The Miracle Zone

016 Sacred Commerce with Asha D. Ramakrishna

• Catarina Andrade / Asha D Ramakrishna • Season 1 • Episode 16

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Welcome ✨

Welcome to another episode of The Miracle Zone. I’m truly delighted to bring you this conversation with my dear friend and mentor, Asha D. Ramakrishna. Asha is a modern priestess, author, and a real example of sacred leadership. Whether you’re a business owner, spiritual seeker, or simply curious about leading from a place of deeper connection, this episode is for you.

Episode Summary 🌟

Today I dive deep with Asha into what sacred commerce really means and how we can blend devotion, purpose, and entrepreneurship. We share personal stories, explore synchronicity, and talk about letting our lives be guided by something greater. Asha offers wisdom on bringing ancient practices into today’s world, balancing spiritual service with financial needs, and having honest conversations within ourselves and our communities.

We look at how personal evolution is mirrored in our businesses, and why it’s so powerful to give ourselves permission to change and become more of who we really are. Asha also shares about her sacred pilgrimages, group transformation, and how these journeys help us embrace every part of ourselves.

Key Takeaways 💡

  • Sacred commerce weaves devotion, service, and business in a way that honours both the ancient and the modern
  • Our “how” is as important as our “why”—it’s about creating new blueprints for business that fit our values
  • Honesty and transparency matter as we navigate changes in roles and how we show up
  • Transformation often happens in community, when we allow ourselves to be truly seen and accepted
  • Feeling the full spectrum of emotions is normal as we walk the path of purpose and leadership
  • Our businesses and personal selves both have unique energies and needs—honouring each helps us avoid burnout
  • Dharma is a living journey, calling forth different aspects of our soul over time

Resources & Links 🔗

Thank you for tuning in, and I will see you in the next episode.














[00:00:00] Catarina Andrade: Hello and welcome to another episode of The Miracles Zone Podcast. And I'm not just excited. I'm delighted. I'm so delighted to be here with Asha D. Ramakrishna, who is a dear friend who's also a beautiful mentor of mine. And just a beautiful embodiment of what it means to be a modern priestess in the world in this moment.

[00:00:26] Catarina Andrade: And she's also doing so many [00:00:30] beautiful things that we'll hear about today, including leading these amazing sacred pilgrimages. And I went with her last year to Egypt, who went on a beautiful. Comedic exploration and it was an a deep experience for me and we are continuously growing our friendship and connection and I'm just delighted to have you here, Asha.

[00:00:55] Catarina Andrade: Thank you so much for joining me today. 

[00:00:58] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Always. That [00:01:00] was an epic trip we had. Yeah, I love, just that binds people together forever. To have those soul experiences. So always happy to chat. 

[00:01:14] Catarina Andrade: Absolutely. Absolutely. And one of the things that I'll always treasure about our connection is how, it's just a perfect example of, I always talk about the miracle frequency pulls us together when in ways that make no sense.

[00:01:29] Catarina Andrade: [00:01:30] And I still remember having a moment. I think it was 1111. I don't even remember which year now. November 11. Your name just dropped into my head and it was like, reach out to her and ask her about Egypt. And I had no idea that you were doing pilgrimages. I had no idea that you even took people to Egypt.

[00:01:50] Catarina Andrade: Wow. And the name just arrived. And I'm like, she might think I'm crazy, but let me just pop her a message and just say, Hey, and any chance you're gonna [00:02:00]Egypt. So a perfect example of, I could have. Used my head or my reasoning or I know many people leading these types of pilgrimages, but it was, no, it was just an answering of the sacred calling.

[00:02:14] Catarina Andrade: And I think that says a lot about how I move through the world, but also how you move through the world to be putting out that signal through the ether for me to just be like, ah. Her name, it is not me. Reach out to her. 

[00:02:29] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Trust me, [00:02:30] I would be calling a lot more people, but I definitely do get that somebody, one person was like, I had this dream and in the dream I got, 

[00:02:42] Asha D. Ramakrishna: The priestess code. And so I went to Google and I found you. Like these things I promise you this is not something I'm doing consciously. It is just the field is just oh you want that? Here's the 

[00:02:57] Asha D. Ramakrishna: person. 

[00:02:57] Catarina Andrade: Exactly. Connecting all the [00:03:00] dots. And speaking of the priestess code, here's one of your books.

[00:03:03] Catarina Andrade: Thank you. You have two books. Do you wanna share just what the two books are? 'cause they're all both really special in, in their own way. Just so the readers know, we can connect them into links too. 

[00:03:15] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So the priestess Code awakening the modern woman, the one that you just showed is a synthesis of earth and moon wisdom that I received in a transmission.

