We were lucky to catch up with Rochelle Stanley recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rochelle, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
How did you learn to do what you do?
Lately I’ve been reflecting on the difference between intuitive gifts versus intuitive skills. We all have intuitive gifts – but some of us are guided to use these gifts in service to others – and this requires skills.
In my thirties I went through a profound awakening that disassembled every aspect of my life. Anything that wasn’t aligned with my soul’s purpose was removed or restructured.
During this time period my intuition was amplified and I was receiving what the spiritual world calls “downloads” more frequently. The messages that came were clear and consistent – you are a healer and it’s time to get to work.
At first, I struggled to embrace this side of myself. I went through a brief period of time wondering what this would even look like – do I open a practice? – how do I explain what it is I do? – can I support my family? – what kind of impact would I have in someone’s life?
During this period I was also experiencing significant activations that my guides were weaving into my daily life. I felt so full and I found myself excited to learn about my craft.
I started with a two day class, learning to connect to the angels, and I felt so alive and filled with love. I have to admit that at this point… I leaned in. It was the beginning of a decade that I would spend studying with experts in the fields of intuitive development, energy healing, psychic mastery, angel communication, embodiment practices, yoga and meditation. I eventually became a Master and Certificate of Science Instructor of a transformative healing modality which helped me tune my intuitive gifts into reliable skills.
Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?
I would have trusted myself and my inner-knowing from the beginning of the message “you are a healer and it’s time to get to work”.
I am an expert at my craft now because I trust myself and I trust the skills I have cultivated – but this wasn’t always true for me.
It is pretty easy for me to see how much doubt slowed my process. All the metal energy spent on thoughts like – am I doing this right? Am I making the right decisions? Am I making this up? Is this real? What if I get it wrong? …with more confidence from the beginning I believe my impact would have to help others connect to the emotional and spiritual roots of their transformation more deeply.
I am a big believer that everything works out how it is meant to. I am grateful to recognize this in my day to day life, even when I am facing a challenge like doubt because I/we are always learning from exactly where we are at.
What skills do you think were most essential?
Everything shifted from the moment I learned to see from the highest perspective in my intuitive readings. In my craft everything is connected – emotions, feelings, energy, relationships, body, spirit, soul, traumas, even dis(-)ease.
In the earlier part of my career I would easily get tangled in the emotions and stories of the people I was supporting. I could feel that if I continued to take on others’ stuff I would be less effective in the way I could support others.
But from the highest perspective I could see the truth: every experience on a person’s healing journey is filled with wisdom just waiting to be recognized then embodied.
To this day, this is where I see my craft making the greatest impact on my students and clients personal and spiritual healing journeys.
The other skills that are absolutely essential to my craft are:
Being able to read the light body
Receive intuitive information and filter without judgement
Speak the truth even when its uncomfortable
Trust your intuition and connection to the Divine
These skills allow me to create a sacred container that fosters healing and growth for both clients and students.
What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
There is a tarot card – the Tower – that some say symbolizes new beginnings, but only after everything collapses. This card represented my life at a period of overwhelming yet remarkable transformation. It marked an ending to a marriage, an ending to a health and wellness career, the beginning of becoming a single mom to two bright and amazing souls, and stepping into a career that didn’t fit into a conventional box.
Amongst all these obstacles, the greatest was actually being a single mom and my kids primary care giver. When I was pursuing my Masters and Certificate of Science there were several trips I had to take without my kiddos. Phew, my heart and their hearts felt the absence. Arranging care for them, that would comfort and nurture them while I was away wasn’t easy.
Time, energy and financial investments were also real challenges – far more difficult than the education itself, because the education was stimulating.
But every challenge, every ending, new beginnings, and the sacrifices made, all landed me exactly where I am meant to be, including the challenges I faced as a mom. My kids, who are now young adults, walk their path of authenticity too.
Rochelle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
How I got into my craft?
In reflection, I can see that my craft was always simmering beneath the surface, patiently waiting for me to rise into it.
