Healing Human

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Healing Human

Healing Human is a nurturing woman-owned and operated collective hub for yoga, homeopathy, and reiki.

Our core belief is that we are all Healing Humans, constantly evolving and growing along our own unique trajectories. Based in the traditional foundations and philosophy of Yoga, Paige Berling-MacKenzie aims to help you build a loving and intimate relationship with yourself through heartfelt, poetic, and explorative online yoga classes. In her classes you can expect a focus on bio-individuality, t

he invitation to explore, and ultimately to find the yoga that works for you and your unique body. She continuously weaves the spiritual and physical aspects of yoga together in order to guide students toward healing - physical, mental, and spiritual. Each week, she offers drop-in online yin yoga classes, and every Thursday new classes are added to the online library of pre-recorded classes.

05/11/2026

As my sweet baby is asleep on my chest, I am thinking of all of the mothers that have allowed me to mother. My own, my grandmothers, my great grandmothers and my great great grandmothers (two of which were also Ottilia), and so on.

I am thinking of words from my own mother that I will forever cherish, and that have made all the difference for me as I’ve entered this role. In those early, raw, vulnerable days after birth, anytime I asked a question or was looking for reassurance or another opinion she just said “YOU KNOW” every single time. She instilled such confidence in my knowing of my little baby, and of my intuition. I wish this for every new mother. I wish this for ever mother at every stage.

Thinking of my mother-in-law who has raised such a beautiful and loving son who I get to do parenthood with. And thinking of the mother who raised her, and loved him. And inspired Ottilia’s middle name.

Thinking of all of my new mama friends and how incredible it is to be on this journey alongside eachother.

Thinking of all the friends and family that have bolstered, loved and celebrated me in this time of transition.

Thinking of all the mamas and grandmamas that have come up to me while pregnant and carrying my sweet baby, who have shared with me excitement, support, love, advice, encouragement, and their own stories.

Thinking of the midwives and doulas and all other birthworkers that support and empower mothers.

Thinking of all the childless mothers whom I have so much love and compassion for.

Thinking of all those who wish to be mothers.

Thinking of all of the children of mothers.

Thinking of Mother Earth.

Happy, happy Mother’s Day 💐💕

📷: .thread (also a mother 🤭)

04/18/2026

Birth story P.5

Around 1am the involuntary pushing was now happening every contraction. At this point, I was on my bed resting in child pose, and alternating labouring on hands and knees, and lizard pose.

At 1:25am, the head starts to become visible with the pushes. For the next 52 minutes, I reach into the cosmos, while simultaneously into the most primal and earthy part of my existence in order to bring my baby earthside.

During this 52 minutes, with each contraction I push my baby further down. With each pause between,
I could so viscerally feel baby sliding back up. For 52 minutes I was told “this sensation is safe, the stretching is intense, you’re safe to go with it”. I asked “will my tailbone get out of the way?” They said yes. I screamed, I groaned, I roared, I cried. I was so sure there was no way on earth this is how babies are born. So sure there was no way on earth that this baby will be born this way.

I felt myself tear. I felt as if I was being absolutely split in half. “Ring of fire” doesn’t cut it - the sensation is so much more nuanced and sharp than this colloquialism.

I remember thinking that surely only three more contractions and baby will be here. And those came and went. A new bargain with myself: five more contractions and baby will be here.

I remember knowing the importance of not pushing past what my body was ready for, and not asking of what my body was not needing. But being right on the cusp of birthing this baby, and lingering in this space of such great intensity, I knew I couldn’t be here forever. I finally had a moment of realization: THIS IS SELF SACRIFICE. This is where I become mother.

A new bargain with myself: I will deal with the repercussions of birth, whatever they are. If I split in half, I will figure out how to be repaired back into one piece. It is time to birth my baby.

With a fierceness and power within myself that I have never met before, I became a mother to my daughter. With earth shattering power, not only did I birth my babies head, but she flew out all in one go. My husband, her father, caught her.

My baby was born.
I was reborn.

04/14/2026

Birth story P.4

Around 9pm, I started shaking uncontrollably with the contractions. Yet another powerful and uncontrollable aspect of labour.

Around 10pm I started involuntarily pushing every few contractions. Now, the intensity of contractions and shaking layered with a whole new intensity of pushing, not led by or instructed by anyone. An innate knowing of my body taking over.

Over 40 hours of labour, and I felt I must be close. My baby must be close. I felt for my babies head, and felt nothing.

Being in labour, you are in this wild liminal space. You are between worlds. Connected so viscerally and physically to the body, yet tethered to something so far from this known life. I was not thinking, I could barely say a word. Yet somehow was navigating different positions with my knowledge of anatomy and physiology, seeking to use gravity and encourage the biomechanics of my pelvis to bring my baby down.
 After so many gruelling hours of effort, after not being able to yet feel my babies head, I needed to give my legs a break.

And somehow it was in this, shifting out of an upright position, that made the most significant change.

