Broadcasting from South India, Kate talks with her partner Rich Ray about the hidden pitfalls of learning Eastern spiritual traditions. They explore why so many of us turn spiritual teachings into self-judgment, how to recognize karmic conditioning without shame, and what Buddhist practice actually looks like when you stop chasing spiritual highs. This is an honest, grounded conversation about duality, ego, Maya, and the surprisingly simple path toward acceptance. If you've ever felt like you're doing spirituality wrong, this episode offers a compassionate reset.

Rich Ray is a longtime Zen Buddhist practitioner who spent four years living in silence at a meditation center. He is trained in awareness practice, karmic conditioning, and contemplative psychology. Rich has studied with Cheri Huber and continues to support practitioners in recognizing and working with ego patterns, duality, and suffering. He lives with Kate in the Berkshires and co-leads retreats integrating Ayurvedic and Buddhist wisdom.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone navigating their own spiritual questions. To explore deeper support for integrating Ayurvedic awareness into daily life, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

Feeling bloated, constipated, or constantly cold this winter? Your body is telling you it needs different foods. In this solo episode, Kate breaks down the Ayurvedic approach to winter eating—what to embrace, what to avoid, and why seasonal nutrition matters more than you think.

You'll Learn:

Quick Wins:

✓ Swap salads for steamed vegetables with ghee

✓ Add tahini to your morning toast

✓ Try baked grapefruit with honey

✓ Cook with warming spices (ginger, cumin, turmeric)

✓ Drink licorice tea for dry lungs and intestines

Resources:

Kate's cookbooks available at healwithkate.org

Subscribe for weekly Ayurvedic wisdom and share with someone who needs winter food guidance.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

Have you ever wondered what your dosha is? You're not alone—but that question might be keeping you stuck.

In this groundbreaking conversation, Kate sits down with Arjita Sethi—serial entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and founder of Shanti, an AI-powered wellness platform that's revolutionizing how we access Ayurvedic wisdom. Arjita shares her remarkable journey from childhood illness to Silicon Valley burnout to postpartum healing, and how each crisis brought her back to the Ayurvedic roots planted by her grandmother.

This episode tackles one of Ayurveda's stickiest problems: our obsession with finding our dosha. Arjita explains why understanding your vikriti (current state of imbalance) matters far more than your prakriti (constitutional type), and how this shift in perspective makes Ayurveda accessible to everyone—no certification required.

She walks us through her incredible 90-day postpartum recovery protocol (which brought her hemoglobin from 4 to 11.5 in one week), explains how she's training an AI brain on Ayurvedic knowledge, and shares why Ayurveda isn't about being a purist—it's about meeting yourself where you are and taking one step closer to your center.

If you've ever felt confused by dosha quizzes, overwhelmed by Ayurveda's complexity, or curious about how AI might make ancient wisdom more accessible, this conversation will change everything.

Arjita Sethi is a serial entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and recognized leader at the intersection of AI and wellness. Originally from India and now based in San Francisco, Arjita has spent over a decade in the AI space, starting before machine learning became mainstream.

Raised by a grandmother deeply versed in Vedic and Ayurvedic studies, Arjita grew up immersed in practices like meditation, yoga, and circadian living—though she didn't realize this wasn't 'normal' until much later. After recovering from childhood illness through Ayurveda, co-founding a successful vocational school with her mother, and experiencing Silicon Valley burnout, she returned to her roots during the pandemic.

Arjita founded Shaanti, an AI-powered wellness platform that makes Ayurvedic wisdom accessible without overwhelming complexity. By training an AI brain on Ayurvedic studies and combining it with personalized vikriti assessments, she's helping people make wellness decisions aligned with their current season of life—not just their dosha.

She holds certifications in Ayurvedic health practice, is a certified manual therapist with a background in physical therapy, and practices Kundalini yoga. Arjita is also an advocate for women in technology and runs a virtual school teaching AI skills to entrepreneurs.