[00:03:27] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And during a time that, of course, I was [00:03:30] like deep in exploration, but I was not living that way. And they just transformed the way that I was like thinking and operating in life to, I guess you could say more towards the Goddess Way. And then the second book is Your Soul Map. It's a human design book for people of color and we really talk a lot about, I co-authored the book and we talk a lot about re indigenizing the parts of human design.

[00:03:58] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then also how do we [00:04:00] make these systems that are mass disseminated, actually make them fit to some of us have to deal with other things in the system of oppression, right? And so how do we like work around that or face it, but then also really step into our birthright to thrive in the world. Yeah, those are the two books. 

[00:04:21] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So far 

[00:04:22] Catarina Andrade: two beautiful resources for everyone who's listening to check out. And I know there's many people in my space who love human [00:04:30] design and it serves them very deeply. So I definitely recommend checking that out to get a different perspective and an important perspective on how we work with.

[00:04:41] Catarina Andrade: That framework and all the different frameworks, it's insightful for that. So Asha, I'm so excited because we were tuning into what we were gonna talk about and one of the things that you speak to. So much is sacred commerce. And so I wanted [00:05:00] to spend some time today just swimming in that a little bit and figuring out what exactly that is.

[00:05:06] Catarina Andrade: Because I think it's so easy for us to, for us, who own businesses and who are working in the entrepreneurial space. See that as like counter to the sacred, having to choose between the other and how do we work with both. And so I think that's a beautiful juicy topic for us to dive into.

[00:05:26] Catarina Andrade: So I guess my first inquiry is like, what exactly [00:05:30] is Sacred Commerce? I hear you say those words a lot, and I'm like, yay, that sounds amazing, but what, what actually are we talking about here? 

[00:05:37] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Yeah I think the mystery of it still stands even for the steward of it, because My sense is that we find ourselves at an intersection of remembering lifetimes ago 

[00:05:57] Asha D. Ramakrishna: When our devotion [00:06:00] and our service was supported by society or an institution so that we could have the space to be in ceremony be in healing spaces, be in our own knowledge and, learning. Becoming the infolding and the out folding of the priestessing. . And this is also for mystics,

[00:06:22] Asha D. Ramakrishna: and so we remember that and we are today in this capitalist framework [00:06:30] really trying to make sense of like, how do we bring these ancient parts of who we are, this part of us that wants to do good, but this also this part of us that definitely. Needs and wants to have a financial structure, and many of us end up having to do that on our own.

[00:06:49] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Not necessarily, of course, like we, we can still be spiritual, modern priestesses and work for a company. Absolutely right. But the ethos that the current, that. Moves [00:07:00] through us, feels ancient, and we're in this adaptation of how do we bring it to this very modern world? And in many ways, we all go through these moments where it's I fucking hate this.

[00:07:11] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then there's these moments where no, I'm ready for this. I'm ready to set things up differently. I'm ready to not just make a lot of money and be able to give percentages to causes that I care about. But I also want the things that I'm building and the things that I care about [00:07:30] to do good for generations to come and to be inclusive and to also free lands.

[00:07:37] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So some of us are thinking more than just about our own fountain of Wealth. And then also like how does that get to ripple out and how do we get to enroll other people to care about these things too? So it feels to me that it is emergent and it feels to me that it's not a, like this is how it works, [00:08:00] but more of an invitation of come to this temple.

[00:08:04] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And in this temple you get to have a direct relationship with these ethos and you get to develop. How this this energy, this methodology, this framework informs you and it imprints in you so that you take it so that you also get to be emergent in your own expression of what sacred commerce is.

[00:08:27] Catarina Andrade: Ooh, I love that. So a few [00:08:30] things stuck out as you were talking. One of them was how you were saying how, and what was coming to me is, how in this space, I think we've all seen that very viral Ted talk with Simon Sinek, where it's start with why. Start with why. And I feel like we are pretty clear on the why and the how matters.

[00:08:56] Catarina Andrade: With especially the business management aspect of the work that I do, [00:09:00] there's a lot of time spent with how do we bring these visions into manifest form. So the how actually really matters. And so as you were speaking about different ways and explorations, it's that it's the why. It's the what of we wanna leave and the legacy, but the how of how we actually do it is actually really important.

[00:09:22] Catarina Andrade: And I think that's where we don't really have good blueprints or templates because right now the how is the capitalism, the how is the [00:09:30] patriarchy, the how, just doesn't fit. And it's like, how do we figure out what the, how is that works for the collective, but also for each of us based on how we ideally operate.

[00:09:45] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Yeah. And there isn't an absolute answer for that, and maybe that's frustrating to hear, but also can feel really liberating to also be in the magic and in the curiosity of what happens when we gather and we create this [00:10:00] web of people who care and people who are interested not just in the spiritual component of being alive, the material, and then also the, the impact of those two.

