Ayurveda for Sacred Self-Care

There is one book that completely transformed the way I think about self-care.

Before reading it, I was healthy and probably even had healthy habits. But my desire for good health was largely motivated by a desire to look a certain way or to accomplish a particular feat, like hiking a 4,000-footer or running a half marathon.

Those are perfectly valid reasons to prioritize your health. But I eventually discovered an even more meaningful one:

To create a container where the Divine wants to dwell.

I first read Healthy Happy Sexy by Katie Silcox in 2016. At the time, I was deeply interested in yoga and had begun hearing whispers about yoga’s sister science: Ayurveda.

I couldn’t even pronounce it at first. A-YUR-VEDA. But I was immediately intrigued.

Before I go any further, let me tell you a little about it.

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian health system that takes a holistic approach to caring for the body, mind, and spirit. Its purpose is to bring us back into alignment with the cycles of nature and the rhythms of our own bodies.

So much of modern culture teaches us to override nature. We silence the body’s wisdom, mask symptoms, and keep pushing forward even as we wonder why we’re so exhausted and on edge.

Ayurveda says, “Stop. Listen.”

Why are you tired?

Why are you constipated?

Why has your libido disappeared?

Why is your skin suddenly dry?

Where are you living out of alignment with your body’s wisdom, and what might help you return?

For me, this is a much more compassionate approach than treating my body as something that requires constant surveillance, correction, and improvement. Our body is wise. It knows what it needs to feel better. In many instances, it just might not be what we want to hear (more on this later).

Ayurveda is often described as yoga’s sister science because, within the Vedic tradition, yoga was originally understood as a spiritual practice. The postures, breathwork, and meditation were not simply intended to make the body stronger or more flexible. They were pathways toward communion with the Divine.

Ayurveda helped keep the body healthy enough to support that spiritual work.

Because let’s be honest: it’s difficult to sit in meditation or prayer when you haven’t slept, you haven’t gone to the bathroom in days, and your entire nervous system feels frayed.

So, while Ayurveda helps the body feel healthy and energized, it also creates the conditions for sattva: clarity, harmony, contentment, and peace of mind.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Now that I’m 51, I find myself relying on Ayurvedic principles even more.

I don’t simply write off hot flashes or restless sleep as the inevitable result of fluctuating hormones, although I know hormones are certainly involved. I also ask: What am I doing that my body no longer wants? By listening to my body, this is what I’ve learned:

My body no longer likes alcohol.

It doesn’t want to hear about someone else’s terrible day after 6 PM (unless it’s one of my children).

It craves more peace, more time outside, and more uninterrupted space for creative work.

When I don’t listen to what I know my body needs, the symptoms we often associate with perimenopause tend to flare. I’ve begun to understand them not only as problems to eliminate, but as messages directing me toward a more nourishing way of life.

My body is changing, so my life must change with it.

That is only one example. Whatever phase of life you are in, Ayurveda can help you reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom and learn to care for it more lovingly.

Not in a biohacking, anti-aging, endlessly optimizing sort of way, but in an I was created in the image of God, so I should treat my body accordingly sort of way.

Through daily rituals, nourishing foods, seasonal practices, movement, and spiritual care, Ayurveda helps cultivate greater vitality. Or, as my teacher Katie Silcox describes it, the ability to feel good in your own skin.

And isn’t that what most of us truly want?

For those who would like to learn more, there are two ways to explore Ayurveda with me inside the This Enchanted Life community.

In this ten-lesson video program, I’ll walk you through the foundations of Ayurveda and help you apply them to your unique constitution and current life phase.

You’ll learn simple, practical ways to support your digestion, energy, skin, sensuality, mental clarity, and daily rhythms. Each lesson also includes a Radiance Ritual to help you build a routine that leaves you feeling more energized, clear-minded, and alive.

🌱 Check it out here.

We’re also beginning a new book club featuring the book that started this journey for me: Katie Silcox’s Healthy Happy Sexy.

We’ll read the book together over two months and gather for two live conversations.

📆 Wednesday, August 12th, 3-4 PM ET: Community Zoom Check-In

We’ll discuss the book, share what we’re discovering, and explore any questions that arise as you begin applying the practices.

📆 Tuesday, September 15th, 10-12 PM ET: Author Conversation with Katie Silcox

Katie will join our community to talk about Ayurveda and answer your questions. She is an inspiring teacher with a beautiful ability to make ancient wisdom feel relevant and accessible within modern life.

This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Ayurveda Goddess and both book club discussions are available to paid subscribers. I would love to explore this wisdom with you and help you create a healthier, more radiant container for the life and spirit moving through you.