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Ep. 197 Aphrodite Will Steal Your Man: Sensuality, War and Shadow

This is a picture of Katie Silcox. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find your true spiritual home with Katie Silcox."

The goddess archetypes of Aphrodite and Athena, sensuality and warfare, are within us all. In today’s episode, Katie shares the light and shadow sides of these goddesses to help you liberate yourself from some of the most painful patterns in your life. Learn how to start healing your lineage from past relationship karma that can hold you back from fully loving and being loved.

This episode is a sneak peek inside our Divine Feminine Ayurveda School! Click here to learn more and enroll in our 2025 class starting on January 15, 2025!

Want to see the images of Aphrodite and Athena that Katie references in this episode? Check out the links below or watch the video version here on YouTube.

In this episode about Aphrodite, you’ll hear:

~ Study the goddesses with Katie in Ayurveda School

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

~ The multi-faceted roles of women throughout history

~ Women as the keepers of warfare

~ Freeing ourselves from shame

~ What is an archetype?

~ Archetypal forces influencing your life

~ Aphrodite and other female archetypes present in us all

~ The Vedic concept of Brahmacharya

~ Using your energy wisely

~ The ancient concepts of Graha and Jyotish

~ Honoring your sensuality and anger

~ Marilyn Monroe and the goddess Venus

~ Dolly Parton and the goddess Aphrodite

~ The parallels between Aphrodite and Lakshmi, Durga and Athena

~ Book a free call with one of our coaches to learn more about Ayurveda School!

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

~ Birth of Venus - Painting by Botticelli

~ Athena - Artwork by Anita Chaudhary

~ The work of Joseph Cambell

~ Barbara Walters interviewing Maralyn Monroe

~ Katie’s latest book: Glow-Worthy is available now!

Related episodes about the feminine archetypes:

~ Ep. 145 Goddess Work & Deep Spiritual Remembrances for Winter

~ Ep. 14 Feminine Archetypes of the Glorious Queen, Sacred Prostitute or Worthless Girl

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

  • Ayurveda Certification
  • The Shakti School Subscription

Help Us Spread Our Pod Wings!

I hope you found this episode about Aphrodite, Athena, and other goddess archetypes enlightening! 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 yours,

Katie

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Ep. 17 Owning Aphrodite – A Bootleg Broadcast

In this bootleg live broadcast from The Shakti School's OJAS training, Katie dives deep into feminine archetypal wisdom and a discussion about the goddess Aphrodite. We talk about all things love, self-care, Ayurveda and ojas!

Listen til the end for a juicy writing prompt. The podcast ends at a place where you can reflect on words that came up for you during the ending meditative practice. We'd love to hear what came up for you! How will you be owning Aphrodite in your life?

In this talk about Aphrodite, you'll hear:

~ Self love and oil massage

~ Less DOING, more BEING

~ Feminism

~ Women's power to choose

~ Inheritance and sexuality

~ Embodying the goddesses within and without

~ Aphrodite in the streets and in the temple

~ Questions from the live audience

~ Abandonment, unworthiness, neediness

~ Dating life + control + addictions

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

  • Shakti Ayurveda School
  • Spirit Sessions Membership Community

Help us Spread our Podcast Wings

Do you love learning about Aphrodite and feminine archetypes? 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 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. 16 Everyday Ecstasy Aphrodite & Why The World Needs More Priestesses

Mother Nature is so beautiful and she's the biggest flirt! Right now, she is radiating through the colorful fall colors of the trees. This everyday ecstasy we recognize in the changing seasons is also right within us. In this episode, Katie helps you rediscover everyday ecstasy and awaken your inner priestess!

Topics discussed in this episode:

~ Ecstacy

~ Tantra and Practices for Bliss

~ Our Nervous System and Overall Health

~ Mother Nature & The Priestess

~ Fall & Death

~ Supporting Your Life

~ Joy and Connection

~ Aphrodite / Athena / Lakshmi

~ Sexuality, Beauty and Delight

~ Acknowledging the Sacred Priestess

~ The Feminine and Masculine Interplay

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

  • Shakti Ayurveda School
  • Spirit Sessions Membership Community

Help us Spread our Podcast Wings

Do you love this episode about everyday ecstasy and the priestess? 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 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

You Are So Much More Than You Know

Two big questions that most human beings will ponder at some point in their lives: “Who am I?” and “How can I get more of what I want in my life?”

Some of us may even ask ask them on a daily basis.

