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cravings

Curb Unhealthy Cravings

When I feel the chill of winter near, I start to dream of warm, foamy chocolate; hot toddies; and long, luscious sleep. And this is a good thing. Naturally, the fall and early winter season season beg for more heaviness and warmth in both the foods we eat and in our lifestyle routines. The downside of this season is that it is also a time for overindulgence and strong cravings, especially when we couple the cold weather with the stressors of the holiday rush.

One of my favorite Ayurvedic authors, Dr. Robert Svoboda, says, “If Ayurveda were a religion, Nature would be her god, and overindulgence would be her only sin.” And I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of “sinning.” But the good news is that in the world of Ayurveda, there is no need for guilt and atonement when it comes to working with overindulgence and taming our cravings. In fact, it requires a heavy dose of self-awareness and self-compassion. All of us, to a certain extent, use substances (particularly food) to effect our mood and mind. And according to Ayurveda, when we lack self-awareness, we will actually choose the very foods that will bring us into deeper states of imbalance. Oh my!

So, those of us with more vata will crave energy-boosting sweet tastes for that instant energetic high—and a subsequent energy crash. Similarly, fiery pitta types will typically crave meat and spicy foods that create more heat and intensity in the short-run, but can lead to more internal inflammation over time. Kapha types will lean toward heavy fried foods or sweets—comfort food—that lead to more lethargy and dullness.

So how can we turn our body’s cravings into body wisdom? The first step is awareness. Start to notice the foods that you crave when you feel awesome and balanced. When you feel good, you will probably be choosing foods that make you feel even better! Then, notice the foods you choose when you are sad, angry, exhausted, or just plain stressed out. These are usually the foods that will be more harmful for your constitution. Easy peasy. The foods you crave when  you feel great are the ones that fuel you in a good way. The ones you crave when you feel bad, they’re the harmful ones.

There is a really powerful moment in time when we can move from an old pattern (overindulgence with food, shopping, media, sex—anything!) to a new pattern. Once you have connected with self-awareness, notice what you are craving. Take the time to check in and ask yourself, “What do I really need? Would moving in a different direction than my habitual pattern actually allow me to feel better tomorrow?” When we can shift the pattern, we release ourselves from the pains of addiction, and we free up energy to move toward our life goals and our spiritual journey.

How? Well, you can start small. Give a little of the poison. If your body/mind is used to getting a few glasses of wine or a big bowl of ice cream each night, simply taking it away from yourself can be like ripping a bottle out of a baby’s mouth! Try reducing the amount of what you deem to be an addictive or unhealthy substance by one-third each week.

You can also replace the substance with something else. For example, instead of too much alcohol, try a hot ginger-spiced milk and a long, essential-oil infused bath. Your body/mind may not even notice the ol’ swaperoo! Be compassionate with yourself. No one, especially not you, is served through harsh self-judgement. Sometimes we all indulge our unhealthy cravings. If we can indulge with awareness and moderation, the effects are usually quite benign.

So, practice self-compassion when you overindulge in dark chocolate, Facebook, or pizza. Put your hand on your own heart and say silently or aloud, “Oh, look, my darling, you just overindulged in (fill-in-the-blank). You must be really tired (sad, angry, lonely, etc.).”

I have found that the more I connect to this process, the less I actually use substances to shift my moods and energy levels. I also experience tiny miracles popping up all throughout my daily life as self-awareness turns into self-compassion. And who doesn’t need a big ol’ oversized helping of that?

~Katie

This article was originally published on the Yoga Journal blog on November 7, 2013.