I laid on my bed on my side, riding the waves of contractions. Within the contractions, feeling the powerful pulses of involuntary pushing. Now, a new sensation: my baby wiggling and shifting lower in my body. Such a powerful moment of really realizing that this baby is so very much a part of this experience and has her own work to do in the process. I will never forget this sensation.

After this, after returning to being upright and moving and swaying for another while, I reached in and felt my babies head. Confirmation of the absolute magic I had felt while lying on my side. This was finally around 12:30am, early Wednesday morning.

04/13/2026

BIRTH STORY P.3

My doula came around 1pm. I remember thinking GREAT, she’s here and now things will get easier! She came into my bedroom where I was laying on the bed. I looked at her, crying soft tears and said “This is so hard.”

She came over, held my hand and said “I know. And I see you.”

Knowing that labour can be so long, she and my husband napped and rested throughout the afternoon as I laboured and napped between contractions. Silly me, thinking that it would get easier once she arrived! It only continued in intensity for another 12+ hours. I remember a moment of frustration thinking, well she’s here but why isn’t she fixing this?!!?! And realizing that well, I’m actually the only one that birth my baby. No one can save me from this. THIS is the work.

I spent the rest of the labour and birth experience alternating between my bed and the bath tub, my husband at my side. I moved from the side of my body, to hands and knees, standing and swaying, squatting. I threw up again. Cried often, but never for too long because I knew that if I gave into that, there was no coming back. I needed my strength and steadiness.

I started feeling pushy around 6pm.

My water broke around 7:30pm.

At this point, I had been in labour for two sunrises, and two sunsets. I had been absolutely humbled, brought to my knees, and shattered from the intensity of contractions. An absolute indescribable experience. The sheer power of these waves, rippling through my body. I have never been so present with something in my life. It’s unavoidable, inescapable. An absolute force of nature and something so far beyond this earthly world. I thought I was prepared for the pain and discomfort of labour. But truly, there is nothing that can truly prepare you for this experience. It is unlike anything else felt in this life.

04/07/2026

Birth story P.2

I woke up around 1am to things getting significantly more intense. My husband still asleep on the other side of the apartment, I texted my sister telling her how it was getting harder to manage my myself.

I was up for a couple of hours breathing through and working through these contractions. I threw up at one point.

I took a video of baby moving and wiggly beneath my taut skin - the very last video before she came earthside.

Other than between 1-2:30am, I was able to sleep quite a bit between my contractions.

I woke up around 4:30am with a new intensity of this experience, texting my sister that I was breathing 10 slow breaths through each contraction and reminding myself that I can do anything for 90 seconds.

Around 5am I decided to get in the shower to let the hot water help. My husband woke up and checked on me, updating our doula. Contractions were about 5-10 minutes apart at this point.

At 8:45am, I took a picture of the sunshine streaming into the room, and the cats curled up next to me on the bed. I texted my sister that I threw up again, and that it’s time for me to go back inward now. That was the last I touched my phone… and really, the last that I really had my eyes open.

04/06/2026

Birth story P.1

The birth of my daughter started on a Sunday evening with losing part of my mucous plug. A moment of OH MY GOSH THIS COULD REALLY BE HAPPENING!

Some light contractions started throughout the night, barely waking me up but strong enough to let me know they were there.

I woke up the next morning wondering if this was really it, or if I might still have a couple of weeks ahead of me. I spent the morning doing lovely, normal things: FaceTimed a friend, did some cleaning, made muffins, called my mom.

The contractions remained relatively mild, but consistent. They were 10 minutes apart all day.

I just so happened to have a massage booked for that afternoon and had pre-arranged a Facebook marketplace pickup. So around 3pm I left the house.

I remember being on the road thinking “I wonder if anyone else is in labour on the road right now” haha.

Shortly before I got to my appointment I received a text from my husband asking me to set up a quarantine space for him in our den… he came down with a fever and thinks he’s getting the flu!

During my massage, my contractions got significantly more intense. They remained 10 minutes apart, but the intensity grew so much that even my massage therapist made a comment about the growing intensity of them.

Leaving the appointment I remember thinking “I am actually in labour and need to get home immediately!!!!!” I quickly ran across the street to the pharmacy to get some masks, antivirals and a homeopathic remedy for my husband.

I got home at the same time as him, met him on the sidewalk and we both masked up. We went into the apartment and, between growing in intensity contractions, I ran him a bath, and set up a separate sleeping space for him for the night.

Once he was settled in and asleep, I ate some dinner, let my doula know what was happening, took the very last picture of my big, pregnant belly and went into bed.

I had a birth alter, upon which was a candle that I intended to light when I was in labour. I decisively did NOT light it because there’s no way I could actually be in labour while my husband was deliciously sick with a fever…

📷: .thread

02/25/2026

Growing a human was a privilege.
Giving birth was an extraordinary superhuman feat.
Meeting this little one has been indescribably profound and joyful.

