"We will be the NEW healthcare..."

(3rd Decade Tatt, by Jenn, circa 2010s: my right hand (shrunk to size of left bicep), featuring the healing symbol of the spiral, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon emblem (and double-meaning of LGBTQ pride), the stippling having a reiki energy-like appearance...)

My work now is to stay focused on marketing, networking, events, etc.  I had a nice, overdue vacation in the Bahamas and Miami with my partner.  I thought about 'work' as little as possible; in fact, I told her it was a four-letter word not to be mentioned for a few days.  The turquoise and teal-jade waters were mesmerizing.  Our first cruise (for either of us).  

Before we left, I did some more 'homework' around target audience, so I wouldn't think about work/Rebel Resilience on vaca.  I've been meeting with an awesome, helpful mentor (Roe) for the past few weeks.  My focus now is to prioritize a list of of types of businesses that I might be able to partner with and/or market to.  My horoscope (with 8 planets in alignment) was favorable today for Sag/Oph, encouraging me to think even bigger...leading me to think again about going online/live with podcasts and videos, to reach a MUCH wider audience.  I'm finding time to do this, to work on the business, late in the night (it's currently midnight, but I could be working on it anywhere until 4-6am at times, being a night owl and sleeping in shifts).    

I came up with the tagline/motto/selling-point: "Go out of your mind, and into your heart."  In a crazy, competitive, capitalist society, it can be tough being a Healer, but I would not have it any other way.  A new acquaintance/friend revealed (& confirmed) that WE will be the NEW (old!) healthcare in the coming paradigm.  Unfortunately we had to leave the conversation there, as I was late meeting with my Shamanic Practice teacher-friend.

As the world (and especially the U.S. political landscape...my world) continues to farcically crumble in front of my (and my beloved friends') eyes, I continue to find refuge in my spirituality, in reading (currently Cayce's book on Atlantis, and a book on archetype-roles we take on throughout our lives), travel (as time/money allow), and occasionally in nature (which will be increasing in duration with the warmer temps of Spring).  

I desire to be of Service to others, but not in the martyr archetype sense; more in the desire to share my love, knowledge, understanding, and healing with others, that they may achieve their own Highest, Best Selves.  I'm only a catalyst; they must do the work themselves.  But we don't have to walk alone.  I continue to find avenues to connect with others, and remain hopeful and committed to the cause of turning my 2+ decades of research, therapy, and experience in the alternative healing arts (incl. reiki energy work, chakras, gemstones, etc.) into a feasible business to help support others.  

I have worked to resolve the ethical dilemma (and persecution imprint) of challenging the notion that healers must remain impoverished and give away all of their time, energy, education, experience/expertise, and tools/equipment for free; also remaining open to trade and pro-bono work of my own choosing/alignment/ability for disenfranchised/alienated/other'ed/minoritized(?) folks who may need healing work as well, but lack the means partly due to systemic prejudice and discrimination, especially since some of the shamanic traditions work is rooted in practices of such groups.          

Journey of the Wounded Healer: Or, How I Named 'Rebel Resilience...'

© Alex Grey

The wound is the place where the Light enters you.  -Rumi

    Sometime in the cooler second half of 2024, I sat in a local coffeeshop (Hopscotch Cafe), sipping a maple latte, gnoshing on a local Italian bakery pastry, and brainstorming business ideas and names.  A local reiki practitioner and card reader I had the fortune of connecting with on lovely property helped me to feel at ease & comfortable in her cozy den, encouraged me to close my eyes, and I went on a journey where I envisioned my heart as a monstera plant...it was under clear freshwater, and my inner light was shining up towards the surface, meeting the light of the sun as it shone down.  

    At this same healing session, towards the end she (Trista) pulled a card for me from a deck, and it was all about the Rebel archetype, particularly woman rebels.  This very much resonated with me and my life's journey (which I may write about more here in future blog entries).  The 'Resilience' part of the Rebel Resilience, LLC comes from a profound sense of having bounced back from various, numerous (and often early) traumas and upsets throughout life; it was a word I learned the full meaning of only in graduate school at the University of Indianapolis.  Resilience is something I also hope to help foster & encourage in others, by sharing some of my own challenging experiences.

    Having left the stressful and burnout-prone career of social work (before I could gain independent clinical licensure to diagnose as a therapist), I returned to my original love of the alternative/holistic/complementary Healing Arts, particularly to energy work (having trained specifically in Usui reiki).  For years, I told myself that massage therapy was the only method of healing arts that I could practice and earn a living at the same time (especially in the religio-stoic Midwest), as it was literally very 'hands on,' physical, and the results/benefits are clearly obvious to many.  It is also hard on LMTs physically, although I have found ways to maintain for 14 years now, including getting massage myself, constantly rotating the body parts I use so as to avoid overuse strain and injury (ugh, pinched shoulder nerves!).  

    I love connecting with folks (despite being an introvert, INFJ), helping them to feel seen/heard, and then helping these people to feel better physically (and often emotionally); occasionally the Spiritual esoteric/intuitive/New Age/paranormal/sublime comes up, and while I relish these few and far between moments, I typically just focus on the work at hand, and sometimes on things going on in their (& sometimes my) life.  I feel that this is where my true passion lies; toss in a healthy topping of nature, environmentalism (yay recycling!), psychology (yes, Jung!!), TRAVEL (expanded horizons of the Sagittarius...truly a 12/12 Ophiuchus, but we'll save that astrology topic for another day), astral travel/projection, gemstone healing (20+ years of collecting!), the chakras (esp. the lesser-known favorite teal-colored Higher Heart chakra between the heart and throat), empaths (and their troubled relationships with little-n (non-DSM) narcissists, Ascension, Starseeds (esp. Arcturians...and maybe Pleiadians).    

