Have you ever found yourself in a yoga class where your movements begin to flow effortlessly, as if guided by an unseen rhythm? Or perhaps you notice yourself transitioning seamlessly into the next posture before the teacher has even cued the change. It may be that you arrive at class weighed down by a problem, only to find it has nearly vanished by the end of the first sequence or set of poses. What you may not realise is that these experiences are not mere coincidences—they are signs that your asana practice is fulfilling one of its deepest purposes: awakening your innate, felt sense of Shakti. Here lies a powerful truth: true yogic transformation relies on your ability to discover, embody, and nurture this subtle inner force. When you kindle Shakti through your practice, its vitality can overflow, infusing and enlivening every aspect of your life.

Shakti, the divine cosmic energy that pervades all existence, is also the wellspring of our personal empowerment. Across Yoga and Ayurvedic traditions, sages have extolled the cultivation of this sacred force, recognising its vital role in attaining well-being and spiritual liberation. Mythologically, Shakti is often depicted as feminine, most commonly as Devi, the goddess, the radiant feminine consort of the masculine Lord Shiva. Yet, at its deepest essence, Shakti transcends all gender. In the metaphysical view of Indian spirituality—and similarly in Taoism, where she is known as ‘chi’ or ‘qi’—Shakti is the fundamental creative force from which universes arise. She is revered as the source of both matter and physical energy, as well as the origin of all that exists. Her eternal dance is the very pulse of the cosmos.

Modern perspectives also conflate Shakti solely with feminine or sexual energy, but her true nature is universal, accessible to all regardless of gender. Both men and women who cultivate Shakti may notice qualities such as inner vitality, flow, and heightened awareness manifesting in body and mind; one sign of her awakening is a greater sense of energetic movement through the chakras, including the root and sexual centres Muladhara and Svadisthana. However, Shakti also arises as deep quietude, bestowing the ability to witness within. She can awaken through practices like pranayama, mantra chanting, yoga asana, devotional awareness, meditation, through contact with someone whose Shakti is already awake, or even spontaneously, as a natural part of inner development.

The unfolding of Shakti follows its own rhythm, akin to the way a child matures with time, nourishment, and environment. Similarly, spiritual evolution relies on subtle nourishment: awareness, contemplation, meditation, self-inquiry, a supportive community, and a willingness to engage in inner work. Just as physical muscles need exercise, the spiritual process requires intentional effort, cultivating the presence, strength, and insight that allow us to embody higher states of consciousness.

While the Yogic, Ayurvedic, and Tantric traditions overflow with wisdom regarding Shakti’s cultivation, many seekers find the promise of transformation elusive. The heart of this journey, however, is simple: it lies in establishing a genuine, felt connection with the sacred energy residing in our bodies and breath, both each day and, ultimately, in every moment. This intimate union with prana, the animating force, is the very foundation of spiritual growth and awakening.

Above all, pranayama stands as the most essential daily practice. This conscious engagement with breath is not merely a technique, but a doorway: it teaches us to guide, expand, and harmonise our own life force. In doing so, we access a power both subtle and immense, bestowing upon us the ability to heal, to focus the mind with clarity, and to balance the energies that sustain body and spirit. As this skill matures, your presence itself becomes medicine, transmitting Shakti’s healing through a touch, a glance, or a word, in what is known as Shaktipat, and it’s possible within you.

Embarking on the path to cultivate Shakti and awaken Kundalini is to embrace a sacred, transformative journey. When approached with (bhakti) heartfelt devotion, discipline, and true surrender, this spiritual process can lead to sagacious shifts in perception, ultimately dissolving the boundaries between self and universal consciousness. Through this deep yielding to the divine current within, the wisdom and transformative energy of Shakti become our guide, leading us ever closer to self-realisation and inner freedom. 

How’s everyone doing? I’d love to hear how you’ve been feeling—physically and mentally. Perhaps you’ve noticed a bit of a shift in your mood or energy over the past couple of weeks or just felt slightly out of sorts.

While recent weather events on the East Coast may play a significant role, the Seasonal Transition could be a major contributing factor as well.

Ayurveda pays heed to the transitory time between seasons, ‘Ritu Sandi’, the point where two seasons meet. The week before a new season arrives, coupled with the first week of that season, are seen as critical times for overall health and wellness.

