Trauma-Informed Yoga for Nervous System Healing with Sita Severson - 429
Release Date: 01/29/2026
Sadvritta: Ayurveda’s Guide to a Compassionate and Conscious Life - 444
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Colette explores the Ayurvedic concept of Sadvritta, often translated as right living or ethical conduct, and how these timeless teachings can help us navigate modern life with more awareness, compassion, and harmony. While Ayurveda is often associated with food, herbs, and daily routines, the classical teachings remind us that true health goes far beyond the physical body. Our thoughts, beliefs, speech, and interactions with others all influence our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. In today’s fast-paced and highly stimulated world, where disconnection, reactivity, and social...
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Integrity in Ayurveda with Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath - 443
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
What does integrity truly mean in Ayurveda and why does it matter now more than ever? In today’s rapidly expanding global wellness space, conversations around ethics, responsibility, and authenticity are becoming increasingly important. While this episode doesn’t focus on specific events, it acknowledges that moments of rupture in any healing tradition can serve as powerful invitations to return to its roots, back to awareness, accountability, and integrity. In this episode, I’m joined by Vaidya Jayarajan Kodikannath, CEO and Academy Director of Kerala Ayurveda (USA), he brings both...
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Not All Stress Is the Same: An Ayurvedic Guide - 442
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
In modern life, we often talk about stress as if it’s one single experience. We say “I’m stressed” and assume the solution is the same for everyone, but Ayurveda offers a much more nuanced understanding. From an Ayurvedic perspective, stress is not one-size-fits-all. It expresses itself through the lens of the doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and each one creates a very different experience in the body and mind. This is why what works for one person may feel ineffective, or even aggravating for another. In this episode, Colette guides you through the different types of stress according...
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Ayurveda Myths Debunked: Animal Protein, Garlic, Onions, Coffee, Alcohol + More with Dr. Sujatha Kekada - 441
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Colette is joined by Dr. Sujatha Kekada to explore some of the most common myths surrounding Ayurveda and bring clarity to what this ancient system truly teaches. From questions around diet and lifestyle to its relevance in today’s scientific landscape, they unpack how Ayurveda is far more adaptable, nuanced, and evidence-aligned than many believe. Together, they explore how Ayurveda meets you where you are, honouring individuality, context, and balance rather than enforcing one-size-fits-all rules. In this episode, they discuss: Whether Ayurveda is truly “scientific” and how modern...
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Mushrooms Through the Lens of Ayurveda with Sharmistha Guha Majumdar - 440
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Mushrooms have become increasingly popular in the modern wellness world, particularly for their potential benefits for the nervous system, immunity and resilience. But where do they fit within Ayurveda? In this episode, I’m joined by Sharmistha Guha Majumdar to explore mushrooms through the lens of Ayurvedic principles. While mushrooms are not extensively described in the classical texts, Ayurveda offers a sophisticated framework for understanding any substance through observation, energetics and ecological context. Sharmistha shares how we can move beyond simply asking whether something is...
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7 Signs Your Body Is Asking for an Ayurvedic Spring Reset - 439
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
As winter transitions into spring, many people begin to notice subtle shifts in how they feel. You might experience brain fog, sluggish digestion, low motivation, seasonal allergies, or new cravings for sugar and comfort foods. While these symptoms may seem random, Ayurveda recognizes them as common responses to the seasonal shift from winter to spring. In this episode, Colette shares seven signs that your body may be asking for a seasonal reset and explain how Ayurveda views these signals as early messages from the body. Rather than waiting for deeper imbalance to develop, Ayurveda encourages...
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Kapha Imbalance vs Fatigue: Why You Feel Heavy, Foggy + Unmotivated - 438
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Have you ever felt tired… but something about it didn’t feel like true fatigue? In this episode, Colette explores the subtle but important difference between Kapha accumulation and true fatigue, and how easily the two can be confused. What feels like low energy may actually be heaviness, stagnation, and mental fog, which are signs that the body is asking for movement and stimulation, not more rest. Colette shares a recent personal experience of waking up feeling heavy, slow, and mentally foggy, not depleted, but stuck. Through her Ayurvedic lens she understood that these qualities were not...
