Holidays are holy days

I find these winter months so spacious. The darker, shorter days help me focus on just being myself, rather than producing and doing lots. And yet the three weeks after my last email were some of the busiest working weeks I have ever had.

I have been catching up with patients that I couldn't see during the last Melbourne lockdown. And I also received many phone calls from new families needing support for their pre and postpartum time.

This is the work I really love; being a human that cares for other humans in the complex ways they need. I am so grateful to have the flexibility of working from home and doing home visits, as this allows me to support people's bodies physically and emotionally. To welcome people in whatever state they are in, and to settle the family nervous system as a whole.

In practice, this looks like me treating a mum while reading a story to her toddler sitting on my lap, lying in bed with a mum and her newborn, crying over cups of tea with a mum whose baby died, spontaneously treating a partner's neck and shoulders while a breastfeeding mum eats with both hands free, listening to many birth stories both fresh and from a long time ago, always letting conversations range where they need to.

Part of the balance of doing this work is making sure I am well supported and my family's nervous system is regulated. So this week we had time off together as a family and went away to the beach. It felt really important to pause and switch off all the usual tasks and connectivity, to gain new perspectives and play together. I call it finding holy space for deep rest (holidays = holy days).

I wonder how you are tending to your needs this month? How can you take deep care of yourself and your relationships without worrying about what you should be doing? What do you really need right now? What are you really yearning for? Try to be honest and kind with yourself.

Last July, I was thinking about how we co-regulate, breath by breath, smile by smile and heartbeat by heartbeat.

This July, I am thinking about the building blocks of health; how what we eat and the way we chew and breathe effect our teeth and bones and vascular health. And how the way we move our whole body shapes us down to the cellular level.

Movement is like an essential vitamin we need daily (Vit M). It nourishes us on so many levels. And I'm not just talking about exercise. I mean all the natural movements we do throughout the day and night. If this idea inspires you take a look at Katy Bowman's work.

I am hoping the transition back to work and school goes smoothly for us all this week. May we feel well nourished and supported. 

Much love,

Emily