Key Highlights

• In life, as in spirituality, the spectrum encompasses both the brilliance of light and happiness as well as the shadows of darkness and sadness. Yet, many remain unaware of the profound synergy between the Earth and these human experiences. SriMati delves deep into this, unlocking the inner alchemist within, embracing one's unique journey, tapping into power spots, and discovering growth even in the most challenging times.

• Doctors were certain Julie’s condition was incurable. Embarking on a spiritual quest, she found healing emphatically when she stumbled upon deep meditation and whole-living foods. Gifted with an almost motherly personality, she found perfect alignment in what she loved doing, which was mentoring and cooking.

• SriMu, a culmination of her culinary knowledge and connection to the planet, is an ‘artisanal NOT cheese.’ Made from rich plant-based-only ingredients, SriMu amplifies the tanginess and fullness of some of the most exquisite French and Italian cheeses. But true to her love for mentoring, Julie Piatt has written internationally acclaimed books and is a spiritual guide in deep meditation through the Water Tiger community and leading pilgrimage retreats to energetically significant locations.

Reminiscent of Renaissance Italy and France, the art she lives and breathes allowed her to express herself as a fashion designer, chef, author, painter, healer, spiritual guide, and most recently, an entrepreneur. But exceedingly, knowledge of the metaphysical has marshalled her experiences and actions, aligning them with her divine identity: a mother and SriMati.

Julie had gone to different shamans, learning various doctrines and cultures. Craving a more profound sense of purpose that had persisted throughout her life, a simple act of ticking a box on a sign-up form led to a shaman bestowing upon her the name Sri Mati, which embodies beauty, love, and bliss in all manifestations. The shaman tasked her with embracing this name as a daily charge, a noble ideal to personify in every aspect of her life.

With vivid memories of wastage in the fashion industry, transitioning to the business sector came with considerable hesitation. But in SriMu, a new opportunity emerged, diverging from the skepticism about the authentic taste of plant-based “not cheeses.” Adopting a production model that avoids excesses and respects all aspects of nature, Julie was inspired to launch her company, carving out a niche in the vegan lifestyle market.

Embrace your Unique Journey

"There's only one of you in the omniverse. Embrace your unique journey."

Many fall hook, line and sinker for the fallacy that growth means positivity in all aspects of the experiences in life. But life happens, crisis strikes, and anything that deviates from this imagination sticks out like a sore thumb.

Julie felt a deep connection with ‘all nature,‘ a bond that seemed at odds with her father’s role as a hunter. The nuanced similarities between her affinity for nature and her father's work as a civil engineer and builder, serving the community and showcasing artistry for the Association of Indigenous Alaskans, initially eluded her. Learning to appreciate the person that he was, his final moments only amplified the bond they already shared as father and daughter. What was to become a tumultuous period for her family transformed into:

“...a celebration of the most cherished moments of his devotion and presence, and resoundingly, preparing him for a continuation of his spiritual journey into the other-worldly realm.”

From embracing the painful reality that it was time for her father’s departure, they found transcendence, making every second count in his final days. Distraught and panicky, many wallow in painful experiences, straying from their divine path, but SriMati divulges that the concept of pain is often a growth opportunity.

"Pain is a crumbling of what we think is reality in our journeys as spiritual beings. But it is in the crumbling that we evolve and awaken to the everlasting aspects of being spiritual or multidimensional and having different experiences."

People journey through life expecting this blissful experience, oblivious to the supernatural. And in that naivety, they are often blind to the existence of competing forces of light and dark. In pain and darkness, Julie explains, lies a life-changing moment which, when approached with clarity, will unleash one’s higher self.

Turning Poison into Wine

“Being an alchemist means utilizing everything without letting any of it go to waste, whether it is the life experiences, emotions, events, and really turning the poison from your unique experiences into wine.”

Overlapping with human life are the competing forces of positivity and uncertainty, curating a far-reaching cosmic balance in the physical and spiritual realms. Embracing the innate potential of human beings, SriMati emphasizes that sculpting your personal journey requires fully utilizing the trials, pains and actions you encounter to overcome adversities. Thus, living your best life isn’t merely about welcoming positive experiences but about achieving a state of grace and presence, allowing time for what truly matters as you naturally navigate the currents of life.

Power Spots

“There is considerable evidence that individuals use both natural and supernatural explanations to interpret the origin of species, illness, and death. Further, the supernatural explanations often increase rather than decrease with age, supporting the proposal that the mystical phenomena are integral and enduring aspects of human cognition (Legare et al., 2012).”

‘The Great Chain of Being,’ despite its profound influence on most historical Western theology, has been a sacred part of different cultures and religious texts from around the world. The extramundane perspective is wrapped in the diversity of ideas surrounding the greater cosmic order, from which humans possess unimaginable potential.

For SriMati, humans have always had a flair for creation. Reincarnated into new bodies across time, people lose some of the talent and energy they had in previous lifetimes across millenia. But simultaneously, the planet also has ‘acupuncture points’ where people can commune with forgotten memories and parts of themselves, restoring the ultimate balance between what they were and that which they needed to be, living in the world’s raw splendor.

