Issue #37

The Embodied Way Connection

A Beautiful Space for You

For those of you who are new to The Embodied Way…Welcome! I send this newsletter out once per month, usually mid-month. You are always welcome to unsubscribe, which you can do at the bottom of this newsletter. My intention is to provide more value to you, when it comes to your life and your skin without being an annoying nuisance in your inbox! Thank you for being a client and for spreading the word about The Embodied Way:)

This month, I linger on the power of reading, and the act of slowing down to take in what we consume. I also touch on our feet, and how to care for them when we are meeting the seasons of life(or in this case…summer).

My feet are currently taking me to the South Cowichan every week (that’s why this newsletter is late arriving in your inbox). I am helping my mom clear out her house that she has lived in for 38 years. Talk about a pilgrimage…!

Yes, I am still taking appointments every week. If you don’t see a spot for when you need it, please message me as I can adjust my schedule.

Enjoy the rest of August, I look forward to seeing you soon.

Book a Service

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Notes from Glenda

A number of you know I am a reader (and listener) of books. Books have always been an integral part of my life. I was four when I learned to read, and ever since I completed my first title (Albert the Albatross), it’s been a steady run! This morning I finished The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, which I highly recommend.

One could say reading is an embodied experience for me, hitting all the senses and my heart and mind at the same time. The smell and feel of the pages, the insight I have access to through the lens of the character or the author, and the transformation of my beliefs and ideas about the world are all a part of the experience.

Whenever I am uncomfortable about a topic, or situation in life, I turn to books. Whenever I need an education, want to grow my skills, or be mentored I turn to books. Whenever I want to remind myself of what I know, how much I have taken in, and to feel grounded in who I am, I turn to my books.

Books also connect me to people and our human experience. We might not know someone or understand something, but through access to the story of people’s lives, we understand, value, respect and appreciate each other more deeply. Great books also invite important conversations and sharing of experiences. I love discussing a book and what it meant to those of us who read it.

Sometimes, I am so excited to finish a book that I rush through it. I have started realizing that this is a glutonous tendancy I have! It’s hard for a book to do its full work or find the simple truths in it, if I am hardly pausing before turning the page or before starting the next book on my list. I must slow down, pick quality books, and enjoy the process and time it takes to digest what I am reading.

Part of embodied way of life is to take in what happened for me during the reading. How did it make me feel? What did it bring up for me? Are there any beliefs or ways I see the world that have changed? Then, I take a bit of time to contemplate the insights and apply them to my life.

This also means being judicious. I can't be afraid to stop reading a book if it is not hitting the spot (or if I think it is written badly). I need to be aware of having too many books on the go at once, it just addles my brain and body. Juditious means not being afraid to pick up something that is guaranteed to make me uncomfortable, or that will stretch me in some way.

Finally, my general and overall philosophy for life is this: If you can read, you can figure anything out.

With those thoughts about books, I will leave you with a few questions…

What has been your most recent read (book or otherwise)?

What did it mean to you, how did you feel reading it, and how did it shift you?

What did you gain from this read, and is it different from what you thought you might gain or hoped for when you chose this read?

What do you most appreciate about reading (of any kind)?

If you had to choose just three books to take with you on the rest of your life journey, what would they be?

What book(s) do you consider essential reading and why do you believe it/they are essential

PS. Feel free to share your answers with me, I can share the books you recommend in another newsletter so that others might share in the joy of reading.

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Service of the Month

Pedicure for the Soul

Feet need to be ready to take you anywhere and to feel fantastic doing it. Summer can be brutal on the feet and toenails.

Open toed shoes, bare feet in flip flops, and increased activities that involve our feet can all lead to calluses, cracked heals, torn and dehydrated nails, and skin that has ingrained dirt.

None of which is anything to be embarrassed about.

All it means is that you have been enjoying your life, experiencing the freedom of warm weather, and partaking in the thrill of life!

But, cracked heels hurt, and dehydrated nails can start to become ingrown or rip off down to the quick. None of which feels good. Caring for your feet is an act of respect and enables you to keep going on life’s pilgrimage!

A few simple solutions:

• Get a pedicure (obvious!) with or without polish.
• As soon as you get out of the shower (am or pm or both), apply some cuticle oil or shea butter to your toenails and cuticles. Be sure to massage it in. This will nourish your nail bed, keep the nail beds from getting dehydrated, and will make it super easy to get out that stubborn under-the-nail dirt. It also prevents fungus from taking hold if you have torn or lifted your nail from the nail bed.
• Soak your feet in a herbal foot soak, epsom salts, or some warm water with either salt or baking soda and a bit of lavender oil at least once per week.
• Make a scrub from sugar and shea butter/oil (I like holly oil or almond oil) and give your feet and calves a good scrub. Rinse well and nourish your feet with some high quality moisturizer. Shea butter is great as are all the Gehwol products.

Don’t have anything on hand? Just ask me and I can get you what you need.

I Want to Book My Pedicure for the Soul

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The Giving Corner

This month I have given to the Red Cross to help our fellow British Columbians and Canadians get what they need to recover from the losses they have faced from the wildfires.

I also want to thank all the firefighters and first responders who have given their all to our province and country.

Donate HERE

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Quotes

"Pilgrims know this truth: our feet are more than bone and muscle. They are witnesses, storytellers, sacred companions." — Anonymous Pilgrim

"It is not the road ahead that wears you out – it is the grain of sand in your shoe." — Proverb / Traditional Saying

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss

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Endnotes

I hope you can make the most of the remainder of summer. Sending many good thoughts your way!

Remember, if you don't see a time that works for your desired appointment, please message me or call, as my schedule will continue to be different for the coming couple of months while I help my mom. What you see online may not reflect my actual availability. I will have times available each week though so that I can look after each of you.

I Want to Book a Service