Meet our little Ottilia Pearl. Her name, a homage to the powerful, strong, intelligent, and kind matriarchs of our families.

She was born at home on our bed in the early morning hours of February 11th. Her dad caught her as she flew out of me, after about 48 hours of labour.

We count our lucky stars every day for our sweet Tillie!

02/24/2026

And now we wait! (Week 39)
1. Finally found the marketplace score I’ve been waiting for: my dream rocking chair to put in my dream jungle room!
2. Somehow I’m still surprised when people comment that I’m pregnant in public. Like oh you can tell?! 🤣 Also, my life is just appointments and rest at this point. osteopathy was an absolute staple for me.
3. What being THIS pregnant actually looks like 😴😴
4. Drinking my NORA tea (nettle, red raspberry leaf, oat straw and alfalfa) on my way to my cervical ripening acupuncture appointment
5. My chiropractor .chiropractic told me I was so cute so I had to take a pic. Also such an important part of my birth preparation
6. My weekly dates with through this pregnancy have been profoundly important for me. She’s made me feel so capable and strong, even at my weakest and most uncomfortable. And in fact, in early labour I went for a massage with her with contractions that were 10 minutes apart. 🤣😅 Not many people I would welcome into the sacred space of labour, but Timea has been part of it all along with me 🥰
7. The very last pic with my big ol’ belly
8. The very last video of my wiggly baby inside 🥹😭
9. The last picture I took as MAIDEN. This was after about 36 hours after I lost my mucous plug, many hours of early labour and a night of growing intensity. I threw up, texted my sister it was time to go inward, took this picture, and off I went into the deep sacred space of bringing my baby earthside. ✨
10. My labour companions, and the sunny start of a really profound day. I blinked my eyes open only a couple of times this day, but what a gift to have this sun.

02/23/2026

The amount of emotions I’m experiencing 😵‍💫😍🥹🫠(Week 38)
1. I’m actually grieving this pregnancy SO hard. It’s been challenging, yes, but EXTRAORDINARILY beautiful. I’d do this 1000x over, all the vomiting included. What an absolute privilege this has been.
2. The motto of the last few weeks: “what pregnant girl wants, pregnant girl gets” 💁🏼‍♀️💅🏻
3. Trying to spend lots of time on the birth ball, but I actually hate it? Anyone else? 😅 thought I was supposed to love this
4. Made some Padsicles out with witch hazel and beautiful herbs from . Looks gnarly but I know I’ll be glad to have them 🤣
5. Found the best back support
6. More date nights! And actually our first time ever going to a movie together (only 8 years in!). Nick told me afterwards that I was breathing SO hard the whole time it was like I just ran a marathon 🤣🤰
7. Had a few really terrible nights and days with vertigo. I was feeling SO confident about giving birth until this hit me. I received so many encouraging messages when I posted about this and I’m SO grateful for the support 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Luckily, it passed!
8. Somehow bigger every day?!
9. That’s AM 🌅💁🏼‍♀️ the third trimester insomnia and the hunger are reaaaaaaal.
10. Collecting and setting up all the homebirth supplies 🥰🥹

02/22/2026

Things are getting really real lol (Weeks 36-37)
1. I’m gonna be a MOM!!!!!!
2. Watching these little limbs move 🤯
3. Not sure when this baby is going to come, or when I’m going to start feeling like I need to go inward closer to the portal, so getting in all the dates that we can!
4. I’m pretty sure this Westfalia Camper Van that I drive is the only vehicle that would accommodate this belly and all of my snacks.
5. Celebrated my 32nd birthday with the BEST people.
6. Realizing I should have taken my rings off weeks ago 😳 Shoutout to for telling me during our massage that morning “you need to take these off TODAY!”
7. Saved all my rings except three. Had to get Nick to cut off our wedding band and engagement ring 😭😭😭 actually so shocked I didn’t cry.
8. The love and support this baby already has is unbelievable 🥹
9. Goofiest angle 😂
10. Reminding my OG baby that he will always be my baby
11. Car seat installation 😳
12. More dates with myself! also saw me tons! The perfect place to finalize writing up my birth plan

02/21/2026

Things are getting real!!!! (Weeks 33-35)
1. Dad mode: activated!
2. Nesting mode: going hard with the cloth diaper preparation
3. Burned my belly toooooo many times and needed to come up with a solution that wasn’t putting clothes on
4. Brand new big ol’ bed for cosleeping! And a hand made bed frame from dad 👨🏻
5. So round
6. Getting so good at asking for help! But honestly all these years of yoga have kept his body in such good shape for mobility and bending!
7. Taking myself on little dates while in can do so easily. .bakery saw me so many times 🤣
8. I honestly still can’t believe I’m pregnant
9. But I’m so very happy that I am!!
10. My sweet husband making me breakfast with dates for cervical ripening 🙃

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Vancouver, BC

Telephone

+12365154462

Website

http://www.healinghuman.ca/

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