One of the things I love about the Tantric yoga tradition is its systematic approach to answering both of these inquiries. The Taittiriya Upanishad, one of the most important yogic scriptures, says that if we really want to know who we are, and get more joy and fulfillment in life, we gotta get to know our subtle anatomy.

Why? Because we are, according to Tantric anatomy, not one, but a composite of five bodies (pancha koshas): the physical body, the energetic body, the mental/emotional body, the inner-teacher or wisdom body, and the bliss body. When we can bring awareness into the deep layers of each of these bodies, we gain access to our highest, most evolved, powerful Self.

Body Mapping

Each of these bodies comes with their own limitations, access points, and super-powers. The more we know about each one of them, and the more familiar we get in their unique flavors, the more we have a relationship to them. And when we can relate them as as layers of who we are, the more they begin to show us their hidden contents.

The teachings go on to explain that what is hidden in these bodies is both our unconscious negative patterning, as well as our greatest gifts and powers. When the patterns that are hidden in the bodies emerge, we are no longer under the pull of the unconscious stuff. We can now get more of what we truly want as we bring the limitations and the latent capacities of the unconscious to the surface. In the end, when we penetrate the last layer of who we are, we are left with an endless power to create, act, and know.

Access Points

The physical. Many activities invite us into the physical body. Asana, for example, is an excellent way to tune in. We can feel our bones and they way they stack on top of each when we come into a Plank Pose. What happens to the tops of your thighs when you do Warrior 1 for long enough? Perhaps a burning sensation or a “shaking with joy.” Dancing will also bring you into the physical. So will a big meal, strong pain, sex, or a sunburn.

The energetic. Commonly referred to as the prana body, this can be felt when we keep the physical body still. We experience prana, according to the teachings, as subtle moving sensations like vibration and pulse, or we see it when we close our eyes as color or light. We can also experience prana as the impulse that pulls breath into the body (without us trying at all), and the force that causes air to leave again. This is one of the reasons the yogis encouraged such a strong connection to the breath. Prana also rides along the many intelligent processes in the body: the heart beat, the circulation of blood, and the capacity of our sensory organs.

The mental/emotional. This is where many of us spend a lot of time. It’s the part of us that thinks, plans, decides, emotes, and reacts. Its also the part of us that over-thinks, obsessively plans, sits in indecision, represses emotion instead of channeling it, and overreacts. Meditation is a wonderful way to access this body in a balanced and helpful way. Simply sitting and watching your thoughts, opinions, and judgements with a sense of detachment can give you more access to witnessing (and being less identified by the pulls of) this body.

The inner teacher.  This is also often called the Wisdom Body. We can think of it as the highest aspect of our intuition and conscience. It’s the part of you that urges you out of bed to meditate or go for a run when you’d much rather lounge in the sheets checking Facebook. It’s the part of us that always knows the right path to take. Just like we would lift weights to make the physical body strong, we strengthen this body by sitting in silence, and sharpening our ability to hear the voice of our soul. When this body is strong, our daily actions become giant steps forward in the direction of our highest life purpose, our calling, our big destiny. We move from a place of knowingness instead of reaction.

The bliss. It’s pretty amazing that the subtlest aspect of who we are, at the core of all the other bodies, is referred to as an ocean of unending waves of bliss. Ironically, we access this body by actually dis-identifying with everything. To practice being in your bliss body, you can try the Tantric practice of neti neti, a word meaning “not this, not that.” In a meditative seat, notice what arises in your field of awareness. A thought about your job pops up and you say/acknowledge, “I’m not that.” You feel your low back ache a little, same thing: “I’m not that.” You feel your desire for more intimate love, “I’m not that.” A hunger pang arises, “I’m not this.” You sense light in front of your forehead, “I’m not that.” You may even feel, for a split second, the bliss. And in that moment, remember,  “I’m not even that.” The more you keep surrendering into non-identification, the more, the teachings promise, the bliss can flow.

~Katie

This article was originally published on the Yoga Journal Blog on June 25, 2012.

