My name is: Erika Rose Santoro.

I’m known as: A multidimensional artist, teacher and liberator.

My expertise is in: Embodied spiritual transformation and liberation, soul purpose, creativity and the creative process.  

I stay physically healthy with: A 95% vegan diet, all organic everything, lots of water, super high potent herbs from the Amazon (available on my rootedandwild.org/botanica), dancing, laughter, crying, hugs, nature, rituals, cyclical living and daily devotional practice and rituals.

I keep my emotions balanced with: My daily Sadhana. It happens before sunrise—4am to 6am—and includes, breathing exercises, chanting, transcendental meditation, visioning, prayer, journaling, stretching and a debrief with my ancestors and guides. They’re the best!

I’m intellectually stimulated by: Learning! I’m a forever student, which is why I have so many certifications—lol. I’m finally going deeper into my astrological study with several teachers and studying vastu, which is the precursor to feng shui. I’m very visual and spatially inclined, and I love to make sacred high-vibrational spaces for myself and others. Next up will be my PhD. 

I was recently transformed by: Just pre-lockdown I went on the most incredible journey to Egypt. It felt like it changed my DNA. The transmissions and initiations I received there brought so much clarity and affirmation and insight. I will be unpacking and allowing that trip to inform me for the rest of my life. 

In the last six months, the ritual that has become so important for me is: In 2020, my top intention was to experience myself as sacred, which, as a notoriously self-sacrificing being, has never been a priority of mine. I was always like, “but what is the self anyway?” But last year, I got the most delicious clean beauty body/skin products and I started really enjoying taking care of myself that way—like I have a special lotion or oil or cream for each body part: my breasts get their own massage treatment, my belly gets its own treatment, my nails, my face, my body, my hair. I felt and feel more radiant as a result like, “Oh, I am a Goddess and I get to treat myself as such. I don’t have to wait/or need someone else to do this for me.” It’s been a massive shift for me and awakened another level of pleasure.

Here’s how you can do it too: I usually do this on a Sunday cause I have more time.

I oil my hair pre shampoo or do a rice water rinse and then I shampoo, condition, deep condition. I’ve got 3c curls and I’ve been loving Bread Beauty Supply. I detangle and comb in the shower. Then, I use sea sponge loofah with Nubian Heritage body wash and another gentle sea sponge loofah on my face. (I have oily skin and a daily light loofah exfoliates me perfectly.) Post-shower, I use my three-step skincare process from Goddess of Skin. She truly is a goddess. I’ve used her products for almost 20 years! She makes them by hand on the full moon! Mist, serum, cream. Sometimes, I’ll add an oil and do some gua sha.

Then, for deodorant, I love Corpus. And then I use a mix of Ayurvedic oil and rose oil and massage my legs, hips and arms. Next, I use Zoe Organics belly butter on my pregnant belly. Then, I use a special Ayurvedic breast care balm from Banyan Botanicals and do a breast massage, and then Laguna Herbals nail restoration balm on my nails cause mama hasn’t gotten a pedicure or manicure since Covid. Then, most days, it’s eye brow gel and calendula lip balm. If I want to use makeup, I go for Ilia Beauty (True Skin Foundation, the Multi-Stick) and RMS highlighter. 

It helps me live my process because: It’s my way of loving myself and replenishing the well of my juiciness, so I can bring more of that juice to all I encounter. 

Take a moment to learn more about Erika Rose Santoro’s journey here.