Website: findshaanti.com

Instagram: @arjitasethico

Prakriti: Your natural constitution or body type—essentially your elemental DNA. This is what most people think of when they hear 'dosha,' but it's only part of the picture.

Vikriti: Your current state of imbalance—where you are TODAY based on life circumstances, stress, season, age, and health. This is what you actually need to address for healing.

Season of Life: The concept that your body changes based on what you're going through—whether you're fundraising versus post-funding, child sick at school versus family vacation, perimenopause versus postpartum. Same person, different needs.

AI Brain Training: The process of feeding publicly available Ayurvedic studies and traditional knowledge into an artificial intelligence system so it can provide personalized recommendations based on your prakriti and vikriti.

Arjita shares her mother's 90-day postpartum healing plan that brought her hemoglobin from 4 to 11.5 in one week:

First 40 Days - Focus: Healing

Next 1.5-2 Months - Focus: Restoring Nutrition

If this conversation helped you stop obsessing over dosha quizzes and start focusing on where you are TODAY, please subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share this episode. To explore Arjita's AI-powered Ayurveda platform, visit findshanti.com. For more support with Ayurvedic living, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

Where does your ashwagandha really come from? Tyler Wauters, VP of Herbal Affairs at Banyan Botanicals and Director of Banyan Farm, shares the truth about ethical herb sourcing, sustainable farming, and what happens when wellness trends commodify plants. Learn what organic, fair trade, and regenerative certifications actually mean, discover bioregional Ayurveda and analog herbs, and get practical steps for becoming a conscious consumer who knows the story of what's in their medicine cabinet.

[00:00] - Introduction: The problem with trending herbs

[04:00] - Tyler's journey from fish farmer to wildcrafter to Banyan

[09:00] - What is bioregional Ayurveda?

[12:00] - Analog herbs and criteria for substitution

[18:00] - Chemical ecology: How plants change based on environment

[23:00] - Banyan Farm as research facility

[27:00] - 30 years of relationships with Indian suppliers

[32:00] - Organic vs. Regenerative Organic vs. Fair Trade

[38:00] - What happens when ashwagandha trends

[43:00] - How to be a conscious consumer

[49:00] - Action steps: research, relationships, local + global

[54:00] - The Living Ayurveda internship

[56:00] - Rapid fire questions

Tyler is the VP of Herbal Affairs at Banyan Botanicals, Director at Banyan Farm, a place-based herbalist, Ayurvedic practitioner, and founder of Hawthorn Institute.

He grew up amongst the weeping willows and cattails. A lifelong naturalist and plant enthusiast, Tyler has dedicated his life to the practices of bioregional Ayurveda and place-based herbalism. Tyler began teaching in 2008 and brings his passion and knowledge into everything he shares. His intention is to ignite deeper connections to place, people, and plants through the lens of stewardship and reciprocity.Tyler has studied with Vasant Lad, MASc, Dr. Claudia Welch, Sonia Masocco, Isla Burgess, 7song, and Frank Cook. He thanks all of his mentors for sharing life's wisdom.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

Did you notice how many people got sick over the holidays this year? In this solo episode, Kate breaks down the Ayurvedic perspective on immunity—and it might surprise you.

Instead of focusing on antibodies and white blood cell counts, Ayurveda teaches us about Ojas—the "nutrient cream of the body" that creates resilience and protects tissues against pathogens. Kate explains why moisture is the foundation of immunity, especially in dry winter months, and why conventional approaches like green juices and cold smoothies might actually be working against you during this season.

This episode is packed with practical, actionable tools you can implement immediately: from nasal oiling and warm milk tonics to turmeric honey and skin massage protocols. Kate walks you through exactly how to create a protective barrier—both internally and externally—that keeps you robust, refreshed, and resilient all winter long.

If you're tired of getting sick every season, or if you're looking for a deeper understanding of what true immunity means, this episode offers ancient wisdom with modern application.

Ojas: The "nutrient cream of the body"—a milky, protective substance that results from properly digested food and creates resilience against pathogens. It's what keeps living beings refreshed, robust, and resistant to disease.