Research has demonstrated that as seasons change, there is a higher chance of dosha imbalances, which can negatively impact both mental and physical health. Additionally, shifts in the amount of daylight can affect immune system functions, which are related to seasonal illnesses and overall mortality rates. These daily light and dark cycles also play a role in regulating immune responses.

While the sun is a major influence on seasonal variation, Ayurveda attributes the primary cause of imbalances during these times to an excess of vata (air). In summer, the sun heats the oceans, causing evaporation. This process results in cooler water surfacing and generates winds, currents, and precipitation worldwide. 

Although the sun’s position changes the seasons, it's the resulting weather patterns that primarily lead to an increase of vata - much like what we are seeing unfold on the East Coast.

In the summer heat, the natural tendency is to accumulate the warm, intense quailities of Pitta in the body. This external warmth influences our choices, guiding us toward cooler foods and environments, which help us maintain balance during the sweltering months. However, as the season shifts to Autumn, this cooling effect combined with the dryness increasingly found in our surroundings can lead to an internal accumulation of Vata dosha.

Just as the external landscape begins to change, our internal state mirrors this transformation. The symptoms of excess Vata—such as dry skin, colds, constipation, anxiety, insomnia, arthritic pain, and trouble concentrating—serve as reflections of the environment around us. These challenges become especially pronounced at the onset of Autumn (right now), a time inherently linked to Vata's influence. Ultimately, the fluctuations in our external world deeply resonate within us, underscoring the interconnectedness of nature and our internal wellness.

From a Vedic viewpoint, moments of transition, or sandhis, offer us chances to enhance our awareness and connect more deeply with our nervous systems. On a subtle level, these transitions correspond to changes within our consciousness tied to the seasons. We also experience these shifts during significant life stages, such as moving from adolescence to adulthood, during menstruation and pregnancy, as we enter our later years around 60, and during various other phases in life. Ayurveda honours these transitions as they present valuable opportunities for personal growth, evolution, and a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us.

This period of change serves as the perfect time to realign with nature's circadian rhythms, allowing us to reset the intricate biological clock present in every cell. So, what can you do to help navigate this seasonal transition with ease?

As a General Guide the following can help immensely:

• Slow down & Surrender

• Eat sattvic foods to facilitate cleansing - avoid processed meat, aged cheeses and fried foods

• Eat more easily digestible foods such as soup, kitchari, steamed veg, stewed fruit and moong dal

• Drink more hot water throughout the day to aid cleansing

• Take an Ayurvedic digestive aid such as CCF tea, or triphala at night for the week to ensure a complete cleansing every morning.

• Abhyanga (Self-massage each day with warm oil)

• Dim the lights or use candles at night

• Reduce time spent in front of screens 

• Go to bed and wake up around the same time each day ( in bed before 10:00pm )

• Drink a warm beverage before retiring to bed.

• Move your body, but do it gently 

*Important to note that the above is a general guide and does not take into account your prakriti/vikriti ( constitution/current presentation ). Consume and use the foods, oils, and herbs that are best suited to you.

For example: Two people with a Pitta Prakriti, and both presenting with Vata & Pitta aggravation can look completely different to one another. Whilst one may be experiencing more of the dry and erratic qualities (dry skin, constipation, inability to concentrate), the other may have an excess of the hot and watery qualities of Pitta, which could bring about slightly oily skin & hair, loose bowel motions and irritability.

In this case, the above advice still stands. However, the foods, herbs and oils would differ for each person. For example: 

Person A: Yellow Split Mung, Basmati Rice, Lemon, Fresh Ginger, Ghee or Sesame Oil, Haritaki, Chai 

Person B: Whole Green Mung Beans, Quinoa, Lime, Fresh Coriander, Coconut or Jojoba Oil, Amalaki, Matcha or Golden Milk.

If you are interested in learning more about this in depth, my lovely friend Deni @_soma.vidya is currently offering her Agni Reset (10-day  Ayurvedic gut cleanse program) at $50. Her program combines ancient Ayurvedic techniques, nourishing herbs, and a  3-day monodiet featuring the Ayurvedic gem—kitchari.

