new cycles
Hello there dear reader, thank you for your patience with this life update! It has truly been a long time since I have contributed anything to the blog.
I am writing to you today on Diwali, Halloween, Samhain, and soon to be Day of the Dead… it is a sacred time for sure and as the leaves slowly turn into enchanting golds and crimsons I am reflecting on all that has transpired for me.
In January of 2023 I made the decision to explore living on Vancouver Island and for the following year I lived in the beautiful, rural Cowichan Valley (unceded Quwut’sun Territory) and fell in love with the land, the river, the people, the slower pace of life. After 7 years of living in bustling Vancouver and trying to fit into other people’s ideas of who I should be - I finally shed those unmet expectations and set on a healing journey to rediscover joy and meaning.
I found myself sharing a beautiful house with 7 acres of land, cows grazing out the window, growing food and flowers with amazing humans, eating delicious food with others, swing dancing, singing karaoke in old barns, spending time with horses, building community, working in a farmside cafe, offering yoga and moon circles and massage sporadically, dancing in backyards, and swimming in wild places.
It was truly such a special and healing time for me. I let go of the corporate busy-ness that I used to be immersed in, and suddenly felt alive again. My joie de vivre returned, and I reveled in the experience of discovering new forests, living near the ocean, and adopting a slower pace. During the pandemic, I watched all kinds of tiny house, rural life videos on youtube and began longing to return to an older way of life… my ancestors were all farmers so it felt natural to be nurturing the earth and living more simply. I visited farm stands and felt so inspired by the sustainable agriculture all around, the proximity to the creative and growing city of Victoria, and the beauty of waking up to birds and falling asleep seeing stars every night.
After a year of moving around to various short term rentals and sublets, I struggled to find affordable housing in the Valley for myself and my two precious cats. In May of 2024, I came across an opportunity to live in a beautiful character home in Victoria that checked all the boxes, besides being rural! So my cats and I followed life’s lead and moved in. I found myself missing farm life but knowing that one day I will return. New doors are opening in Victoria and it feels like the right place to be for the time being…I am trusting that one day I will return to the Cowichan, preferably to start a herbal and flower farm/retreat center/birthing resource cafe.
In April of 2022, I completed my birth doula training after spending a lifetime obsessed with pregnancy and birth. As a child, I would watch “A Birth Story” on TLC with great zeal and hold all of my baby and toddler cousins at family gatherings. At Pearson College, two babies were born on campus in the first couple months to faculty members and I spent countless hours with them both, holding the little ones and helping out new parents whenever I could. At university, I volunteered at the daycare with the infant/toddler program…..all this to say - I have always been deeply fascinated by the process of birth - so doula work felt like a natural fit. I did my doula training in the land of my birth (England), and retraced some of my own ancestral journey. It was a rich and fulfilling experience to learn a bit about the foundations of being a birthworker.
Since then, I have been assisting families mostly as a postpartum doula, but also sometimes in the prenatal and birthing period too. I cannot tell you how much joy I feel when I am cooking nourishing food for new parents, offering massage, listening to how they are doing emotionally, cuddling babies, and talking about reproductive health. It is a true passion and it feels so aligned.
In addition to birthwork, I am also still offering soul coaching sessions (in person and online), as well as various customized yoga and meditation classes, and intuitive energy massage for women. I recently completed an 8 month Herbal Immersion Course at Wild Folk Herbal Farm on Salt Spring Island - learning all about herbal medicine and farming. It was amazing! I am taking a prenatal and perinatal massage course next week at Bastyr University in Seattle, and I am in the midst of a 1 year Systemic and Family Constellations training with Jan Hull. It has been a full time full of growth and learning - I am so deeply grateful.
I am also editing the first draft of my next book, the topic being holistic mental health care. Will keep you posted on how that goes!
Please reach out if I can be of service in any way - it is an honour to walk alongside folks as they navigate the joys, challenges, and rebirths that we all go through. Life is rarely what we expect, hey? Sometimes I have to remind myself that Life usually knows better than I do and that even though the road may be windy, there are plenty of gorgeous wildflowers to pick and sunsets to admire.
May your next cycle be fruitful and may your autumn be a lovely release of what you no longer need.
With care and love,
Emmy