[00:10:13] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And I know like for me, even, as I've been in relationship with this. Framework for now, 10 years. It has evolved and I'm now thinking about, so I've been mostly in this conversation of like, how does this get to happen in a more [00:10:30] entrepreneurial setting and helping people build that.

[00:10:33] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And now I am. Moving my attention to a more corporate setting. Like how do we actually get to translate this into corporate and still respect the way that people see the world. Like maybe they're not gonna go and have a sacred fire with me, but maybe some will, but. If they're not willing to do that, is there another way that we can be respectful of the common the agreements that are made within [00:11:00] that community of how we're gonna operate but still translate those effects.

[00:11:05] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And I'm like in really deep exploration of how that gets to happen in those spaces. 

[00:11:11] Catarina Andrade: I love that. That reminds me of just conversations around ethos and then culture. I think we take so for granted the culture, whether it's within our business, even if it's a small business, if we're working with other people, or just how we relate to our clients, but also in corporate [00:11:30] too.

[00:11:30] Catarina Andrade: It's that finer detail of the how are we doing this together? How are we moving together in the space? How are we creating together? What is that culture of creation? Yeah. That we're doing together. 

[00:11:43] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And it requires a lot of honesty. Obviously when it's just yourself, it requires a lot of honesty with self.

[00:11:49] Catarina Andrade: Yeah. Maybe transparency.

[00:11:52] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then when we start enrolling other people into the ecosystem yeah, sometimes we have to have conversations and it's okay [00:12:00] if we don't have conversations immediately, but we do have to earmark certain spots throughout the year where we get to have those conversations and and everybody come to the table in curiosity and.

[00:12:14] Asha D. Ramakrishna: A more expansive way of thinking about, okay what actually serves me as an individual? What serves the whole ecosystem? And, do we have to make space for other people in here? And then what ends up happening a lot with any conversation [00:12:30] around money or in, in our karma dharma work, we talk about institutional dependency that many of us, as priestesses and mystics, we carry this like kind of energy of we've been institutionally dependent, right? Whether it was like governments or temples or religions, right? That held us and fed us and clothed us and gave us sanctuary and life and purpose and all these things.

[00:12:59] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Now [00:13:00] we're like in this. What do I do if I'm not institutionally dependent? And we come with sometimes with energy around a little bit of fear, right? Of oh, I can't say the thing because I'm gonna lose out. Or even, when we're in, in, even if we're doing this on our own, sometimes that shift in what we're doing is really scary because it affects our bottom line.

[00:13:24] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Absolutely. Yeah. And the thing that's I'm hearing, you and I started this conversation before we [00:13:30] recorded talking about ego death and I think that also gets to play that the way in which our soul. Evolves and if we let it evolves also gets to play in the space of how we are outward, right?

[00:13:46] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Which is like commerce is like our, the outward rendering of services and products for others. 

[00:13:54] Catarina Andrade: I love that. And what came to me too, I love that you mentioned the fear. And [00:14:00] what also came up for me was resentment. Do you ever feel that, not just the fear of, oh, like I'm used to having like benefactors and, being the sacredness of the work being upheld.

[00:14:12] Catarina Andrade: Yeah. But now it's like I need to, we have those, like I need to do it all moments even though we're, we know we're not doing it all, but at least for me, I'll be honest, like I will get resentful. Just I'm a single mother and I'm doing fine and I can do it and I love it with all my heart and I'm still somewhat [00:14:30] resentful that I'm like literally doing 150% of all the things.

[00:14:35] Catarina Andrade: Yeah. Because I don't have a co-parent. And so there's that underlying very similarly resentment of. Hello. I can't believe I need to do this and this, and worry about, think about the financial things and the ramifications of different actions and the safety and all of that.

[00:14:55] Catarina Andrade: Have you experienced that yourself? Or the only resentful, no modern priest to [00:15:00] surround, 

[00:15:01] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I think it's normal to be human, right? Yeah. Like that our humanity is part of what? That's the Shakt That's the Shakti in us. That's the true testament of being alive on this plane. Is this. Spectrum of everything that we feel and the frustration and the laughter and the tears and all of that.

[00:15:21] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And sometimes yeah, I have my temper tantrums with the divine. Like I'm just like, I cannot, I like [00:15:30] this. If this doesn't. I cannot. Okay. And I think that's why sometimes I love also ceremony, to just sit in the honesty. Not to have ceremony as a shopping list that we bring to the divine, but as a way to commune honestly.

[00:15:49] Asha D. Ramakrishna: As a way to commune about the honest things that we're frustrated about, the human part. And then yes, of course we elevate the energy by making [00:16:00] offerings and then like gratitude, right? And it's not I am not an advocate of bypass the frustration with your list of gratitude because I think that's just not real and it's not honest.

