Home Body with MJ Renshaw

Welcome to the fourth instalment of Home Body, an interview series where we talk to inspiring folks staying home during the lock down. Find the first interview here, second interview here and third interview here

I met MJ a few years ago in her apartment in Kensington Market, she was working as a manual practitioner and I had visited her for treatments as a part of my fertility journey. Being with MJ is a lesson in openness and vulnerability, the support she provides for her clients is incredible. There is a closeness and a safety she provides that is truly rare, in our first conversation I found myself sharing my deepest stored emotions and learning about how trauma manifested in the body. Mj works as a healing guide, providing support to her clients in a truly holistic process. Mj’s openness about her own life and journey has been so inspirational to me. I knew I had to feature her here for this series.

How have you been feeling these past months while being in this new normal?

I will always remember 2020 as being the year I felt every possible human emotion.

What has this time taught you?

Resiliency & compassion.

What are the things you miss most about pre-covid life?

Honestly, nothing. I believe the future we’re building is going to be so much better. It breaks my heart that change is coming at the cost of so many lives but I am hopeful that we can use this as an indicator that we need to be more mindful, more compassionate, and more together.

Looking at the planet as a big ecosystem--a virus that would harm a significant amount of the population is a good sign that something isn’t working and change is needed. I can’t tell you how many times the kindness of people has brought me to tears these past nine months. I believe energetically that there are always opposing forces in the universe and while there has been a lot of fear, there has been just as much Love.

Has your self care changed during this time?

My notion of “self” has expanded greatly. I thought that this pandemic would give me more time to focus on myself, but I’ve found that I’ve naturally gravitated to focusing on others more which feels good. We moved out of the city to Lake Simcoe and I can’t believe how amazing it has been for my nervous system.

I have really come to understand the healing powers of connection (ironically in lock-downs). Just being close to my partner, facetiming friends, and spending time in nature has brought me back to equilibrium every day. On top of the pandemic, and partner and I also had a miscarriage which really brought me back to “what matters”. I’m grateful for dark moments like that because it reminds me what I need to be resilient and how precious our time is here.

What have you been doing to feel good during this time?

I’ve been laughing with my mom, reading a lot, and working a lot. I run a small business so that takes a lot of time, but luckily it feels good to put my energy there. I feel really grateful to have Earth Oil and making small batches is very meditative for me.

Do you have any favourite products, rituals or recipes you’re loving these days?

Rainbo Chaga Tincture: We have a family subscription for the winter and my mom (who gets colds a lot) is feeling really good so that makes me very happy. :)

A lot of Earth Oil in the winter. My boyfriend and I pretty regularly give each other massages with it and it’s so nice.

We make a lot of bone broth in the winter and use it as a base for soups. I love going to 4Life Natural Foods in Kensington and getting local veggies to use.

To find out more about MJ make sure to follow her on Instagram @being_mjrenshaw or online at
www.mjrenshaw.ca & www.earthconnectionoil.com