Meet Stacey Moss of Moss Botanicals in Ojai

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Moss.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Stacey. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Moss Botanicals was born from my passion to connect people to the earth. My affinity for traditions and knowing my heritage served as a guide to what I would discover later as part of my gifts to bring into the world. I have Lakota and Yaqui blood on my maternal side. When I was little, I found myself kissing the ground because something inside of me felt compelled to care for the earth. I later went on to explore my heritage on Pine Ridge reservation, but even before that, I was always making healing formulas for friends and family. I thought I could heal the world. Starting in 1994, I became a massage therapist for 20 years. I had comprehensive training in multiple modalities including reiki and herbology.

In 2000, I attended the College of Botanical Healing Arts in Santa Cruz to learn specifically about essential oils. In 2004, I attended California State Monterey Bay and received a Bachelors of Arts in Social and Behavioral Science and focused my senior thesis on plant medicine and its many uses in Guatemala from many perspectives starting with the Mayan healers. I made essential oil products for many years as a hobby and shared them with many people. Each product was formulated with a story as it evolved from my individual need for healing. Starting with Balance followed by Clear, Relax, Euphoric, Let Go, Ceremony and Transform. These are the original seven. Let Go was inspired by the death of my grandparents who I was very close with. My grandfather died first and then my grandmother shortly after.

What happened next was out of my control as I witnessed aunts and uncles fighting and dissension in a close-knit family. I blend with the intention of the whole person in relationship to the whole plant. I look at each essential oil holistically taking into consideration how the synergy of the plant medicine in its naturally occurring chemical profile, its energetic qualities, and its aroma are going to come together to create a harmonious effect on the person mind, body, and spirit with the purpose of “letting go”. I chose Rose for its heart-centered and grief related benefits as well as its circulatory and high vibrational aspects, Frankincense for letting go of obsessive thought patterns and Cypress for its association with death as it was planted throughout antiquity in cemeteries. I could go on and on about the complexities of this blend and how it can be utilized as aromatherapy in all of its facets is a lifetime of learning. Moss Botanicals works from a place of honoring the earth and the people involved in growing and distilling essential oils.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not always been a smooth road. On December 6, 2017, I lost my home and my entire business in the Thomas Fire. I was gearing up for my first trade show and for the holidays. Therefore my inventory was stocked larger than I have ever had since I started my company. The fire destroyed everything except for a few boxes I managed to evacuate earlier that day. My life changed overnight. I was debt free before the fire. Now I was faced with the idea of not building my business back up or taking this opportunity to rebuild in a new way. It was not hard to make the choice of what to do because of all of the support I was receiving from customers and community. Through generous contributions, a grant from WEV and Wells Fargo and a low-interest rate loan from the SBA, I started to build back all that I had lost. The silver lining in the whole thing is that I got to repackage and streamline my production. I experienced grief and total transformation. For the first time, I was able to embody a deeper sense of the alchemical process and all of its phases much like the process of distillation from plant to essential oil. It has not been easy, although I would never trade this experience because it has shown me my purpose.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Moss Botanicals – what should we know?
Moss Botanicals hand blends every bottle with intention. As the owner, I am committed to my relationship with the earth and facilitating that understanding from an aromatherapy perspective. Smell is the most powerful sense we have linked to the limbic system of the brain where we create and store emotions as well as make decisions about how we navigate our world. I enjoy sharing the powerful effects that smell has on our ability to connect to the deeper parts of ourselves and to our environment. When we are inspired by this grounded connection, we are living in alignment and open to possibility. Moss Botanicals products are unique in that they are simple, subtle and powerful.

Each blend combines science and intuition resulting in formulas that can be worn as a natural body perfume but without the harmful chemicals. Experience Moss Botanicals they will leave a lasting impression on your soul. Moss Botanicals products are backed by education aromatherapy, healing, and agriculture. The blends that I formulate are sourced from the highest quality of organic and wild-crafted ingredients. We are leaping bunny certified and a woman-owned company.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Garth Rose – business coach and mentor. Women’s Economic Venture/Wells Fargo – contributed a grant and business education for businesses affected by the California Wildfires. My Family, friends, community, and loyal customers who have continually encouraged me and supported me either through buying product, making product, or patiently waiting for me to rebuild and donated in the process.

Many people have written to me and shared how MB has helped them and that has been the ultimate reason for my continuation.

Pricing:

• Blends start at $27

Contact Info:

• Address: 1129 maricopa hwy #151
  Ojai, CA 93023
• Website: www.mossbotanicals.com
• Phone: 805-705-8227
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @mossbotanicals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mossbotanicals/

Image Credit:
Mariana Schulze, Rachael Stroud, Akka B. Photography

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