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Fire. The energy of light, of transformation, digestion, metabolism, creation, vitality, radiance.

In Ayurveda, the concept of Agni (which is akin to digestive fire) is a key to digesting, metabolizing and absorbing both food and information.

It's not solely related to the gastro-intestinal tract but relates to anything we are taking in -- through our meals, sensory experiences, information, etc.

So the state of our Agni has a direct impact on everything from our hormones to our organs to our brain function.

And while we ideally want to experienced "balanced" agni, it's more likely to experience imbalance in some way (typically fast, slow or variable).

According to today's guest Ayurvedic practitioner Kimberly Kubicke, the quality of our agni corresponds to our hormonal and overall health.

Not only do we need to support the optimal function of agni, but we also need to both cultivate an optimal environment for it *and* maintain it over time.

For those of us with wombs, our fluctuating cycles and the major transitional times like postpartum and perimenopause are all impactful ON our agni, too.

Learn about many ways to caretake your unique agni on today's episode.

Listen to learn:

• what agni is
• why agni is not just "digestive fire" but also relates to brain function
• the four kinds of agni according to Ayurveda
• how to protect, support and maintain your digestive fire
• some initial practical steps you can take to support your own agni
• how agni impacts our hormones and vice versa

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Kimberly's offerings
• Grab your spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist here
• Episode 3: Ayurveda + your hormonal health
• Episode 49: How to create a sacred window

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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Well hey my loves, it's a freaking wild time in the world. Full of uncertainty. Who knows what's coming this week, this year, in the next decade, and on and on.

There is so much we have no power or control over. But one thing we DO is our own bodies and ideally also, our choice of what to do with them.

But when we talk about choice related to our bodies, it's often speaking to access to contraption or termination options provided by practitioners or medical establishments outside of ourselves. (and unfortunately widely controlled by those in power in our governmental or religious organizations).

What I mean when I speak to choice is something entirely different. It is the POWER inherent in practicing natural contraception from the lens of Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) combined with herbal allies to help us prevent pregnancy if needed.

It is entirely within our capacity to prevent pregnancy with no outside assistance. And that, to me, is embodied sovereignty.

Today I share a little about 5 benefits of practicing natural contraception based on my personal 16 years of doing so, and teaching tens (maybe hundreds now) of others to do so too.

My life and work has been profoundly shaped by this practice, so I'm excited for you to hear these benefits especially if you're considering walking this path, too.

Listen to learn:

• what I mean by natural contraception
• how learning your unique rhythm + cycle can change your life
• how practicing natural contraception is an act of resistance
• about FAM as a skill to build towards resilience
• how natural contraception compares with hormonal birth control
• 5 benefits I have found practicing FAM for 16 years and counting

Resources:

• Free Guide: Track Your Cycle Naturally with FAM
• Grab a spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist
• Episode 5: Are you ovulating? And why it matters
• Episode 84: Herbal support for transitioning off hormonal BC
• Episode 105: What is your fertile window?
• Episode 143: What is FAM?

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show

Click here to send me a quick message :)

I don't know how else to say it... we are in times of collective, regional, political, global and personal upheavals that somehow feel more unraveling than previous generations.

Is that true? Are there people who've faced so much all at once previously? Yes, probably.

The reality is that it's likely that humans have faced collective trauma over our entire evolutionary history. We've always had periods of relative upheaval... whether through disease, war, famine, colonization, natural disasters, or who knows what else.

Maybe it's part of the human condition, to endure crisis.

But we're exposed now, through our devices, to many crises happening all at once. With vivid imagery. And consequences.

Perhaps we're at a threshold of how much we can hold, each of us. Our hearts. Our bodies. Our minds.

The too-much-ness is so apparent right now.

Which is why we all need tools, strategies, practices to support us.

Today's guest, personal trainer and somatic nervous system coach Lizzy Zima, has both personal experience and professional training in how to support ourselves through times of upheaval and crisis.

She lives in Swannanoa, NC - one of the most devastated communities after Hurricane Helene - and has recent stories and embodied wisdom to share about what it's been like on the ground in a disaster zone *and* what helped her most when she was in her most activated sympathetic nervous system states.

She also shares some simple somatic practices to explore if (and when) you're feeling stuck in a "freeze" state to help you sense safety in a gentle way.

Mostly this is a poignant and timely conversation in a world that feels unsteady.

Listen to learn:

• how strength training can support perimenopausal health
• some basics on sympathetic nervous system activation
• what "mobilization" looks like when adrenaline + cortisol are pumping
• why it's key to learn about how to tend your nervous system
• how to identify and navigate the "freeze" state

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get Lizzy's links + free offerings here
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 97: Nourish your nervous system w Ayurveda
• Episode 142: Relaxation through song + ancestral folk traditions
• Grab Lizzy's free somatic deep rest meditation

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show