Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Sellers.
Hi Jenny, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Thank you so much for having me! My story starts on April 28, 2014 when I got the phone call that no one wants to receive – there had been an accident at work, and my fiancé Coll was being rushed to the hospital. By the time I arrived, he had already died. There were no goodbyes, no final words, no I love you’s – he went to work and he never came home. At the age of 31, my entire future vanished in the blink of an eye. The last seven years have brought with them challenges I never thought I would experience, a beautiful community in the form of other widowed people through the nonprofit Soaring Spirits International, loads of tears, immeasurable beauty, gut-wrenching heartache, gratitude that knows no boundaries, grief that drops you to your knees, and a fork in the road that I never saw coming. To call it a whirlwind is an understatement. In a desperate attempt to find anything of comfort, I found myself sitting in the office of a highly sought-after medium.
A huge skeptic of mediumship and energy work, I was shocked at all that came through. After questioning everything with Coll’s death, I was now questioning life and what I knew of it as well. After several annual appointments, the Medium that I met with planted the seed that energy work is not something that is only reserved for highly attuned people, but something that everyone can learn. I then heard similar messages from two unrelated sources and decided to throw caution to the wind and listen to what the Universe was guiding me toward. I gave myself a year to ask the question, “What if the energy world really is learnable?” and I set out on a journey to gather information, mentors, and resources on energetic work. It was a joyous exploration that led me to London for a workshop with my angel mentor Kyle Gray, to a mediumship workshop with Bill Philipps at 1440 Multiversity, to studies in Reiki and DNA Activation, and ultimately to the founding of the Groves of Zen. Together alongside one of my dear friends and fellow widows Mary Moore Hughes who is a certified RN Aromatherapist, the Groves of Zen focuses on helping people scratch the surface of spirituality by allowing a safe space to explore the question of, “What if?” for themselves. Offering Angel and Tarot card readings, Aromatherapy consults, distance Reiki sessions for humans and pets, DNA Activation services, and online events aimed at holding a safe space to explore the spiritual gifts that are your birthright, the Groves are a space to find balance between your emotional, physical, and spiritual bodies.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For starters, nothing about rebuilding after significant loss is smooth! Mix that with the existential questions that come with a shifting view of the way the world works and our ability as human beings to interact with the energy that exists around us, and you’ve got a recipe for a bumpy road! First, there was the coming to terms with the truth of what we were experiencing. Each and every bit of exploration brought with it a different form of comfort. Much in the same way a massage brings deep relaxation, so too can Reiki bring comfort and calm. After months of putting our skills to practice for friends and family, we knew we had to share the comfort that comes from energy work supplemented by essential oils with others. Then came the next hurdle, which is one that we can all relate to – Fear of judgment as we took it live. We share this because there are so many people who are spiritually inclined who practice behind closed doors. Here’s the truth of it – judgment is something that we all deal with when we open our hearts vulnerably.
For us, stepping into our truth, sharing from the heart, and creating from that space has been a joy that outweighs any negativity we may have received from those who choose to judge. As any entrepreneur will tell you, creating, sustaining, and supporting a small business comes with its own unique challenges. However, doing the work together with a dear friend has been an immense joy. Our brainchild is a true source of happiness and healing for both of us, and we love bringing people together as they explore their own connections to both the Universe and the essential oil tools that can support us as we navigate through the challenges of our lives.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
When we first began exploring energy work and the power of essential oils to support us in that process, we had to turn to several different businesses to put the puzzle pieces together. The Groves of Zen brings it all under one roof for you – if you want to learn about or experience the energy of the Angels, you can schedule a reading in the Angel Grove. If you want to learn about Aromatherapy and tools that you can use to support your physical and emotional bodies, you can schedule a consult in the Aromatherapy Grove. If Angels aren’t your thing, but you’d like some guidance from the Universe, you can schedule a reading in the Tarot Grove. If you want to take your already honed spiritual gifts to the next level, you can opt for the DNA Activation Grove. And everyone can benefit from the gift of Reiki inside the Reiki Grove.
More than all of the individual services we offer, our goal is to promote community and provide a safe space to learn about that which we can’t physically see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. Most people will, at one point in their lives, ask themselves questions about the Universe, who/what we may be supported by as we walk through our lives, and the role that intuition plays in our ability to navigate the physical world. We will all likely receive signs from loved ones who have died, and other signs that we attribute as gifts from the Universe or our Guardian Angels. We aren’t taught that “picking up on good/bad vibes” is anything other than “intuition,” when in reality it’s our body’s energy receptors interacting with the energy in the room. The Groves are a place to explore all of this openly, supported by others asking the same questions.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We’ve been really lucky to have supportive, engaged mentors from whom we continue to learn to this day. The quote from Tao Te Ching comes to mind – “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” This has been true for us in every aspect, and we’re grateful to count Kyle Gray and Bill Philipps as mentors in our spiritual endeavors. When searching for a mentor or spiritual teacher, trust is truly the most important factor. Use your intuition to determine if that person or service is a good fit for you. We would also suggest finding someone who doesn’t make spiritual bypassing a part of their philosophy. Spiritual bypassing is the practice of using spiritual teachings to sidestep some of the intense emotions we deal with as human beings. These practices can be quite harmful and often create an unbalanced attachment between students and mentors. Generally, it all comes down to who aligns with you and your belief systems, and by all means – if you sense any red flags in regards to a spiritual or aromatherapeutic guide, trust that instinct and find someone else. This is YOUR exploration, and you deserve to find someone who enhances your life, rather than someone who detracts from it. Always, always follow your gut!
Pricing:
- Angel Card and Tarot Card Readings: Range from $68 – $199, based on session type
- Aromatherapy Consults: Range from $48 – $98, depending on complexity of individual issues
- Distance Reiki: Ranges from $39 – $69, depending upon whether it’s for you or your pets
- Events range from $35 – $175 based on frequency of occurrence
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.grovesofzen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grovesofzen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grovesofzen
- Other: @jselly on Clubhouse, or join the Groves of Zen club
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