Living Ayurveda: Cultivating Balance Through Food, Mind & Lifestyle

This accessible and enriching series is designed for anyone looking to live with more balance, intention, and vitality. Whether you're new to Ayurveda or seeking practical ways to feel more aligned in body, mind, and spirit, these classes offer timeless tools that can be easily integrated into everyday life.

Each session stands on its own and offers valuable insights — so if your schedule only allows you to attend one or two, don’t let that deter you. Join for what you can! You’ll walk away with meaningful practices and a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.

For those ready to make a commitment to deeper learning, we invite you to register for the full three-part series at a discounted rate. Taken together, the classes build a well-rounded foundation in Ayurvedic living — exploring in detail Ayurvedic diet and digestive types, Ayurvedic Mind management, and how to create a personally balancing lifestyle in synch with natures rhythms through a holistic Ayurvedic lens.

This series is ideal for anyone interested in self-care and conscious living. Yoga teachers and wellness professionals will find it complements their training and provides tools they can apply personally and professionally.

Session 1: September 4th | 5:30pm-7:30pm | True Nature Kiva

Ayurvedic Diet - The Sacred Fire of Digestion

This class will cover the art and wisdom of Ayurvedic eating. Proper eating is akin to practicing daily fire sacrifice. We select, mix and then offer food to the sacred fire of digestion. Why is this fire sacred? Well, it is what turns the outer world, all that we take in, into self. Outer transforms to inner, this fire maintains our life. Like any good ritual there is proper timing, set and setting, ingredients and perhaps most important ... intention.

We will unpack the concept of agni, the 3 clinical types of agni, and we’ll learn to determine which type we, or our clients have. Herbal remedies and specific practices to balance each of the 3 types will be covered, as well as details on proper food combining. Kindle the sacred on a regular basis by turning each meal into a lovely ritual of self-creation and self-care.

Session 2: September 11th | 5:30pm-7:30pm | True Nature Kiva

Ayurvedic Mind - Awareness as Medicine

This class will explore how Ayurveda views the mind and emotions. Ayurveda is a truly wholistic system of medicine as it addresses, in detail, how to have sustained wellbeing not just in the body, but in the mind and spirit as well. It is not common in Western culture to manage the health of the mind in an ongoing regular way. It is only when more severe imbalances are experienced that we seek professional help. This leaves a giant gap. It is akin to never brushing your teeth and then only seeing a dentist when you get a cavity. Mental hygiene is a very important concept in Ayurveda. The second class of this series will delve into the unique way that Ayurveda views the mind and emotions. We will unfold how the mind and emotions effect the doshas and how the doshas and the qualities of our environment effect the mind. Indispensable mind management and mental hygiene practices will be shared.

Session 3: September 18th | 5:30pm-7:30pm | True Nature Kiva

Ayurvedic Lifestyle - Living with the Rhythm of Nature

Join us to explore how the elements speak to us, so we may live in greater rhythm with nature!

The ancient rishis who brought us the system of Ayurveda, looked deeply into the foundational causes of imbalance in regards to health. They observed that 20 qualities of Nature could cause imbalance and likewise could be applied therapeutically to maintain good health. These 20 qualities are referred to as the gunas. Understanding the 20 gunas is fundamental to Ayurveda, so much so that they are often referred to as the “language of Ayurveda”. These qualities are derived from the 5 elements; earth, water, fire, air and space and therefore could also be considered the language of the elements themselves. It is due to the qualities of the elements that we are influenced by climate, season, time of day, food and herbs. All life on earth, all substances, as well as thoughts and actions have these 20 qualities and once you understand them, the entire manifest world can be utilized as medicine. This understanding greatly simplifies Ayurvedic philosophy and is immediately practical to layperson and practitioner alike. Let’s learn how the elements speak to us, so we may live in rhythm with nature.

Julie Peterson, is an herbalist, an Ayurvedic Practitioner, and the founder of Singing Springs Botanicals. Through Singing Springs, she offers a curated line of handcrafted herbal remedies that artfully integrate Ayurvedic and Western Herbal traditions. Julie graduated from the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies in 2002 and from the Ayurvedic Institute (Dr. Vasant Lad’s school) in 2009. A perennial student in both these fields she continues learning with Dr. Robert Svaboda, Acharya Shunya, Vaidya Bharat and Dr. Zach Bush among others. Outside of professional realms, Julie can most often be found tending her organic gardens on a small piece of land in the Uncompagre Valley. When the gardens aren’t in need, she is roaming the San Juan mountains with a heart full of curiosity for deepening relations with all the ranges magic, through foraging, hiking, skiing and climbing.

