, not quantity, that matters most. (1) And, at least half of all Americans say they suffer from insomnia, and nearly 9 million are using prescription sleep medication. (2)

To jumpstart your sleep, start by limiting the use of blue light at night. These are my favorite Blue Light Blockers. Turn off the screens three hours before bedtime.

Up your healthy fats. Make sure you are getting enough healthy sources of fat throughout the day: avocado, olive oil, ghee, and fish oils are all great sources.

Ditch the caffeine and alcohol + add in the magnesium. I know this can be hard, but higher amounts of coffee and alcohol really disrupt the quality of sleep. Try it out for a month and see how you feel. Replace your evening nightcap with a warm Ojas Nightly Tonic from Lifespa.

Finding ways to reset your system will be super helpful year round (sometimes even mini resets throughout each day). We are learning to lean into these times of uncertainty and uncertainty can be a really difficult realm to navigate. The key is to be present. When we are present in each moment it’s easier to make decisions in our day to day life. As human beings it is our habit and condition to want life to be different when life isn’t easy. The truth is life will always be uncertain, so it’s all about how you set yourself up for success and respond to it.

By finding ways to focus and connect to presence, love, and your inner spirit you will be guided with much more awareness and acceptance of what’s to come.

 

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010336/

https://aasm.org/cdc-analysis-finds-low-rate-of-prescription...

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db127.pdf

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Ep. 96 Becoming Receivers: A Taste of Shakti School

After the season of giving, can we talk about receiving? In this episode Katie talks about The Art of Receiving, nurturing your inner healer, getting out of the trauma vortex and learning how to receive with grace. This audio is from a recent Shakti School webinar and offers an immersive experience with practices.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~ We are here to experience something: a shift in yourself to become more awakened to your divine self.

~ Laya Yoga: learning to dissolve old patterns, to embody a fuller version of who we are

~ Feminine form spirituality: when we don’t take time for this, our system stays in survival mode and we are unable to receive it

~ Using your body to retrain your lineage patterns

~ The path of the least selfish

~ Finding safely outside of the current/popular power structures

~ Codependency : the way we used to get love

~ What is your relationship with the matrix? Who is giving to you? The divine dwells within the heart.

~ Intimacy with divinity will be the ultimate giver.

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Sponsored: This episode is brought to you by Ahara Ghee. Visit them online at iloveghee.com. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Book a call with Amaury about Ayurveda School

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

LOVEFIT: The Shakti School Subscription

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

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Ep. 95 Pleasure Pathways + Erotic Embodiment with Chris Muse

In this episode I talk with Somatic Sex Educator and Shakti School teacher Chris Muse. Chris is devoted to helping people quiet their voices of doubt and get comfortable taking the leap into knowing and trusting themselves more fully. Join us in this juicy conversation about pleasure, its connection to the nervous system and how to achieve erotic embodiment.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~ The importance of knowing our anatomy as a way to navigate arousal

~ Cultural conditioning and how it relates the nervous system + pleasure

~ “Junk food pleasure” versus “nutrient dense pleasure” as it relates to the nervous system

~ How technology and social media is affecting our pleasure pathways

~ The necessity of safety for erotic embodiment

~ Slowing down as a way to maximize pleasure

~ How to cultivate what is already well within us

Find Chris online at:

~ https://www.chris-muse.com/

~ https://www.theverdantcollective.com/

~ https://www.instituteforeroticintelligence.com/

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Sponsored: This episode is brought to you by Ahara Ghee. Visit them online at iloveghee.com. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Book a call with Amaury about Ayurveda School

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

LOVEFIT: The Shakti School Subscription

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

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Ep. 94 2021 Vedic Astrology Insights with Dr. Katy Jane

Join Dr. Katy Jane and Amaury for this year’s eagle eye vision from the stars. Dr. Katy Jane is a Sanskrit and Vedic Scholar, and a trained Jyotishi (Vedic Astrologer). Her guiding vision is rooted in the ancient Veda—a system of transformational wisdom—that’s at the heart of enlightened living. Its aim is to advance the human soul toward greater happiness and fulfillment and is available to everyone regardless of culture, religion, or individual beliefs.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~The legacy of the 2020 eclipses

~Spiritual cleansing of the unconscious and ancestral karma

~The joining of Jupiter & Saturn in Capricorn

~Pluto: the generational planet moves

~Energy for the beginning and end of the year

~A 20-year intention with Jupiter in Aquarius

~Find Katy online at https://www.drkatyjane.com/

~And on Instagram: @drkatyjane

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

Book a call with Amaury about Ayurveda School

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

LOVEFIT: The Shakti School Subscription

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