[00:16:13] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Yeah, 

[00:16:14] Asha D. Ramakrishna: that energy wants to move, right? It just wants to move. And if it means that it's a confidant, somebody that you just complain to and move the energy, then you move the energy and great, now you can be available for something else. [00:16:30]

[00:16:30] Catarina Andrade: Yeah, it's about that more expansiveness and space for more and more.

[00:16:34] Catarina Andrade: As you're saying that I'm thinking of today, I've cried two times for completely polar opposite reasons. One was like to go pick up my son from school. I got that call of something happened. There's a bullying thing and he was not doing well, so they called me to pick him up from school.

[00:16:50] Catarina Andrade: So I had that, that mama moment of just, he's fine, we'll get through, but just oh, again, here we go. Yeah. And just like getting myself ready and having to move [00:17:00] it so that I could show up and be really present for him. So there's the one spectrum of that. And then there was another one.

[00:17:06] Catarina Andrade: This is a silly reason but powerful. I always thought my life path number was six. And I found out today that it's 33. I fucking love it, which is so obvious. I even live in house 33, and it was such a. Such a moment of clarity that was so obvious, but it was like a, one of those split seconds of it makes [00:17:30] so much sense that I had like the opposite tears of just like remembrance and Of course, and of clarity.

[00:17:37] Catarina Andrade: And I think these moments were like an hour apart, but it's it comes up, it moves, it's expressed, whatever it is, the frustration, the sadness, and all of the things. I think that's part of the territory.

[00:17:49] Asha D. Ramakrishna: You're reminding me, of two things. One is you're reminding me of how.

[00:17:54] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Useful. These systems are for us to understand [00:18:00] ourselves, but then also how careful we have to be to not give it so much power. Yeah. And I had the same experience with human design and I was like, I don't know who I am now. And I went through that experience and I thought, isn't it fascinating who I boxed myself to be?

[00:18:20] Asha D. Ramakrishna: To match this archetype versus, utilizing it as a way to know myself. Yes, powerful of course. [00:18:30] But also when we use the these systems to box ourselves in, I think we lose the magic, we lose the curiosity, we lose the connection with. With what we don't know that is, that could be available, that the gateway, the threshold that is before us.

[00:18:52] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And yeah, I just I wanted to say that 'cause I've had that experience even though I'm like all, I do vedic astrology sessions and human [00:19:00] design sessions, and I incorporate all of that into sacred commerce, but I'm always like, take it with a grain of salt. Like if it is you, great, and then you know, who knows?

[00:19:10] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Maybe a person also just evolves past an archetype. And if you all passed an archetype, then. Let yourself like be an exploration of what that is, just as when you were first discovering the first one.

[00:19:25] Catarina Andrade: Oh, that's so powerful. That's so powerful because I [00:19:30] don't think we hear that often enough. I think it's so much of discover, discover this, so that you can blossom more into this as opposed to discover this so you can blossom more into you and transcend that.

[00:19:46] Catarina Andrade: Container. Because you're not just that one blossom, you're the whole bush. You're all of it, you're all of creation. We're so busy. Like for me, for example, my human design, I could be so busy being a [00:20:00] two four emotional generator and forget that there I can be more than that particular blossom.

[00:20:06] Catarina Andrade: Wow. Can be so much more than that particular blossom. And, my spleen is defined and sometimes I get the splenic hits and I can't be like no. I just, I'm an emotion. I need to focus on just the emotion. It's like the information comes in many ways. Yes. And we really need to learn ourselves how we want to move through the world and what works and what doesn't.

[00:20:29] Catarina Andrade: And [00:20:30] I love all these systems. I love all the assessments. Yeah. I think it's like a beautiful triangulation, but whatever that is, times like 10, what is it? A decathulation?, I dunno what that is, but it's like a prism and we see all these different aspects of us without overly defining it. So thanks for that reminder to not get so stuck into it.

[00:20:53] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And maybe I'm also like thinking a lot about that because of that ego death, right? Yeah. [00:21:00] Because I am seeing that as I am walking into an the next chapter of my life. You were talking about tending to your kid and also managing your business and your life and your, get, getting ready for doing this, like all those things.

[00:21:18] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And this is a season for you. And we forget, and this season is not forever. Trust me. It is not forever. I know you know this, but being on the other [00:21:30] side of two kids, like out, I am like, wow. Yes, there's a grief, but there's also this Ooh, this is really great. Like I really get to become. Not just mom.

[00:21:43] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I get to and not that I was just mom, like I was obviously very active with life and, I honor whatever path people are on. For me, it was a path of multitasking with life. It was like I was mom and I was this and I was that. And [00:22:00] now the role and the responsibility of mothering, it's just been diminished.