    After having named the company, I needed to come up with a name for this blog; I considered just naming it after the company, googled if I should do this, decided against it and to go with something clever, a play on words.  Quite literally, we empath-identified highly-sensitive (HSP) healers are often 'out of our minds' (Hx of trauma, rejection, abandonment, not feeling understood, walking on eggshells around an early abusive family member, learning to be hypervigilant and observant).  But instead of hardening ourselves and following this ancestrally-passed-down trauma cycle, we break free by processing our pain (more years in therapy than not, and many many self-help and pop psych books later) to become Free Spirits...Rebels against the status quo, expectations, etc.  Some become 'heyoka'-types (a term borrowed from indigenous traditions), or Super-Empaths.  

    I look forward to discussing many of the topics/concepts/theories/ideas touched upon here.  I do not expect most to understand, but hope that some find my writings and feel a sense of connection, community, and support.  Together, we Lightworker-types are ultimately stronger together (although scattered around the globe), holding Sacred Space for others, forming a human-crystal-alien Starseed network of benevolence, kindness, and compassion for the human journey.  I've met many individuals and groups through Facebook.  Some claim to be Lightworkers/Healers yet somehow openly support fascist-regime leaders who disparage minorities, the oppressed, the Queer-identified; even more oddly, some of these are of minority status/identity themselves.  We are living in a time of confusing delusional dichotomy, missing cognitive dissonance, 'hypocrazy,' continued -isms and prejudice/discrimination/fear.  We are better than this (especially the Chosen Ones...meaning not more 'special' than others but as their Souls chose a very difficult path before birth but with great potential/rewards).

    

A Business (& Blog) Begins...

Children of the Sun by Billy Thorpe 

In late 2024, I began the process of starting my own small/local home-based & online intuitive healing arts business, Rebel Resilience LLC, in Bloomington, Indiana.  Having worked as an LMT (licensed massage therapist) for 14 years or so now in various settings (chiropractors, gyms, spas, home/away), I finally took the plunge of beginning to professionally share aspects of other, more intuitive/ettheric (and less physical!) modalities of healing with others.  Many of these modalities I've studied for years on my own out of fascination and for self-actualization/help/improvement; others are newer (to me) approaches I'm incorporating.  I have a background not only in massage therapy, but also took a brief foray into social work (earning my MSW/LSW, although not having made it to LCSW clinical licensure whereby I could have independently diagnosed and treated behavioral health disorders, before experiencing serious burnout myself). 

I identify as an Empath, INFJ, and Starseed, among other labels, knowing that I am ultimately HERE for a greater purpose of helping/assisting/facilitating others Seeking/Ascending on the Spiritual Path, the Journey of the Wounded Healer.  I had already collected years of healing arts implements not only from my career in therapeutic massage, but also in my more 'woo woo' interests; I had little overhead equipment costs.  I was able to achieve getting my LLC through LegalZoom, offered for free actually through an NBA-sponsored grant (ironic or fortuitous, since I work on local college basketball players as part of my paying massage therapy job).  I secured a free website from The Free Website Guys (TFWG), as they liked my sales pitch enough to spend over the total of a full-day's 8hr work-shift developing the bare bones of my BlueHost website; I pay minimal monthly maintenance so they make changes to it, tweaking it here and there as needed, and to make sure it stays up and functional.  

I received free guidance from local community college's Ivy Tech Small Business Development Center, networked with other healing arts professionals, small business consultants through the City of Bloomington, and other area women/minority-led/owned businesses.Additionally, I secured a mentor from the SBA's S.C.O.R.E. program, a guy who worked in marketing for previous Fortune 500 Companies who now volunteers his time to help small entrepreneurial startups.  Not a bad start!  

I tried to remember to take time to pate myself on the back, because with each success, I knew I had more to do to even (legitimately) start/open/launch a small business, including securing general liability insurance and opening business banking accounts.  As with the previously owned equipment, I did not have the large overhead cost of renting commercial space because my partner (also a healing arts practitioner) and I had a now-empty extra room in our home, which I decided I could set up and utilize as both a Healing Room (with an interior closet converted into a small office), and as a space for offering some online/remote services (minus massage therapy, obviously!).

I continue to seek to network, narrow my target population/client, think about market segmentation, and how to connect with folks who might like and benefit from my experience, expertise, and services.  Fear stopped me for years: fear of not having a business background, fear of doing something wrong tax-wise or whatever, fear of failing or of being seen as an 'imposter.'  It was only when I neared age 45 that I was ready to take it all on, in a more serious manner.  I intend to use this blog platform to reach more folks, share articles from others with similar interests (including wellness and the environment...not just spirituality).  If you feel that you might benefit from meeting with me (either in person or virtually), my contact information is below.  I look forward to connecting!  

Angela 'Angie' K. Cornett, LMT, LSW

Owner, Rebel Resilience, LLC

www.rebelresilienceLLC.com          

(812) 606-2368           

angela.cornett1979@gmail.com