Resilience vs. Immunity: Ayurveda focuses on making the patient stronger than the disease, rather than just fighting specific pathogens. It's about building overall robustness.

The Moisture Principle: Moisture anywhere is moisture everywhere. Keeping the body moist—especially nasal passages, lungs, skin, and digestive tract—is essential for maintaining the protective barriers that prevent illness.

Ojas Milk:

Turmeric Milk:

Turmeric Honey:

If this episode helped you understand immunity from a new perspective, please subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone who keeps getting sick. For more Ayurvedic wisdom and support, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

This week, Kate sits down with Mel Cunningham, founder of Yogi Fuel and the Integrative Ayurveda Practitioner Certification, for a groundbreaking conversation about nervous system regulation through the lens of Ayurveda.

Mel shares her remarkable journey from professional rugby player who sustained over 10 concussions to becoming a leading expert in nervous system health. Her personal experience with anxiety, panic attacks, and dysregulation led her on a healing journey that ultimately brought her to Ayurveda—the system that finally connected all the dots.

This episode demystifies nervous system regulation, moving beyond the buzzwords to offer practical, accessible tools rooted in ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience. Mel explains why so many of us yo-yo between anxious, overwhelmed states and complete shutdown, and how understanding the doshas can help us recognize our unique patterns of dysregulation.

The conversation covers everything from the surprising connection between blood sugar and false anxiety, to why protein at breakfast matters (or doesn't), to the simple act of wiggling your fingers as a powerful mobilization tool. This is Ayurveda at its most practical and accessible.

Mel Cunningham is the founder of Yogi Fuel and creator of the Integrative Ayurveda Practitioner Certification. A former rugby player who sustained over 10 concussions, Mel's personal journey with nervous system dysregulation led her to specialize in the intersection of Ayurveda, polyvagal theory, and neuroscience.

Mel holds a background in kinesiology and exercise physiology, and studied at Goddard College. She combines her understanding of Western nervous system science with traditional Ayurvedic wisdom to help people regulate their nervous systems and restore balance. Originally from Canada, Mel now lives in Goa, India, where she moved in 2020 and has built a thriving online practice.

Her approach emphasizes practical, accessible tools that meet people where they are, recognizing that regulation is multidimensional and deeply individual.

Website: www.yogifuel.com

Instagram: @yogifuel

Podcast: Yogi Fuel Podcast

If this episode helped you understand your own nervous system patterns, please subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. For deeper support with nervous system regulation and Ayurvedic living, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

This week, Kate delivers a solo episode packed with practical Ayurvedic tools to help you reset after the holiday season—without the restrictive yo-yo dieting that disrupts your system. She breaks down why extreme cleanses don't work in winter, shares simple warming practices that actually support digestion, and offers a compassionate approach to turning the ship around in the new year.

Kate covers warm herbal waters, the magic of kanji and kitchari, how to work with cravings instead of against them, why cold juices don't belong in winter resets, the role of ghee and licorice for winter dryness, and daily oiling as a nervous system reset.

This is a grounding, realistic episode for anyone who wants to feel better without punishing themselves in January.

What We Cover

Kate O'Donnell is an Ayurvedic practitioner, teacher, and author of four bestselling books on bringing Ayurvedic practices into modern life. She has been living and teaching Ayurveda for over 25 years and studied extensively in India. Kate is known for translating complex Ayurvedic principles into accessible, practical tools that work for real people in real kitchens.

She hosts the Everyday Ayurveda with Kate podcast and teaches online programs through healwithkate.org. Kate lives in New England and brings a grounded, honest approach to wellness that balances tradition with modern life.

Website: https://www.healwithkate.org

If this episode helped you rethink your New Year reset, subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone who needs a kinder approach to January. For personalized Ayurvedic support and seasonal programs, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

What if the key to meaningful New Year's intentions isn't more goal-setting, but preparing your body as sacred ground?