[00:22:07] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So it allows for the other parts of me that were just like, hanging out, not holding back, tending to what was needed. Now those parts of me are knocking a little bit harder and it's been amazing to just allow myself the space to say oh shit. Am I really willing to deconstruct?

[00:22:30] Asha D. Ramakrishna: What I've been to this point and allow the stillness of, to rebuild what's next. It's one of the principles in the priestess codes. And obviously I've been in exploration of that for a good, 15 or so years. But still, it still knocks on my door saying do you know, can you let yourself be more of yourself?

[00:22:55] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And if it looks so different on the outside can you let it, 

[00:22:59] Catarina Andrade: [00:23:00] can you let it, oh my goodness. As we were talking through that, the invitation. Into the stillness and into, yeah, the shape shifting in many ways. Or the shedding sounds more like a shedding, but I'll let you feel into the energy of that.

[00:23:17] Catarina Andrade: But I felt like immediately like a drop in my energy. Can we let it? Oh 

[00:23:23] Asha D. Ramakrishna: my gosh. I know. I just, I feel so much compassion for all of us. Because [00:23:30] many of us have really learned to keep our shit together and have our shit together and, we've gotten to a level of success in whatever way because of those skill sets.

[00:23:45] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And when we hit another stride in life or business where we say, all I wanna start letting go of the thing that got me here. ' cause [00:24:00] it's a new heroines, hero's journey that I'm upon. Yeah, it's a new, 

[00:24:04] Catarina Andrade: it's a completely new cycle and a new season. Like we can't continue to bring it along. 

[00:24:10] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Yeah. And I, yeah I don't think it's that, I don't think it's that easy when you're crossing that threshold, but I do think that what's on the other end is is definitely more more alignment to, to, to the thing that we value as wholly holy, yeah. 

[00:24:28] Catarina Andrade: [00:24:30] And as you're speaking of that, I'm thinking about these beautiful pilgrimages that you lead to sites all around the world.

[00:24:36] Catarina Andrade: What calls you to lead them? Because I know there's of course we can do that work ourselves and we do in our day-to-day life, but there's such a a. Power behind walking to these sacred sites, through these portals together as we have before, that really accelerates that. I know for me, I went through a big integration and [00:25:00] shift when I was with you last year in Egypt.

[00:25:03] Catarina Andrade: Yes. I'm curious to hear a little bit about that. That can play in supporting us or accelerating, I don't wanna say accelerating, that makes it seem like we're making it faster than it should be, but in amplifying and supporting us as we walk through those. 

[00:25:21] Asha D. Ramakrishna: It definitely can be accelerating, right?

[00:25:24] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Because it's okay, here you are, two weeks of actually facing the thing. Actually being [00:25:30] honest, actually being yourself. Actually having people around you accept you for who you are and not judge you. And what happens after, 10 days, two weeks of being in that, nevermind. The interdimensional travel that you do when you go to sacred sites and temples, and especially when you go to places that the lineage is intact, it's like, whew.

[00:25:54] Asha D. Ramakrishna: We go to the Akash, we go to all the realms [00:26:00] and solutions just like drop in our cells, our DNA. So I do feel really lucky. To first get to do this work for myself and then also to invite people into I don't know the spaceship.

[00:26:17] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I don't know what it is, but I love it so much. I remember years ago I would travel for consulting clients and I would travel to like places that nobody would [00:26:30] be like. This is a holy site and I would find the holy site in the place and or have this like magical pilgrimage like experience and I thought, oh, this is just who I am.

[00:26:43] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And so I feel like I wanna bring people into this wave that I've caught about how, what it means to be a modern priestess to visit. These sacred sites or these places that hold a lot of energy. And I had somebody say to [00:27:00] me in this last trip to India, she said, I feel that the transformation that 

[00:27:06] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I received. 'cause I, when she first arrived, she was like, I am, I'm so much in my masculine. There was this like intensity that she would, this is what she said. It's like there's this intensity about me and through the pilgrimage. What now I see in her is this like lightness and this like love of life.

[00:27:29] Asha D. Ramakrishna: [00:27:30] And I asked her, I was like, oh my gosh, you look so light. Tell me, she's Asha. It was, I think, I can't even believe how organically the transformation in me happened. I feel like I could have gotten the same thing accomplished if I was in a if I was locked in with a therapist for two weeks.

[00:27:50] Asha D. Ramakrishna: It, but this was not like that. This was like, and now we laugh and now we eat, and now we sit in ceremony and now we chant, and [00:28:00] now we like shop and all these things that are just feel so organic and beautiful. And and also there are moments where we cry, of course. Where we face and we say, Ugh no.

