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Episode 21 – Ghee: The Ayurvedic Elixir That Carries Prayer, Calms the Nerves, and Feeds Creation

In this episode of Lean on Ayurveda, we explore one of the most sacred and time-honoured substances in the Ayurvedic tradition — ghee.

We travel back to the Rig Veda, one of the oldest known texts in human history, where an entire hymn is devoted to this golden elixir. Through story, philosophy, and practice, we traces ghee’s divine lineage and the many layers of meaning it holds — as nourishment, medicine, and prayer.

From its origins as the union of Agni (fire) and Soma (nectar), ghee reminds us of the balance between transformation and rest, action and receptivity, doing and being.

You’ll learn:

• Why ghee is called “the tongue of the gods and the navel of immortality” in the Rig Veda
• How ghee acts as an anupan — a carrier that brings nourishment to the body’s deepest tissues
• The story of Prajapati and how ghee became a symbol of creation itself
• The connection between ghee and our nervous system, reproductive vitality, and emotional steadiness
• Simple, everyday ways to bring ghee into your life — in the kitchen, in self-care, and in ritual

I also share the tradition of making ghee on the full moon — a practice of aligning with the lunar cycle and reconnecting with nourishment as a sacred act.

Mentioned in this episode

• Rig Veda hymn to ghee
• Vital Veda's Dylan Smith article — "The lowdown on Ghee" - for further teachings
• The concept of Agni and Soma in Ayurveda
• Full moon ghee-making ritual

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A reflection for you:
Each time you stir a spoon of ghee into your soup or tea, ask yourself — How am I tending to my fire today? And how am I nourishing it?

If this episode resonates, please share it or leave a review — it helps more listeners discover Ayurveda as both science and poetry for modern living.

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and join me again in two weeks for another episode of Lean on Ayurveda.

Learn more about my work: https://leanonayurveda.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: receive seasonal reflections, ayurvedic practices, recipes and free resources to bring balance into your daily life.

Book a 1:1 ayurvedic consultation: learn how to use food, rhythm and ritual to support your unique constitution.

If this episode resonates, please share it and rate the podcast - it helps more people discover the art of ayurveda as a support system for modern living!