In my childhood I can recognize that I had a strong connection to my inner knowing. I have clear memories of walking down the street I grew up on and conversing with the Divine through the crown of my head. I was co-creating my life, my wants and desires with the Divine. I also felt a deep inner-knowing that I could communicate with animals and offer healing through my hands. There were moments where this surprised me mostly because I didn’t have any external examples or teachers showing me this was possible, I just knew.
Throughout my life, knowing in the intuitive sense has been my compass, and most of the time, I listened. But, in high school, I became incredibly shy about my intuitive nature and attempted to dim this part of myself. I even found myself sabotaging my body and spirit to distance myself from the Divine, afraid that my beliefs and connection would make me a target or an outsider. And, even in those uncomfortable periods–when I was trying to dim these parts of myself–the guidance still came and I am so grateful. The messages always helped guide me, and the people I was close to.
In my thirties I was moving through a profound awakening and was receiving clear messages and signs about my purpose – that I was a healer and it was time to get to work. At first this brought up old insecurities and I felt some resistance to starting this new chapter of my life.
It was also during this awakening phase that I was working with my guides daily. They were leading me through movements, meditation, increasing my gift of sight. and deepening my ability of cosmic communication. I felt their love and support throughout my expansion and this became what I wanted, what I knew I could have and the possibility of what I could offer. Suddenly pursuing my path became a driving force within me regardless of the consequences.
The problem was that I didn’t know where–even how–to begin. Early in my yoga teaching career I decided to share the parts of myself I usually kept hidden. As I did, I saw how many others had a strong intuitive nature yet out of fear of being condemned, hid those parts of themselves too. Being open and honest about my true nature now felt important, purposeful and empowering and all I wanted to do was help others feel this way. This became my mission – to empower others to embrace their inner-knowing and the connection to the Divine that would honor each individual authentic belief system.
I could feel that I still had so much to learn and awaken within me so I devoted myself to the healing arts and the metaphysical realms to deepen my work and find unapologetic confidence in my craft. I dabbled in various healing modalities until one day I was talking with my chiropractor – who became one of my guiding lights – about the intuitive messages I was receiving regarding being an energy healer. She gave me a copy of Our Deepest Fear by Marianna Williamson. This one line “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us” reverberated through every ounce of my being and reinforced my belief that my path and purpose would be unique and unconventional.
Through her I was introduced to a transformative healing modality and the alignment that began to take shape is hard to translate–the people and the modality woke up memories, I knew the work and I knew I was meant to teach this work to others. I could feel that I was in the flow of my divine timing, like everything was being orchestrated for me. I quickly began building my practice, seeing clients and traveling to accomplish my Masters and Certificate of Science Instructors. From there, I opened my home to teach and certified some really incredible energy healers, medical professionals and exceptional human beings. I said yes to many things that stretched me out of my comfort zone like public speaking, mixers, lead groups, hosting small offerings at metaphysical shops, organizing and participating in healing fairs. All these stretches connected me with like-minded people, soul family, and helped me find my confidence.
What are you most proud of
How I navigate the unknown. I have learned that when I am guided to step into the unknown, it’s my soul aligning me with my next chapter. I can trust that each leap of faith I am asked to take is collectively orchestrated by all things Divine to enrich my life experience.
What sets you apart
As a cosmic communicator I have a unique lens that allows me to clearly reflect, direct, and decode what is already present. As I illuminate what can’t yet be perceived and what is misaligned, the unseen truths feel like home in both my students and clients. This encourages the release of old wounds, soul alignment, and a profound reclaiming of their spiritual authority and unique power. Spiritual teachers and energy healers that are guided to me experience deeper activation of their soul calling and intuition.
What creative works do I offer
I believe that each of us carries innate wisdom, the power of intuition and the ability to be connected and guided by something outside of ourselves – all interconnected within our beautiful vessel. Through my membership, retreats, training, courses, and private sessions, I guide others through their spiritual rise weaving intuition and wisdom with tangible applications for meaningful and lasting transformation.