[00:28:13] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I'm done with that. I'm done with that. I don't wanna be that. I don't wanna act like that. I don't wanna keep propelling this kind of way of feeling or being or relationships or money or whatever. And then, people make decisions when they come home and say, yeah this is [00:28:30] how I'm gonna do things.

[00:28:31] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And there's also another beautiful thing that it's like a sort of a, the background shift that happens when we are with a group of people who accept us through all our human things, even when we're cranky. And they keep accepting us and keep laughing with us and keep having a good time with us and keep hugging us and.

[00:28:57] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Wanting to get to know us, [00:29:00] that we deeply heal that part of us that feels that part of us that protects those tender parts of ourselves. Yes. And that has no price. You can't even market that, right? It's like you can't even market. You can, but you don't know until you live it and you're like, oh, damn.[00:29:30]

[00:29:30] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I really accept myself because I've taken myself through the process of letting others see me and accept me. 

[00:29:39] Catarina Andrade: It's something you can't do really by yourself. We can only do it in group. Yeah. And with somebody really holding a beautiful, powerful space for that. And then we add in, the energies of the site, the sites, and the portal, that's all bonus.

[00:29:57] Catarina Andrade: But I think it really starts with that, what you just [00:30:00] said is. Oh, I can just be me. I can just be me because we spent so much time efforting around the performance of me as opposed to who me is. 

[00:30:14] Asha D. Ramakrishna: It's so big. Like when we really get honest about. I am. I'm, but it's so natural to us. Our performance is so natural to us because that's the sort of egoic part of us that has kept us [00:30:30] safe.

[00:30:31] Asha D. Ramakrishna: We had to perform, of course, we had to perform, and then when we feel safe enough to. Drop the performance and allow for the realness to be the thing that shows up. It's deeply vulnerable, but it's also deeply beautiful. 

[00:30:52] Catarina Andrade: Absolutely. And this brings us a little bit full circle to where we began. I think that's, the aspect of Sacred Commerce and also [00:31:00] having our own businesses is until we reach a point where financially we feel like, okay, we're good.

[00:31:08] Catarina Andrade: Things are flowing. I can take the risk, I can take more risks and say more things that are authentic and true without worrying about, the repercussions of that. And maybe I can perform a little bit less. Because now it's oh I have my people and I have my clients, and I don't [00:31:30] need to perform as much to just stay safe and to keep receiving sustenance in the world.

[00:31:37] Catarina Andrade: It's oh. I love watching this in brands actually over time. How, usually we start off a bit more authentic because we're new and then we start learning the rules of the game and then we start getting a bit more performy. We're playing the game. It's natural.

[00:31:52] Catarina Andrade: We're learning, again, it's survival. It's. Smart. It's intelligent. We're playing the game. Brands start getting really polished. The copy [00:32:00] starts sounding really good. The funnels get amazing. But then there's that point where we're wait, like where's the me in this? Yeah. Perfect little branded package.

[00:32:12] Catarina Andrade: Just like we were talking about this little box of, what type are we or how we see ourselves. There's also the branding package of the business. Yeah. But then it's like, but wait, Like for me, I always notice this because I love [00:32:30] laughing and you know me, like I'm a big laugher.

[00:32:32] Catarina Andrade: I love humor. It's just, how I like to move through the world. But sometimes it doesn't translate as well in my content because I'm like channeling and whatever. That's what's coming through. And the great mother is sending a message and it's important, and sometimes she'll make us laugh, but I wanna get the message but then I'm like.

[00:32:50] Catarina Andrade: I'm like, but where's the human here? Who? Like, where's the laughter? And then I need to notice that and be like, wait. How is this a [00:33:00] performance because it's a bit stale. It's like, where's my weird quirky laughter aspect of me and how can I let that out? And then it, it becomes a refinement in a more authentic over time, so it's like we start authentic and rugged and it gets really polished. And they were like, wait a second, bring me back. And that's. A big part of that I've seen is where the finances are too. Do we feel safe to start to [00:33:30] Oh, get a bit less? Perfect. Even though I think by doing that we will, the finances will flow more because we're more authentic.

[00:33:39] Catarina Andrade: But I don't know. It's really interesting. I've never explored this before, but 

[00:33:44] Asha D. Ramakrishna: yeah I just, a connection there is and so one of the, one of sort of the principles in sacred commerce of how we differentiate. Let's think of it as like energy, right? There's the energy of you, you have a soul, [00:34:00] and your business has a soul.

[00:34:03] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So there are two separate souls, and then there's you, like just you, and then there's you as the entrepreneur or the CEO or the marketer or what have you. Like all these roles that you play. And of course, when we are. Promoting a personal brand it's a little different than when we are [00:34:30] stewarding a body of work.