Kate walks listeners through her annual practice of a mono diet—eating simple, nourishing foods like kitchari, congee, or oatmeal for 1-3 days around the New Year. This isn't about deprivation or typical "cleansing." It's about creating sacred relationship with food, transforming meals into offerings, and preparing the soil before planting seeds.

In this special replay episode, Kate O'Donnell joins Harmony Slater on the Finding Harmony Podcast to share her personal approach to New Year's rituals—one that honors the body as the vessel through which all transformation happens. Rather than jumping straight to resolutions, Kate explains how Ayurveda teaches us to strengthen and purify the physical form first, creating the ideal conditions for intentions to take root.

SPECIAL NOTE: This episode features a segment originally from the Finding Harmony Podcast, repurposed for the Everyday Ayurveda audience. Both podcasts are part of the Awkward Sage Media network.

This episode is perfect for anyone tired of resolutions that fizzle out, anyone drawn to ritual and ceremony, or anyone seeking a more embodied approach to personal transformation. Kate's wisdom offers a refreshing alternative to typical New Year's advice—one rooted in thousands of years of Ayurvedic wisdom and surprisingly practical for modern life.

Basic Kitchari Recipe:

Congee (Rice Porridge):

Simple Oatmeal:

Oil Hierarchy for Cooking:

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who's feeling overwhelmed by typical New Year's pressure. Subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and help us reach more people seeking embodied, ritual-based approaches to transformation.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet or wellness routine, especially if you have existing health conditions.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

In this solo episode, Kate addresses one of the most frequently asked questions: should you eat breakfast or not? Drawing from Ayurvedic wisdom, she explores why the answer depends on your individual constitution, life stage, exercise routine, and digestive capacity.

Kate shares her personal journey from decades of yoga practice on an empty stomach to discovering she needed breakfast when she started weightlifting. She breaks down the relationship between cortisol, hormones, protein needs, and morning routines, while introducing the crucial concept of prana as an alternative source of life energy beyond food.

This episode offers practical guidance on reading your body's signals, understanding Kapha time, managing morning cortisol spikes through breathwork, and finding the breakfast routine that actually serves your unique needs.

If this episode helped you understand your breakfast needs better, subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone who's been confused about morning routines. To dive deeper into personalized Ayurvedic guidance, visit healwithkate.org.

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter

This week, Kate talks with Micah Mortali, author of Rewilding and founding director of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. Together they explore what it means to reconnect with nature in a culture shaped by screens, artificial light, and constant productivity.

Micah shares simple, realistic practices to reintroduce natural rhythms into daily life, especially during winter. The conversation covers candle rituals, light hygiene, the physiology of rest, the lost rhythm of second sleep, nesting, outdoor rituals, seasonal awareness, and the restorative impact of what Micah calls the green mirror.

This is a deeply grounding conversation for anyone feeling scattered, overstimulated, or out of sync with seasonal changes.

What We Cover 

Micah Mortali is an author, public speaker, and leader in the fields of mindfulness, rewilding, traditional archery, and nature connection. He is the author of Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature, a guide that blends yoga, contemplative practice, ancestral skills, and earth based wisdom.

Micah is the founding director of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, where he designed one of the first training programs to certify mindful outdoor guides. His teaching centers on restoring human relationships with the natural world through presence, awareness, and direct experience.

He is also the creator of the online School of Rewilding, an ongoing community for people looking to live more nature centered lives. Micah holds a Masters degree in Health Arts and Sciences from Goddard College and lives in the Berkshires with his family.

Website: https://www.micahmortali.com

Instagram: @micah_rewilding

Take Home Practices

Relevant Links

If this episode leaves you craving more rhythm and rest, subscribe to Everyday Ayurveda with Kate and share it with someone who has been feeling winter fatigue. To explore deeper support for seasonal routines, visit healwithkate.org.

Health Disclaimer

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

Ayurvedic Living Institute Membership: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/membership

Cleanse Leader Training: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/cleanse-leader-training

Deep Winter Self-Care Workshop: https://courses.ayurvedicliving.institute/courses/self-care-workshop-deep-winter