I believe that within each of us is an inner knowing and when we embrace this part of ourselves, we elevate our lives. With this elevation we begin to experience life through a new lens unlocking the soul lessons into a form that empowers and heals.
As a teacher of teachers, I bring 30 years of experience to every class, retreat, and gathering I offer – nurturing and supporting connection to self, to intuition and to the divine that supports meaningful transformation and empowerment.
As a mentor, I help clients shift patterns, embody soul wisdom, advance their intuitive nature, and live an aligned life on purpose.
My membership – Sacred Shift Society – is a safe and supportive space for members where the invitation is: sacred transformation meets soul community.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
The keys for me have been:
– Having a community who believed in me and my work. When I was starting my craft, I had a community that believed in empowering other women. My community included professionals like; a chiropractor, a natural path, nurses, an astrologer, sound healers, reiki practitioners and other people who shared the same energy healing modality that I did, friends and family who really saw me and believed in my craft. Ultimately, the support I was showered in helped my confidence flourish.
– Being really good at my craft– People experience meaningful transformation, because of this, my students and clients refer others to me.
– I am very present, compassionate and have the ability to see beyond the human experience. People feel safe and supported because of this and they are able to embody deeper shifts.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Can you share a story of a time when you had to pivot
YES! Now, it actually excites me when I can feel a pivot on the horizon, but that’s after a lot of practice. One of my favorite pivot stories is about my move to Kauai in 2018.
At the time my life was full and thriving. My business was blossoming – I was teaching in person spiritual development and psychic mastery classes, seeing private clients and creating a safe, sacred space for people to reconnect with their intuition and heal. I found such passion in illuminating others’ growth and healing journey. The joy of watching people have their inner light amplified and the forward movement that was created because they reconnect to their authentic nature and power of intuition was fulfilling.
My kids and I were also finding our confidence as a tribe of three. Our roots ran deep in the Santa Cruz mountains. We had a supportive community, neighborhoods that felt like family, and our family ties were strong with my brother, sister in law and their three boys who lived in the area.
I’d lived in the Santa Cruz mountains for forty six out of my forty eight years and loved the beauty of the redwoods, all the trails for running, (the forest held me through so much of my healing and transformation) the fresh and local foods, farmers markets, downtown Santa Cruz, West Cliff, I mean there was – and is – just so much to love and appreciate about that area. And, I did! I really loved my life. I had a robust community, people to laugh and cry with, people I could adventure with, dance with and be truly seen by.
Some areas of my life still felt a little bumpy between navigating being divorced and facing some personal struggles with the emotional volatility of my children’s dad, while doing my best to be the steady anchor my kids needed pulled me in some uncomfortable spaces within myself.
My mantra at the time was-let me have balance-
In my day to day life, I was immersed in my intuition, whether it was in my offerings or sharing reads within my community. So when messages started coming through – both from my community and through my meditations – that a move was on the horizon, I paid attention.
At the time I was actively manifesting becoming a home owner. What was fascinating is that each time I would visualize my future home I saw something unexpected… In my visualization, I was placed inside a house looking out through a window. My view out of this window was of a wall of bamboo that bordered the property. The air held the energy and light of a rain forest and somehow the home itself felt familiar, but it didn’t match anything in Santa Cruz.
Then the clarity came that the move would take us to Kauai. All along I was assuming that the move I was manifesting would still be somewhere in California and at the time, Kauai felt so far away and I could now feel myself resisting the pivot.
My heart ached because of my attachment to what I already knew and loved. Between my heart ache and worrisome thoughts that – my kids would be starting over. A new school, new friends, an entirely different social consciousness and culture. Moving away from family and all the things that were a source of emotional comfort to us plus leaving behind a strong community and my IRL business I’d worked so hard to build. And- lastly, I would also need permission from my children’s dad to actually be able to move them across the ocean, which wasn’t a guarantee. All of this would set in motion a practice of detachment, faith and trust.
