Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Love.
Vanessa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started doing esthetics and loved making people feel relaxed while helping them address their concerns with their skin. Within the first year, my regular clients would tell me that they loved getting facials from me and that I was different from other estheticians because I “had something in my hands”. I had no idea what they were talking about. Fast forward one year. My good friend had just had surgery and I went to her house to visit her. She had just got home and was feeling pretty lousy from all the drugs they had given her for pain. While I was there, she had to get up and leave the room to go to the restroom, when she started to come back I kept having this feeling that I should go put my hands on her shoulders. Immediately I thought, why would I do that? I’ll look so weird. But, the feeling just got stronger, so much so it was like I was hearing a voice say, got put your hands on her shoulders… I couldn’t shake the feeling, so I looked over to her as she was sitting back down at the place on the couch she was lounging on and I asked her if I could put my hands on her shoulders. She said, sure. I set down my left hand and then the right and as my palm clamped down I felt a surge of energy, what felt like a jolt, zing through my hands down my arms, hit me in the chest and go out the top of my head. It happened so fast and startled me so bad I jumped back and looked at my trembling hands. I looked across the room at our other friend who witnessed the whole thing and she had a very, what the hell was that, look on her face.
Then, my friend looked up at me and said, “oh my god, you took it.” I said “took what?” She said, “I was so hot from the meds and I’m not hot anymore, you took it. Go look in the mirror, your all red.’ I jumped up and rushed to the bathroom to look and sure enough my chest and neck were beet red. That was the first major thing that happened to turn me in the direction of healing. That very night, I spoke to my yoga teacher who would become my Reiki Master Teacher for the next two years, about what had happened with my friend. She said I was a natural, already moving energy. I studied Reiki with her beginning in 2008 and received my Reiki Master Teacher certificate in 2010.
At that time, I was an Esthetician at Allyu Spa and I spoke to the owner about wanting to offer Reiki Sessions to the clientele there. She explained to me that she couldn’t offer it because I was the only one who did it. I asked if I could teach the therapists at the spa and if I could get enough people, then could we offer it? She said yes, and I ended up teaching more than half the staff Reiki. Chakra Balancing has been on the menu there for a few years now, it’s one of the most popular services. When I first started learning about energy work, I remember thinking, I want to introduce this and help anyone and everyone who is interested. Now, ten years later I’m still at Allyu Spa a couple days a week and I have a private practice in Lakeview. I love teaching classes and sharing Reiki with everyone. I am also in the process of creating my own all natural brand of products and writing a book. Pairing Energy work with esthetics gives me room for creativity and is so amazing and fun to do. Being able to work with energy is an honor and absolutely my favorite thing to do.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think for me a bit of the struggle had been being so passionate about something that is just now gaining more awareness by the public. Ten years ago trying to explain Reiki and energy work was a bit tougher, people weren’t as open to it. I’m thrilled that it’s becoming more mainstream now.
My advice is always, follow your joy in life. You absolutely will succeed if you keep on your path and follow what you love to do. I also recommend having an optimistic perspective. In my life, I have fallen flat on my face many times, and I pick myself up, dust myself off and keep running! Anytime I fall I think of it as, well that way didn’t really work. So, this time, I’m gonna try it this way, or that way. I just don’t give up. Also, get really clear on what it is you really truly want, and keep your focus there. Anytime I have strayed from that, things would go a little sideways and I’d have to straighten out again. Lastly, find your tribe! Surround yourself with people you admire and who you connect with! Build each other up and be there for one another.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sweetgrass Energetics – what should we know?
Being a licensed Cosmetologist specializing in Esthetics and a Certified Reiki Master Teacher, I love putting the two things together. I’m a caregiver and nurturer at heart. So, for the past 7 years or so, one of my most popular services has been my Balanced Energy Facial where you would receive Reiki during the facial. I love holding classes and teaching Reiki to others. It’s always rewarding to know my students will be passing on the knowledge and spreading energy work even further.
I love working with everyone, however, my specialty is Distance Energy Sessions. These are sessions that I conduct at home while the recipient is somewhere else, more than likely their home. I have clients all over the country and world. My newest client is in Singapore. These sessions are just as powerful as they would be if I was doing the session in person. Sometimes they are even stronger. It’s something that during my apprenticeship I found came to me very naturally. During that time I lived in a small cottage on Bangs Lake in Wauconda, IL. I was pretty far from friends and family so I would practice distantly all the time. It was extremely satisfying to do a session for my pregnant, morning sickness suffering sister in Aurora and help her find relief. I also really enjoy and specialize in working with women who are trying to conceive, and then throughout the pregnancy and after the birth. There are so many wild changed that happen during that time, and being a support is something that is very close to my heart.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I really feel like this is it! Now is the time for women to come forward and step into the light and not be okay with being pushed into the shadows anymore. Let the light shine bright and be unapologetic for it getting in the eyes of anyone! I think that there has always been this underlying, don’t be too good, they or HE may not like you if you surpass him. Just make yourself small enough to not offend him or anyone else. I feel like we’re over that now though and women need to jump up for those opportunities that are out there and more importantly follow up with the ones we can create for ourselves! We’re well positioned for all of it, anything we want!
Pricing:
- Distance Energy Session – $98 one hour
- Balanced Energy Facial – $125 one hour
- Energy Session (in person) – $98 one hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 2860 N Broadway, Chicago, IL
- Website: www.vanessalove.life
- Email: VLoveEnergy@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sweetgrassenergetics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetgrassenergetics/
Image Credit:
Vanessa Love, Pamela Arcand, Sara Gaines
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