[00:34:33] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Yeah. So I can, I'm Asha is not Sacred Commerce. Asha is the steward of sacred commerce. And so sometimes yes, I will have to I mean that maybe that's where the performance part is handy, right? Is okay, I have a role to play with Sacred Commerce because I've made this agreement with Sacred Commerce.

[00:34:53] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And in order for people to understand sacred commerce there are things that maybe, Asha wouldn't say it [00:35:00] that way, but Sacred Commerce is calling that. More forward. And so the distinction of the two, I think, matter in the conversation with the energy of what we steward matters. 'cause otherwise we're building another codependent relationship that nobody wants.

[00:35:18] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then we definitely get very bitter about that. And then the thing that we're stewarding doesn't actually get to move forward. So I think sometimes like just understanding, who needs to be talking [00:35:30] here and what's my role with what with what I'm moving forward and I think it's okay to have a, like those personal quirky things, that Yeah. That we have and that, like for those of us who have hu humor is so vulnerable. Because you're right. Like when you have people in front of you and people laugh at the thing you say, then it's okay, good. Yeah, thanks for that. I'll keep going. But when, but then when you're like on social media and you're like, okay, did anybody laugh?

[00:35:59] Asha D. Ramakrishna: 'cause I [00:36:00] thought it was funny, but, I don't know. But I think it's also okay to not know and just be like, this is who I am too. There's that personal part of me.

[00:36:08] Catarina Andrade: Absolutely. Absolutely. I noticed that a lot. I feel like I have that kind of relationship with the miracle frequency.

[00:36:15] Catarina Andrade: It's like it's something I'm working with. It's not me, and even some events that I'm doing, I'll say, with Catarina and the Miracle Frequency, it's like we are both present. You get me, but there's also this [00:36:30] other entity present that's here doing the work with us. And yeah. And when the miracle Frequency shows up, the miracle frequency is very different in energy and it's very cinematic and very archetypal.

[00:36:45] Catarina Andrade: It's just a different vibe, and so it's like going back and forth, it's who's showing up? How are they communicating? Is it clear to people and also I've noticed for me for loved ones, or people who know you outside of this [00:37:00] context, they see the other energy showing up, and they're like, who's that?

[00:37:04] Catarina Andrade: That's not you. And that feels like a performance. No, it's not a performance that's like an energy that it's an embodiment of. That energy as it wants to show up and as it wants to share and communicate and do a transmission, and then it goes away. And then it comes and goes away. And I've found in the past that's been confusing for people.

[00:37:27] Catarina Andrade: And even in relationships, people just being like, [00:37:30] I don't understand. I don't really understand. And I had actually had a conversation with my mother, At end of last year, I was really thinking about authenticity and my voice and the business and she was saying how, sometimes she'll see me speak and she's who is that person?

[00:37:46] Catarina Andrade: It sounds so different than the Catarina that I know, but, and then I asked her, but does it feel inauthentic? She says, no, it doesn't feel inauthentic. It feels also true. It's just different. But they're both [00:38:00] authentic. It's like you don't have to choose between one or the other. It's just this is in this frequency, and this is in that frequency, and it all gets to be here.

[00:38:09] Catarina Andrade: We're embodying all the faces of the goddess. We're not supposed to be one anyways, right? But we don't give ourselves permission, to do that without. Questioning our own authenticity. 

[00:38:23] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then sometimes other people don't give us permission to be, another thing. Absolutely. And as you were [00:38:30] talking, I was also thinking about what has supported me and other people into like, all right, what do I wanna explore here? And there's this concept of our dharma right in dharma in like modern day Hinduism. There are these four fulfillments of the soul.

[00:38:50] Asha D. Ramakrishna: One is dharma or your sacred duty or purpose. One is, which is prosperity. Yes, sacred scriptures ask us to [00:39:00] be prosperous. And third is Kama pleasure. Like the Kama Sutra, right? Kama is pleasure. And then finally is moksha liberation. And in that order of priority that's what the, 

[00:39:14] Catarina Andrade: oh, wow.

[00:39:15] Catarina Andrade: I didn't realize 

[00:39:16] Catarina Andrade: I've heard of it before, but I didn't realize that there was an order. Amazing. 

[00:39:19] Asha D. Ramakrishna: At least the BGA does display explains it as this is the order of priority first Dharma. First get yourself right first, understandably, then get [00:39:30] your money, then enjoy it, and then spend some time in liberation.

[00:39:35] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And some people believe that moksha is really about passing on to the next plane, but it doesn't have to be. 'cause we can explore liberation here, right? And less material, more, more ethereal. But within that Dharma piece, I have found, I know some people do archetypal work with that to like tune into the energy, like you were saying, Ooh, what's the frequency of priestess?