I know that I can only resist my inner guidance for so long because the Universe stays consistent with the nudges, downloads and insights so that I stay on track – in ways I often don’t get to see or understand until I am on the other side of the pivot – so, of course the signs kept coming to help with my readiness. One day I was out for a run and this guy was wearing a T-Shirt that had the town Poipu printed across it. I chuckled and said’ okay, universe, I hear you” and I surrendered
I don’t know if any of the readers sense this themselves, but I am guessing many do… When I am being guided by the support that exists outside of myself (God, Universe, Source, Creator, whatever it is for you) and I am lovingly encouraged to step out of my comfort zone, I don’t usually lead with a big yes. It takes consistent communication between the Universe and myself then time to process before I arrive at a yes. It’s an embodied yes, every part of my being is on board and aligned with my yes. It’s within this place of myself that I can feel energy leave my crown chakra, like a message is being sent through the top of my crown to the cosmos to receive and support.
From there, I experienced one seamless closing to a chapter after another.
The magic and healing that I personally experienced is unforgettable. Many people came together and taught us about being unconditionally supported, they helped pack our home, load the container with everything that made our house feel like home, and celebrated our next chapter.
And off we went. We boarded the plane with our suitcases, our cat, Maui, no long-term housing secured, and 100% faith that a home would be waiting for us.
When we arrived on Kauai in 2018, the land and some communities were still recovering from a pretty destructive storm. People were displaced because of this and there was a collective belief that housing was scarce, but I truly did not feel this belief in my body. I just felt aligned. I felt the island pulling us there, and the “knowing” that we were meant to call Kauai our home.
I went exploring shortly after we arrived on the East Side of the island. I was driving up a road called Olohena in Kapa’a, and a download washed over me: this was the road we would live on. Days later, friends were visiting and saw a rental listing that they thought we should look at on Olohena. This was it, the house I kept seeing in my meditations, right down to the bamboo wall!
Within a few weeks of arriving we had our home.
One of the beautiful gifts of knowing, claircognizance, when you KNOW, you just KNOW. There is no space for worry or doubt. As far as my business went, for whatever reason, I had reached a certain point before we relocated where I just released the worry. I didn’t know how I would make ends meet but I knew I would. Once this was settled within myself, I didn’t really give it much thought.
I truly witnessed grace weaving its design throughout our move, the house and my business. A chiropractor was referred to me, and she began sending clients for remote sessions. Some previous clients transitioned to remote sessions and by business continued to nourish myself, my children, clients and students.
I watched my kids become more empowered, and the dynamics between their dad and us shifted in profound ways. I felt myself nestling into a new level of faith, trust and empowerment.
Soul lessons are at the heart of my work, my sacred inner work and the work I share with others as a cosmic communicator, teacher and as a guide. I see the weaving of the human and soul experience–that things are not happening to us but for us so that we deepen our wisdom, our gifts, help to heal our lineage and create a healthier foundation for our own children and our planet.
My human went through all of these pivots and deepened my inner wisdom. I found that these pivots are necessary and are often soul guided. When I trust, when I listen, when I have faith and I surrender, it works out better than I could have ever imagined. I learned that I can’t hold faith and doubt or trust and fear at the same time and that surrender and detachment are necessary so that there is space for the Universe to conspire with you and for you.
And Kauai…a teacher, a healer and a grandmother. I rested, restored, played and deepened my connection to my faith. I know that the Universe meets me when I am aligned with my leap. I trust my soul-led nudges when I’m guided to pivot because my soul guidance is wiser than logic. My life has unfolded more magically than I could have dreamt up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rochellestanley.com/
- Instagram: rochelle_stanley
- Facebook: rochellekindellstanley
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rochellestanley7105?si=re6BBj1HhbCxF79d
- Other: https://substack.com/@rochellestanley?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=37q9h0
Image Credits
Franky, Randy, myself.