“Egypt is a powerful vortex and connected to the ancestry of all races around the world. The closest civilization to Atlantis when we were still active in our divinity.”

Egypt, the last bastion of ancient civilization, is one of the 'power spots' where people have the potential to reclaim the wisdom they have carried through history. Connecting with the frequency of vibrational space allows the soul to draw upon ancient knowledge, amplifying the experience of a place. Fortuitously, through pilgrimages, SriMati guides individuals along a spiritual path, fostering a synergy with their ancestry and reinforcing a connection with the thoughts and insights of predecessors.

Tapping into the Power Spot Within

"The awakening on the planet's power spots also happens inside each one of us in the most potent power spot there is, the human body."

Going deeper into SriMati's spiritual offerings, the Water Tiger mentorship emerges as a transformative experience for many. It embodies a 'way to no way' philosophy, serving as a living sphere of techniques that empower individuals to craft and take ownership of their personal paths to enlightenment. Drawing from lifetimes steeped in the traditions of mantra, SriMati's words hold a potent resonance, a power that numerous participants have found to be transformative in their spiritual journeys. Unlike traditional community-based programs, the Water Tiger mentorship operates on a unique model. Subscribers gain exclusive access to a wealth of tools without the typical community interactions. Every month, SriMati provides a two-hour spiritual discourse, addressing both the prevailing planetary shifts and responses to individual queries. It's a holistic experience, tailor-made for those eager to engage with their spiritual selves on a deeper level.

When Julie’s husband, Rich Roll, an ultra-endurance athlete, author, vegan and wellness advocate, and host of the famous Rich Roll podcast, was contesting in the 'double Iron Man races,' she was sure she wanted to help. Whether she was hosting '2 or 50,' cooking was effortless for her, so she supported him by preparing revitalizing plant-based recipes, rekindling the energy he already had moving into the competitions.

Rich Roll moved from a counterproductive lifestyle in his 40s to making the purposeful decision to consume plants and lead a conscious life. Demonstrating the potent synergy of mind and body, he rose to the top in competitions within just two years, cultivating a robust following drawn to his fervent advocacy for fitness and a healthy vegan lifestyle.

In Roll’s story, as it is in Julie’s, unlocking the potential of the mind and body affords one an unparalleled awakening. Based on her experience, embracing a lifestyle that resonates with a ‘higher life’ and eliminates excesses can unleash one’s inner alchemist. This approach transcends lesser aspects of one’s health and life, transforming them through the nurturing force of the planet, often referred to as ‘plant power, 'all while honoring the life and sanctity of animals.

Finding Growth in Challenging Times

In the realms of spirituality and culinary arts, Julie discovered her true strength, pouring the richness of her passion into creating over 300 plant-based recipes and authoring books on the subject. She advocates viewing both the joyful and challenging moments in life as opportunities to steer oneself towards improved health, positivity, or adept crisis management. For SriMati, what seemed like an ‘incurable condition’ actually set her firmly on a path of healing. She believes that in everyone’s journey lies a vast world of endless possibilities, where they can master the art of transforming pain into something profoundly nourishing, akin to ‘turning poison into wine.’

Conclusion

The intricate intertwining of the spiritual and physical realms is truly astonishing, a testament to the remarkable capacity of the human body to heal itself and the spirit’s ability to carve out unique pathways in its ongoing multidimensional voyage. Amidst a wealth of knowledge often lost or overlooked, individuals bear the higher duty to delve into the fragments of history to uncover insights into themselves, the interconnectedness of ‘all nature’, and their ultimate purpose in existence. Yet, as Arthur Lovejoy once noted, highlighting the fragility inherent in the ‘great chain of being,' it is essential to maintain a sense of humility and awareness of our limited understanding. In this vast cosmic machinery, one can, at best, consider oneself a perpetual student, ever eager to learn and explore realms beyond the known.

Looking to foster a deeper bond with the Earth? SriMu embodies the planet’s vibrations, transforming them into delightful flavors and nourishing sustenance that is scalable yet gentle on nature. Apart from crafting culinary delights, she has penned recipe books published by Avery Random House and created three albums: SriYa, Mother of Mine, and Jai Home. She has also authored titles such as “This Cheese is Nuts” and “The Plant Power Way” series with her husband. For those interested in further immersing themselves in the richness of the physical world, SriMati will be guiding the Water Tiger Pilgrimage in Egypt, offering two sessions from October 29th to November 9th and November 11th to November 22nd. For more information, visit her website.

Photo Credit: Andrew Gallery, Leia Vita Marasovich

References

Legare, C. H., Evans, E. M., Rosengren, K. S., & Harris, P. L. (2012). The coexistence of natural and supernatural explanations across cultures and development. Child Development, 83(3), 779–793. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01743.x

Lovejoy, A. O., & J. Stanlis, P. (2017). The Outcome of the History and Its Moral. The Great Chain of Being, 315–334. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315132310-11

van Zyl, L. E., Gaffaney, J., van der Vaart, L., Dik, B. J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2023). The Critiques and Criticisms of Positive Psychology: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2178956