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TheShaktiSchool

Hey goddess - we are opening our doors once again Hey goddess - we are opening our doors once again to invite you on a transformative journey towards holistic well-being with our year-long, immersive Ayurvedic Wellness Coach certification training.⁠
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This isn’t your average Ayurveda training program. At The Shakti School, everything we do is geared towards learning ancient wisdom so that we can support our experience as modern women. 💅🏽 That means we make room for cutting edge science and contemporary takes, all while revering the time-tested ancient Ayurvedic philosophy. ⁠
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Above all, our feminine-form approach is about providing you with a thorough, extensive Ayurvedic education–and then writing you a big permission slip to listen to your OWN inner authority.⁠
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Whether you’ve been in the wellness game for years or you can’t even pronounce “Ayurveda” yet (no shame, we got you), this school is designed to meet you where you are, and then take you way deeper. ⁠
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Shakti Ayurveda School is a full-body, soul-led initiation into the healer within. 🔥🌹⁠
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Hop on the phone with one of our Shakti Coaches to learn more about enrolling for 2026–click the link in bio to book a complimentary call with TaKisha, Laurie, Dominique, Natalie, Jackie, Nikki or Eva. 🤳🏽⁠
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P.S. We're giving all the books you need for class ($200 value) to the first ten women who sign up for 2026 Shakti Ayurveda School! 📚 There are only THREE spots left to get this special love-gift. You'll get all of your books, including copies of each of my books signed by yours truly, straight to your doorstep when you register. 🌺
Mama nature usually gives us clear indications of Mama nature usually gives us clear indications of her changes if we open our eyes to her subtlety. The more we can align with these rhythms, the easier it is to maintain body/mind health. Just as seasonal shifts transform the weather where we live, they also shake up the internal landscape within our bodies. ⁠
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In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to start gently incorporating pitta-balancing elements into our food and lifestyle. Depending on where you live, it’s generally a good time to lean into pitta-balancing practices when you start to notice…⁠
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~ Warmer temperatures⁠
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~ Longer daylight hours⁠
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~ A shift from the lush, wet heaviness of spring to a drier, sharper heat⁠
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~ Increased internal heat (like irritability, skin flare-ups or digestive intensity)⁠
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Most simply put, once you start feeling more heat and dryness in your body than you do watery heaviness, it’s a green light to start introducing some pitta-balancing practices into your routine. Swipe for some tips for navigating the spring > summer transition with watery ease. 🌊
A few things you should definitely know about our A few things you should definitely know about our Ayurvedic Wellness Coach certification program (that we lovingly call “Ayurveda School” for short): 

1) It’s not just for women who want to become coaches. It’s also a vehicle for personal healing and spiritual learning (Cynthia is proof - take it from her!). 

2) One of the most potent ways to get from where you are now to where you wanna’ be in the future is the power of proximity - and Ayurveda School is the place for that. This program is THE place to find genuine relationships with other women on the soul-spelunking journey or boss-babes running full-time wellness businesses. Guaranteed, you’ll meet someone who is doing what YOU want to be doing in the future if you seek those connections out. 💞

3) Ayurveda School isn’t an online course. It’s a living, breathing, connected community of women. It’s a feminine-form school where you’ll meet LIVE, face-to-face with luminary teachers and other inspired ladies like yourself every week, where you’ll make friends and biz connections that will last a lifetime. 

For my gals that already know you want to join us for our upcoming 2026 class - now is the time to register with the maximum savings (earlybird pricing = $500 off) plus a special love-gift, all the books you needed for class, on us ($200 value)! 

Only four more of these bonus spots remain! Register now and get all of your books, signed by yours truly, straight to your doorstep. 📚🪄 

🦋Thank you @cynthia_amaro__ for always sharing from the heart and reflecting the true essence of The Shakti School out into the world.

Check out Cynthia’s latest work (including learning how to dress for your dosha!) over at @pranaflowlab - she is one of our incredible Shakti graduates doing big things!
Your inner child is like… wait, you’re being N Your inner child is like… wait, you’re being NICE to me now?? 😅⁠
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Here’s the thing. If you don’t know where to start with giving your inner self a little more love, just start with presence.⁠
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Presence is relationship gold. The ability to be present makes you a better friend, parent, lover and co-worker. It is also the channel through which we can achieve deeper levels of relationship (and yes, that includes our relationship with ourselves). As we are more present with ourselves, it becomes natural to be more present with others. And we all know how good it feels to be with someone who is deeply present with us.⁠
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Try applying this practice to your little inner self today. 🫀
Women's sacred healing wisdom has often lived behi Women's sacred healing wisdom has often lived behind closed doors throughout our collective global history. At The Shakti School, we’re reclaiming that lineage and offering a space for women to feel and heal in ways that honor our intrinsic Knowing. ⁠
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A feminine-form approach to health isn’t about finding and fixing what’s “wrong” with you–it’s about getting back in touch with the fact that you’re already whole, and then approaching your holistic well-being from that place.⁠
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If you’re ready to start reclaiming your inner wisdom, sign up for our free mini course. You’ll learn the foundations of feminine-form Ayurveda and even start experiencing it in your body–comment “WISDOM” to access this 3+ hour video series with Katie now. 🔥🌹

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