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This programming is brought to you through the Connection is the Medicine Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to co-creating a world where individuals and communities thrive from a sense of inspiration, connection, and self-discovery.

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SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Where Your Gift Makes a Difference

Because of your generosity, our 2025 programs are thriving. We’ve expanded offerings that nurture meaningful connection—through nature immersion, contemplative practices, youth development, caregiver support, and spiritual inquiry.

If you are interested in donating to support more programming like this, please visit our website: https://connectionisthemedicine.com/donate

or contact Valery Moore Kelly

Development Director

[email protected]

970-948-0263

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At True Nature and Connection is the Medicine Foundation, we strive to create intentional, nourishing spaces and experiences for community connection and personal growth. To support a respectful and easeful experience for all, please view our, also listed below.

If you have any questions, you may contact Megan Miller, Director of Education and Programming at [email protected]

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True Nature and Connection is the Medicine Foundation reserve the right to cancel any program or event at any time. In the event of a cancellation by TN or the Foundation, participants will receive a full refund.

Please note that certain programs may have unique cancellation policies—refer to individual program descriptions for specific details.

Unless otherwise noted in the program description:

• Refunds are available (minus processing fees) up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled start time.
• Within 24 hours of the event, you may request a ticket transfer toward a future Connection is the Medicine Foundation-hosted program.
• Tickets are transferable to another guest at any time with prior approval from the Event Manager.
• No refunds or credits will be granted for: Cancellations made day-of or after the event has started, No-shows, Early departures, Dissatisfaction with event content or presentation

For online or virtual programs, please refer to the specific event page for cancellation and refund details.

For all refund or transfer requests, contact Megan Miller, Director of Education and Programming at: [email protected]

To support the integrity of the experience for all participants, we ask that you please observe the following guidelines:

• Arrival Time: Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in and settle. Events begin promptly at the scheduled start time.
• Late Attendance: Doors will close at the stated start time (e.g., 6:30 PM) to honor the sacred nature of the container and minimize disruptions, and late arrivals will not be admitted
• Substance Use: We ask that all guests arrive free of the influence of drugs or alcohol to maintain a clear, safe, and respectful space.

What to Bring & Community Care: You’re welcome to bring personal comfort items such as an eye mask, a small pillow, an extra blanket, or a yoga mat.

As these are shared community experiences, we kindly ask that you:

• Be mindful of personal hygiene and health
• Respect personal space and boundaries
• Refrain from using scented products that may affect others

Thank you for co-creating a respectful and enriching experience with us. We look forward to welcoming you into our sacred space.

Community Conduct and Shared Space Guidelines: Connection is the Medicine Foundation programs are designed to foster meaningful connection, reflection, and personal growth within a supportive communal environment. We ask all participants to honor a shared social norm of respect, presence, and care for one another’s experience.

If at any time a participant is experiencing an unusual, heightened, or disruptive reaction or response that impacts the collective space, the Foundation and/or Facilitator reserves the right to intervene and, if necessary, ask the individual to step away from the gathering. This is not intended as a judgment, but as a means of protecting the integrity of the shared experience, ensuring that all participants continue their journey without undue disruption.

We invite all participants to practice self-awareness, personal responsibility, and compassion to help us maintain a safe, welcoming, and nourishing environment for all.

Disclaimer and Hold Harmless Agreement: The views and opinions expressed by facilitators during True Nature and Connection is the Medicine Foundation events, discussions, or any related activities are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of True Nature or the Foundation. We are committed to providing a platform for diverse perspectives and open dialogue, and the words of facilitators should be understood as their individual viewpoints. Any information or advice shared by facilitators is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as official statements or endorsements by True Nature or the Connection is the Medicine Foundation. Participants are encouraged to critically evaluate and form their own opinions based on their own judgment and understanding. True Nature assumes no responsibility for the content shared by facilitators and disclaims any liability arising from the use or reliance on such content.

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If you have questions or concerns regarding Event Etiquette and Policies, you may reach out to Megan Miller, Director of Education and Programming: [email protected]

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