ALEXIS BROWN
founder
Living in New Mexico, every day brings a reminder of the beauty and power of nature. I have been in search of balance and grounding - and I turned to nature to help me find it. In 2010, I began creating essential oil blends to improve my mental health and skin.
I soon was blending oils to address a wide range of issues, for myself, family, and friends. When I started my consulting business to help small business owners find focus and balance in work and personal life, it was readily apparent that the issues faced in personal life were a huge factor in the success of a business and yet not something openly confronted by consultants or business support agencies, like the SBA. There is no such thing as separation of work and personal life, and when the pandemic began, I began sharing essential oil blends with clients who requested it - to help with insomnia or anxiety or other stressors.
The process of starting Deer Heart Solutions has been a healing pursuit for me, as well, and it has become a project of self expression. I can feed my love of learning by the constant research and exploration into the science behind these blends. I can connect with my ancestors and share ancestral wisdom. My creative self has grown in my exploration of perfumery and the graphic design used throughout the site. As you read about each product, you'll see my love of language and my quirky sense of humor. And, I get to help people by promoting the tool that has helped me survive in these trying times: intentional self-care.
What's in a name?
I have many names. I have been known as Alexis my entire life. I chose it as the name I would be known as because it is a more commonly known diminutive form of my birth name - and easier to pronounce. I chose it and so it represents my individuality. It comes from the Greek name Alexander, which means "defender, protector of people" or "helper of people."
I was born Alexandrina Imma Irene Isabel Brown. This includes family names on my mother's side. It connects me to my Scottish ancestors. I am from Clan Ross, from the highlands north of Inverness. Clan Ross has a lineage that can be traced to the 10th-century Gilleon na h-airde, a Celtic-speaking Pict. It is said that, to the Picts, "ross" meant "noble steed" or stag.
I am also an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, of the Watonlak Oshi “White Crane” Clan. My Choctaw name was given to me later in life but it was spoken in the hearts of my ancestors. Much like Socrates said, this name has always been my name and it is intrinsic to who I am. The name I was given is Issi Chunkash - which means Deer Heart.
The deer holds economic and spiritual significance in both Choctaw and Scottish cultures. It is the deer that provides sustenance, clothing, and a means of trade. The Choctaw have long believed that conserving any natural resource requires respect for that resource, a commitment to avoiding waste, and coordinated management practices. Symbolically, the deer signifies compassion, regeneration, resilience, restoration, healing, growth, and guidance - ideas at the center of the Choctaw belief system. The Chahta (Choctaw) Spirit is to value faith, family and culture, to honor the past, live in the present, and look to the future.
Deer Heart Solutions was born from my striving to create a life that reflects the ideals of my ancestors My mission is to help my community find tools to navigate adversity and to achieve balance in all aspects of our lives - and to do so with minimal harm to the planet.
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