In Dharma school, the beautiful light that is @kristin_ananda_devi has a Sattvic Reset complete with preparation lecture, daily schedule, recipes, guides on what to eat/what not to eat, principles of eating, sahana, mantra and Vedic & Yogic Laws for living with cosmic consciousness.

Or you could simply follow a gentle seasonal Kitchari cleanse for 3 consecutive days and then slowly incorporate the specific season-pacifying foods and lifestyle guidelines outlined in my book OJAS.

Wherever you’re at, take some time over the next week, retreat where you can, still your nervous system, reset your circadian clock, and utilise this transition to rid yourself of old emotional patterns of behaviour.

Use this worksheet to track your energy throughout the four moon phases and/or the four phases of menstruation. To complete, write how you feel using singular words only , during each lunar/menstrual phase. Track your energy as much as possible during each phase, then repeat with each new four week cycle. Over time, this information will lead to greater awareness of your personal lunar system.

The Follicular phase (after menstruation in which oestrogen and testosterone start to rise) usually gives us a welcomed boost in energy and makes us feel more alert and focused. 

With this increased energy, it’s a good time to engage in a more physical practice that incorporates some type of strength or resistance training. HIIT workouts, dance cardio or maybe a power yoga class. 

It’s also important to ground ourselves and ensure we feel nourished going through the rest of the cycle, so make sure you balance this yang energy with some cooling yin energy.

Our neuroendocrine system (pituitary, pineal, and hypothalamus glands), is our body’s hormonal control system, and reads signals from our nervous system about how to behave. I designed this flow to specifically work on the nervous and neuroendocrine system, as well as the uterus/ovaries, to help naturally stimulate and restore hormonal balance. Yin Yoga is meant to be an introspective practice, which in itself, helps to rest and restore the nervous system and bring it out of “fight or flight mode,” so I invite you to soften into each pose, and breath deeply, to experience the fullest effects.

You can always pick 2 - 3 poses to transition you in or out of your day, or grab your mat and props, hit play on the playlist i’ve included and enjoy this delicious 75 minute Yin Flow.

*If you are in the menstrual phase of your cycle, heat a hot water bottle or heat pack and incorporate into some of the poses.

When you think of your GUT, you are probably only thinking of your belly. But the gut—or gastrointestinal system—is just that: a system. 

The gut includes the mouth, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, gallbladder, colon, and rectum. 

The guts role goes so much further than just helping us digest and assimilate food. Our microbiome—and its community of bacteria—extends its influence far beyond the gut wall. It affects our overall health and wellbeing in countless ways; (regulation of our hormones, mood enhancing chemicals, and blood sugar, which of course impact on our immune, endocrine and nervous systems.

The gut is powerful yet delicate. It can easily be thrown out of balance. 

Signs of an imbalanced digestive system will naturally vary from person to person, but generally speaking, the following are physical indicators of an underlying gut issue:

❁Digestive issues

❁Unexpected weight loss or weight gain

❁Constant Fatigue

❁Oestrogen Dominance

❁Skin Conditions

❁Food Intolerance/ Histamine Intolerance

❁Mood Changes

In the past 10 years, we’ve been quick to blame sugar, wheat and dairy for all of our gut issues, and while some of that still holds true, you may be more surprised about the amount of ‘healthy’ foods we have turned to in their place; of which, are packed with ingredients that are wreaking havoc on your gut. Plant Based + Gluten Free alternatives - I’m looking at you! Because we’re all bio-individuals, what causes your digestive issues won’t be the same as the next person, therefore, I want you take this list with a grain of salt, and please don’t beat yourself up about it. I’ll be the first to admit I went through a phase a few years back, of switching the plant based milks/creams/meats and gluten free breads, thinking they were a healthier option. Knowing what I do now, I’m on a mission to get people returning to REAL whole foods, and the most simplest way to do this is to prepare your food as much as you can from scratch!

If you suspect you have poor gut health or hormonal imbalances, then seeking help is always recommended. Identifying your triggers may require a combination of experimenting with removing the above at home, and testing. A basic understanding of the status of your gut may require a comprehensive stool test, SIBO breath test, or food allergy / sensitivity/ parasite testing which is something I can help you with. In the meantime, familiarise yourself with these ingredients, get curious and read the ingredients panel and start opting for real food; make your sauces and salad dressings from scratch, and buy local, organic or pesticide free where you can !

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE HERE