Emily

Beauty is so many things, but at this point in my life, it is becoming something that emanates from within more than anything else.

I love to adorn myself with colourful, ethical, textiles and jewellery mostly from places around the world I have made connections with and it brings me joy to find expression in this way – creativity, the way we carry ourselves, our own unique energy, the light in our eyes, that spark.

I feel most beautiful when in a deep connection to nature, body on the earth, in water, around plants and feel so much more beautiful day to day when I am ingesting foods with integrity, cultivated fairly, from healthy soils (there is privilege of course in being able to access this kind of beauty, but it shouldn’t be that way – this is what drives my current work!). There is also so much beauty in presence. Meditation is a powerful way to connect to ourselves and cultivate that inner garden of connection, to our own minds and bodies, as well as other beings and the broader ecosystems and communities we all are entangled with. Compassion and lovingkindness are quite beautiful I would say! 

It is our right and even our responsibility to reclaim our beauty, that is in no way dependant on what capitalism has deeply imprinted us into believing we need. In our current times, for most of us, this is a process of radical unlearning. But things are transforming rapidly. In the past I would hide my large scars, wear shapewear, obsess over flaws and be constantly thinking about how I can improve my appearance, be thinner and so on. I can’t say I have completely healed these beauty wounds, but I’m committed to the journey. Fall in love with your own smile and learn to say “hey cutie!” when you catch yourself in the mirror rather than immediately look for flaws. We are still bombarded with ‘not enough’ messaging every day, so it’s going to be a slow and tender process for most of us, but spaces like these can provide solidarity and examples of how we can embody and inhabit our skin and spirit with more joy and ease, just where we are right now – imperfect but no less, if not more, gorgeous. 

What is something you’re proud of that you and your body have done?  

Surviving abuse, cultivating an inner ecosystem and energetic home base that is loving and safe, for myself and others. I’m also profoundly grateful that this body has had me walking across so many incredible lands all over the world, learning and growing. 

What do you do for your mental health, for peace and clarity in your daily life?

Meditation, eating foods from healthy soils and cultivated by respected farmers as often as I can, and getting my feet and skin onto the earth, sand or water or sun. A boogie in the kitchen is usually required, and exercise that incorporates walking, exploring and paying mindful attention to the more than human world is also key.   

Instagram accounts to follow that have great community, important messages

@the.wellbeing.connection @seedmob @for.the.wild @adreinnemareebrown @prentishemphill @rowanwhite @the_emergence_network @decolonizingtherapy    

Testimonial: Your thoughts on the experience of being photographed for the Beauty Myth Project:

I myself am a photographer, and so being in front of a camera is quite an uncomfortable space for me. Yet within minutes,

I was effortlessly posing, completely relaxed! Briony was very present and had me feeling seen and very accepted. It’s clear there is a lot of integrity in her work and the way she approaches her subjects, and this is reflected in the beauty that emanates from her photographs.