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Testimonials
Wellbeing Retreat Sharings...
“Rachel is an incredible healer. The Retreat as well as the Pilgrimage changed my life in so many ways. She opened up doors in my being that seemed to be shut for a long time, and the gifts that followed in my life after my time there, felt rich with the magic of that weekend. Every part of my experience felt like gold, and I highly recommend to anyone looking for healing and connection. It was unlike any other experience I've ever had. Deeply connected to nature, I felt so immersed in the natural rhythms, that I began to feel one with my surroundings. I hope to return and will forever remember my time there.” RAINE
"I so enjoyed the Earth Wisdom Retreat with Rachel and have come back buzzing and feeling blessed to have taken part in such an important journey! I experienced how helpful these teachings are as tools for everyday life as well as deeper work to uproot some of our well ingrained habits. I gained clarification as to what direction to take with my work as a yoga teacher. I loved every aspect of my weekend, I felt very held in a loving and supportive space - it was just what I needed. As with the Vision Quest I undertook with Rachel, it very powerful and it instigated a significant shift in my life and in my relationships. I am very grateful to Rachel for her guidance and support” LUCINDA
“I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in Rachel’s regular new moon silent retreats, a transformative sweat lodge ceremony, and a powerful journey through menopause. Each of these has been a deep attainment. The new moon retreats have brought me into a more conscious alignment with the moon cycles, and my own cycles. And the menopause journey was both moving and deeply hopeful. I left with a whole new perspective on menopause, and deeper connections with those attending. The sweat lodge was a powerful release and calling in, where I experienced a deepening of my relationship with my ancestors - and with the community and land on which we live. Rachel holds ceremony with deep beauty and reverence, but also with lightness and space for all emotions to be present, including joy. I feel completely safe, heard and held when we gather; and deeply connected to spirit and to myself. And would recommend her work to anyone looking for support, deep ceremony or a simple journey.” PIPPA
Sauna Ceremony Sharings...
” Many thanks Rachel for holding such a strong, safe and loving space, where I felt safe enough to let go and find my voice. From the minute I arrived I felt reassured and sensed the strong and grounded holding of the group from a very heartfelt place. The ritual dived deep and I felt cleansed, refreshed, clear and in a much lighter space than I arrived in. The power of gathering in such a way in ceremony was truly felt. Very grateful to Rachel and her work. Highly recommended. Xx” RACHEL
”Attending the Sauna Ceremony was deeply healing - I felt welcomed into a sacred gathering of warmth and love. Rachel holds space with loving intention and ancestral wisdom which nurtures mind, body and spirit. Each round felt purposeful and powerful, through gentle guidance we travelled through the elements incorporating ritual, herbs, prayer, song and drumming which created a high frequency energy and profound sense of collective power in prayers. Highly recommend ceremony to anyone seeking connection to self, community and nature. “ JO
“Feeling so grateful to be a part of the sauna ceremony with Rachel… so powerful.. the feeling of being held in sacred tradition and beautiful song and prayer! A reminder that being in the moment, aware and grateful, is a path of beauty (and magic!) I loved sharing the journey this afternoon with an all female group” ALEX
Wisdom Council sharings...
“The Wisdom Council Teachings with Rachel have been invaluable to me in setting up a Teacher Training Programme for the first time as part of a team. I highly recommend this for all kinds of organisations, however big or small and whatever their field of work. This ancient custom of how to make important decisions helped me to go beyond the doubts and conditioned response of my mind and really hear my inner wisdom. It seems to me that we need to tap into this in order to respond to and fully understand the needs of the greater whole, rather than our individual thoughts about how things should or shouldn’t be. The process is well considered and addresses all needs, including practical considerations and an openness to change.” LUCINDA PIMLOTT
“I am very surprised and inspired how effective the Wisdom Council was. As a facilitator myself, and having been part of communities and groups for about 30 years, I'm cautious of the conflicts that decision making can reveal between people. Rachel's sharing of the Wisdom Council Teachings has shown me the power of the Wisdom Council to transcend the potential pitfalls of group dynamics. Particularly, I appreciate the earth centred foundation of the Wisdom Council and elegant layering of different perspectives within a unified process. Rachel held the Wisdom Council with a light touch and yet created a focused environment and grounded sense of the sacred nature of this practice. The process was explained to us clearly as was the responsibility of whichever of the eight directions we undertook in the Council. I'm curious to learn more and support Rachel's work.” JASMINE DALE Mentor, Evaluator, Trainer for community and ecological resilience
” I am delighted to have the opportunity to recommend The Wisdom Council Teachings that Rachel is offering. The teachings remind us that we can only effectively move forward when we work together. This involves honouring the differing perspectives of everyone involved and also considering the wider impacts of our decisions. My experience of Rachel as a facilitator, is that she has been able to integrate these teachings and put them into practice in her own life, meaning that she is able to skilfully support us in applying them to our individual organisations and projects. Rachel’s passion for this work, for humanity and for the planet is obvious. She wants to bring these teachings to ethical organisations and projects to enhance their effectiveness so that we can have the maximum impact. In her work with our organisation she helped us connect with our deepest vision, and then supported us in getting clear about aspects of its implementation. She was always engaged and committed, thoughtful and inclusive. Thank you.” JACQUI CHANDLER Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, Group Facilitator, co-creator of Mindfulness-based Cancer Support project
“The Wisdom Council Teachings with Rachel Smart are highly recommended for individuals, communities and businesses. As a practicing Forest Guide, I have had my practice profoundly informed by this process. I daily practice elements of the teaching which serves to ground me and quiet the ears and erode the negative patterns” RORY MaCPHEE The Nature Therapy Counsel