[00:39:59] Asha D. Ramakrishna: What's the [00:40:00] frequency of mystic or singer or dancer? And. Not quite archetypal, but what we, so this is more on the Sufi tradition. They look at karma and dharma a little bit differently and the way that they look at karma, just 'cause everybody understands that, right? I know in Sanat, Dharma's really about cause and effect and, you come into this lifetime based on what happened in previous [00:40:30] lives.

[00:40:30] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then so you deal with the mess and the bless that you brought, but you like, try to like, bring consciousness so that you can undo some of the mess from the fore and elevate your own journey. In Sufism it's seen a little bit more similar, but I think a little bit angle, different angle.

[00:40:49] Asha D. Ramakrishna: It's seen as these imprinted memories that you have acquired through lifetimes. These imprinted memories cause you [00:41:00] to experience certain things, like the patterns are, a certain way. And then the dharma again, in Sanat Dharma, this is about the dharma's, like your sacred duty. Like you gotta do this thing even if you're humans.

[00:41:13] Asha D. Ramakrishna: No, like you gotta, like you if God called you, if the God has called you, you gotta go do that thing right? And get over yourself a little. And in, in this concept, they ufm look at dharma as the [00:41:30] ornaments of the soul. And I like to blend both because I just like the angle of explaining it so beautiful.

[00:41:36] Asha D. Ramakrishna: These are the ornaments of your soul and there are certain ornaments of your soul that really want your attention in this lifetime. It's not one, it can be multiple. And maybe now, if you're in a certain stage in your life, maybe the ornament of the soul of mother is what calls you or the orchestrator and then you hit another [00:42:00] stride.

[00:42:00] Asha D. Ramakrishna: And then there's some, another part of your soul that says it's now our time. And these dharma types. Sometimes they'll come, it'll like, you can be in like trying to understand what am I here to steward within myself? And it'll come, it'll seem like it's coming from left field. It'll seem like I know nothing about that.

[00:42:22] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I know 20 years ago, yeah. Now, 20 years ago when one of my teachers said to me, you have the Priestess [00:42:30] Dharma type and it's really big on you. And I was like, I know nothing. I don't know what that means. I know nothing. And that really started my journey in trying to understand what does it mean to be a priestess and especially a priestess in this scenario, not in this scenario, in ancient India or ancient Egypt, but right now, and it's been the, it's been the dharma type that's walked with me.

[00:42:59] Asha D. Ramakrishna: [00:43:00] For many years. Yeah. 

[00:43:02] Catarina Andrade: Do you have anything, do you have any specific resources that you use to work with that, with your clients or, 

[00:43:10] Asha D. Ramakrishna: yeah, so I have a list of the predominant dharma types. I have an extensive, I have a beginning list and the extensive list of the dharma archetypes and I do have a workbook that people can just will download and just walk through all the different [00:43:30] layers.

[00:43:30] Asha D. Ramakrishna: So it's takes a look at your Dharma type, but then also combining with what your natural gifts are and what the skills that you have and blending. All of those together. Because if you told me 20 years ago, go be a priestess, I was like, what? Like I'm a molecular biologist, I gotta feed my children.

[00:43:49] Asha D. Ramakrishna: I don't know how to incorporate this into my life. So it wasn't like my vocation, but it was, it began my journey of exploring [00:44:00] this, this aspect of me that, that can sit with people and help them merge the soul and the human. So yeah, I'm happy to share the link with 

[00:44:10] Catarina Andrade: your people.

[00:44:11] Catarina Andrade: Great. Everyone, you can check that out in the links. I love that. And I love how you say, there's the list and then the most, the more expensive, the layers, the spiral, the spiraling. When we follow the spiral, it's so powerful. Imagine starting as a molecular biologist and spiraling [00:44:30] into this, 

[00:44:32] Asha D. Ramakrishna: and now we become all the things.

[00:44:35] Asha D. Ramakrishna: We all become what it wants. 

[00:44:37] Catarina Andrade: Oh, so beautiful. Asha, it's been so beautiful to have this time to connect with you and to explore all of these different areas, and I'm so grateful to have you in my life and for everybody who's. Tuning in. Do check out Asha and her beautiful work, her pilgrimages. If you feel called in case you're sleeping at night, [00:45:00] maybe her name will drop into your awareness.

[00:45:02] Catarina Andrade: Don't be shy to reach out to her. 

[00:45:06] Asha D. Ramakrishna: Definitely. Yeah. I probably post most on Instagram than anywhere else. Yeah, that's probably where I, 

[00:45:12] Catarina Andrade: beautiful. Yeah, so check her out on Instagram too. And thank you so much, Asha, for joining us today and for everybody listening, I'll see you in the next episode. Bye everyone. 

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Catarina Andrade

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Asha D. Ramakrishna

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