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Vatas and ‘feminine-form-style-work’ goddesses Vatas and ‘feminine-form-style-work’ goddesses, welcome to the club 💃🏻
The latest episode of Spirit Sessions podcast, The The latest episode of Spirit Sessions podcast, The Deepest Meaning of Ayurveda with Sandhiya Ramaswamy, is here!⁣⁣
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According to Katie, this is her favorite episode ever! ⁣⁣
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This week, Katie chats with Ayurvedic Practitioner and beloved Shakti Ayurveda School teacher, Sandhiya Ramaswamy. Their conversation goes way beyond the typical nutrition and lifestyle tips into deeper spiritual concepts of Ayurveda and Tantra such as Sadhana and Swastha.⁣⁣
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Did you know the way you eat your food is the way you make love? ⁣⁣
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Join Sandhiya and Katie for a love-filled conversation about duality, ego, joy, ancestral medicine and how to stay mindful and present in a world of social media and breaking news.⁣⁣
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In this episode you’ll hear:⁣⁣
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~ How Sandhiya went from stressed-out corporate life to Ayurvedic healer⁣⁣
~ Sandhiya’s #1 Ayurvedic lifestyle tip⁣⁣
~ What does reclaiming our root healing traditions look like?⁣⁣
~ Why food is the primary medicine in Ayurveda⁣⁣
~ What are Sadhana and Swastha?⁣⁣
~ How to be established and centered in your divine self⁣⁣
~ Why Ayurveda is community healing⁣⁣
~ How to banish Ayurveda guilt⁣⁣
~ Level 1 Ayurveda School is open for registration! Join now and begin a deep soul-journey in January with incredible teachers like Katie and Sandhiya.⁣⁣ @sandhiyaramaswamy 
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Listen to the full episode by clicking the link in bio or by going to https://theshaktischool.com/podcast/ 🎤❤️🌹
Ready to learn the basics of Divine Feminine Ayurv Ready to learn the basics of Divine Feminine Ayurveda?⁣
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Sign up for our free mini-course with The Shakti School Founder Katie Silcox.⁣
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In this 2 part video series (over 3 hours of content plus a downloadable workbook) you’ll learn the basics of Divine Feminine Ayurveda including:⁣
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~ Understanding the oral tradition of feminine-form wisdom⁣
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~ The importance of learning the energetic language of sanskrit⁣
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~ The roots of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic worldview⁣
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~ Maps of Reality vs. Actual Reality⁣
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~ Emotional Processing⁣
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~ Understanding the Ego⁣
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~ How to work with Divine Feminine energy practices⁣
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~ How to tap into your heart’s deepest longings and form a Sankalpa⁣
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~ Finding your own inner healer⁣
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~ The elements of the Healing Climate⁣
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…and so much more.⁣
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You will also get to try out our Divine Feminine energy practices, all in this totally free mini-course that’s instantly available when you sign up!⁣
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Click the link in bio to get access ❤️
Omg LOOK at these Golden Milk Cheesecake Bars by @ Omg LOOK at these Golden Milk Cheesecake Bars by @rootedinraw! ⁣⁣
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How lucky are we to have Kaitlyn teaching at The Shakti School 😍⁣⁣
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Kaitlyn is a Raw Food Chef and owner of Rooted in Raw, a company that offers Plant Based Chef services both locally and worldwide. She’s also a 500 Hour Yoga Teacher and Certified Nutrition Consultant based out of Encinitas, California. ⁣⁣
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In addition to teaching in our Level 1 Ayurveda School program (she taught an amazing bonus class to our students with this recipe a few weeks ago!), Kaitlyn owns and runs a weekly meal delivery service, offers a 3 day raw food cleanse program, cooks for retreats and events, and has two online programs!⁣⁣
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Shakti Students, have you made her Golden Milk Cheesecake Bar recipe yet!? ⬇️⁣
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If you’re curious about joining our next class that starts January 2024, you call book a call with one of our coaches via our website or the link in bio to learn more!
The Energy of Meditation Free Webinar ✨ ⁣ ⁣ The Energy of Meditation Free Webinar ✨ ⁣
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Join us on Thursday, Nov 30th at 11am US ET for a free webinar with The Shakti School founder, Katie Silcox! ⁣
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We will dive into the art of cultivating a meaningful and sustainable spiritual practice, deepening your connection to self, and integrating sacred rituals into your daily life.⁣
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Come and join this community of women all over the world stepping into the magic of a spiritual life!⁣
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Register at the link in bio 🌙

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