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Erica’s Journey of Self-Compassion and Awareness - 437
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Healing rarely happens through a single change. More often, it unfolds through awareness, consistency, and a growing relationship with the body and mind. In this episode, Colette is joined by her client Erica, who shares her deeply personal journey of healing through Ayurveda. What began as a search for answers during a period of fatigue and sluggishness became a transformational process of self-discovery, compassion, and empowerment. Erica began working with Colette in January 2025 and joined the Reset–Restore–Renew Program, where she experienced how structured cleansing, supportive...
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Seasonal Awareness and Spring Equinox: From Accumulation to Renewal - 436
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
As we approach the Spring Equinox on March 20th, nature reaches a moment of perfect balance, equal light and equal dark. But this shift isn’t just happening around you… it’s happening within you. In Ayurveda, seasonal transitions are considered powerful physiological turning points. The Spring Equinox marks a pivotal moment when winter’s accumulated heaviness begins to melt and move through the body, influencing digestion, energy, emotions, and overall wellbeing. In this episode, you'll learn: The deeper meaning of seasonal awareness in Ayurveda Why the Spring Equinox is a...
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Jenny’s Ayurveda Cleanse: A Story of Reconnection - 435
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
What happens when we slow down enough to truly listen? In this heartfelt conversation, Colette is joined by her client Jenny, who shares her personal journey with Ayurveda, from her early connection with nature to her recent experience on the Digestive Reset Cleanse. Jenny reflects on how growing up in rural Ireland with a deep love of the natural world quietly shaped her path toward yoga and, eventually, Ayurveda. What began as curiosity evolved into a meaningful relationship with practices that helped her reconnect with her body’s rhythms. In this episode, they explore her experience on...
info_outlineWhat does it mean to heal when the nervous system no longer feels safe in the body or the world?
In this episode, Colette is joined by Sita Severson, Director of the Soul of Yoga Institute in San Diego, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Certified Yoga Therapist, and Vedic counselor. Sita’s work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern trauma science, supporting people through grief, addiction recovery, burnout, and chronic stress with compassion and practicality.
Drawing from her own lived experience as well as decades of teaching and clinical work, Sita shares how Ayurveda, yoga, and pranayama can gently support regulation without overwhelming the system and why healing is not about fixing what’s broken, but restoring relationship with the body and self.
This conversation is especially meaningful for anyone navigating grief, recovery, exhaustion, or a sense of disconnection, and for practitioners interested in trauma-sensitive, embodied approaches to wellbeing.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How Sita’s personal healing journey informs the way she teaches and works with trauma today
- What it means to rebuild trust in the body when the nervous system has learned that the world isn’t safe
- How chronic stress, grief, and burnout show up in the body’s physiology
- The role of Ayurveda, yoga, and pranayama in gently supporting nervous system regulation
- What truly defines a trauma-informed yoga practice
- Why Ayurveda and yoga emphasize gradual, participatory healing rather than quick fixes
- How healing can open the door to self-actualization, not just symptom relief
- A simple reflection and practice listeners can explore in their own time
Visit the Soul of Yoga website here.
The New Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Community is Live!
Over the years, this podcast has blossomed into a global community, a gathering of seekers, healers, and lifelong learners. And now, I’m delighted to share that our revitalized community space is officially open!
This new online home was created for those who wish to go deeper into Ayurveda, together. Inside, you’ll find:
- Early access to podcast episodes
- Member forums for discussion and Q&A
- Mindfulness and self-care practices
- Monthly live Zoom meetups
- Seasonal group challenges and reflections
It’s a conscious, supportive space to connect, learn, and grow with others walking the Ayurvedic path.
Come say hello, introduce yourself, and be part of this living, breathing sangha.
Join the new Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Community here: https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/community
I look forward to connecting with you soon!
Check out Colette's online services:
- Online Consultations https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/consultations
- At-home Digestive Reset Cleanse https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/digestive-reset-cleanse
- Online Daily Habits for Holistic Health Program https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/daily-habits
- Reset-Restore-Renew Program https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/reset-restore-renew
Have questions on Colette's online services? Book a FREE 15 min Services Enquiry Call here. https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/consultations
Do I have an accumulation of ama/toxins in my body? Take this quiz to find out https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/resources
Thank you for listening!
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Stay tuned and stay aligned with the Elements of Ayurveda Podcast.