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 a tribally enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, of the Watonlak Oshi “White Crane” Clan. It is through this family that I was given another name - Issi Chunkash. It means Deer Heart. The Choctaw believe these names were given to us by our ancestors and that, similar to ideas shared by Socrates, our name has always been ours and it is intrinsic to who we are.
The deer has economic and spiritual significance in both Choctaw and Scottish cultures. It is the deer that provides sustenance, clothing, and a means of trade. For the Choctaw, the deer also signifies compassion. And both cultures see the deer as a reminder of cyclical patterns, regeneration, resilience, restoration, healing, growth, and guidance.
And though both cultures hold these ideas of the deer, I chose the name Deer Heart for my businesses specifically because the Choctaw people embody these ideas. They walked the Trail of Tears knowing they would face hardship and death but they had a vision of health, balance, and rejuvenation for the Choctaw people. They show us what is possible when you are resilient through dark times and develop an ability to quickly adapt to change. A mere 4,000 people survived the walk. But the Trail of Tears did not destroy them. It made them more compassionate and giving. And now they are the third largest tribe in the United States, with over 200,000 enrollees located around the world. Their resilience and adaptability, combined with compassion and love of fellow man, allowed the Choctaw Nation to thrive despite the great adversity they faced.
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.