2009 Testimonials from Participants
"I had never been to an all-woman event before and it was amazing how free and un-self conscious I felt! I also especially loved waking up early in my tent and walking to the gym for Sierra\'s lovely, restorative yoga sessions, and eating the truly wonderful food provided. Thank you!"
SK Valentine, Tallahassee, FL
"This year my mother and my daughter attended the conference with me. They loved it as much as I did in previous years. It was such a bonding and connecting experience. Thank you for offering something for everyone, and a huge thank you to the childcare staff. My daughter cried when it was time to leave this special space you create."
Crystal Merrell, Jasper, GA
"I am so grateful to the conference facilitators for holding sacred space in which I could totally be me, with no walls or masks, in the midst of such beautiful and loving women. Thank you!!"
"I have been coming since the very first year- wild horses could not drag me away from this weekend, which I anticipate each year!"
"I came a long way just for this conference, from Ontario, and it was worth every mile!"
"You are all great. I feel like a have a new family. Thank you so much the best weekend in a long time."
Jean Schilling
"I was particularly grateful for the harmonious vibration and cooperation. Every year we surrender a little more of our egos in service to the greater good. It is a very powerful experience to be with so many grateful women supporting other women so that we may carry our medicine back out into the world as the healers that we are."
Thea Summer Deer, Whittier, NC
"I can't recall ever having been to such a large group event where all of the energy was positive and the mood joyful. Thank you for providing a safe place to play and learn about who we are and who we might become."
Anne Small TN
"I loved cruising the vending area. Not only because of the wonderful items for sale, but because here among the vendors, folks gathered together, connecting and engaging with each other, sharing stories, laughing out loud, sitting by the lake and enjoying the sunshine. Here, among the vendors, folks spontaneously introduce themselves, share a greeting and share a hug."
Phyllis D. Light, Arab, AL
"I am not an herbalist, but I get so much from this conference that it has become an annual event. Being with so many powerful women in such a nurturing environment, I feel well nourished and rejuvenated in every aspect when I leave on Sunday."
"I came at a time in my life when I felt I had nothing left inside to give ... the women of the wise reminded me how much renewal there is around us in this bountiful green world. Wise Women ~ we truly are "the ones we have been waiting for". Rise, sing, dance, teach, receive and heal world! See you all next year."
Lisa Kotlowski, Winchester, VA
"The SEWHC far exceeded my expectations. Each teacher I encountered shared generously from the heart of her passion and life's work. I felt nourished in body and spirit, buoyed by the open hearts of so many sisters seeking, as am I, how to heal our earth by tuning in to her message. I consider this conference a new holiday that I look forward to celebrating for years to come."
"I want ALL of the women in my life that I love to attend this next year! What a empowering and nourishing experience!"
"If you go to one herbal conference this year - go to this one!"
Leslita Williams, M.Ed. Herbalist and author
"I really enjoyed this experience. My only complaint is there were so many quality lectures happening simultaneous that I was limited to my choices. I look forward to attending next year and will hopefully bring friends. Keep up the good work and thank you every so much for the quality learning time. The food was great also."
"Gathering in the mountains by a lake with hundreds of women in itself is profoundly healing and soothing to my spirit womb. Adding inspirational and uplifting classes just coats my vitality with great joy and freedom. This conference is blessed!!!"
Mieko Flynn, Asheville, NC
"Having my baby there and feeling all the love and caring directed toward him felt so good. It reminded me that we are meant to live together and work together and care for each others children".
"Prior to this conference, my life has been incredibly hectic and full of both exciting and painful changes. During this conference, I found a sense of calm, peace and purpose that seemed to make my entire life "congeal" into the perfect representation of who I REALLY doing what I'm REALLY supposed to be doing. I am very grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with such a powerful group of wise women and intend to make the SEWHC a part of my life for years to come. Thank you."
"What an amazing experience! It was my first time at the conference, and I will be back, year after year...along with a whole entourage of friends, family and students! The magick and synchronicity of events and making new friends, is such a gift to Women. We need this kind of gathering to take place not once but at least 2 times a year! Not only was it great fun to facilitate my Moon Coaching program at the conference, but I soooo loved attending other presentations and getting to know other Wise Women. The staff and volunteers were spectacular, the food was outrageous, and each moment was breathtaking! Thank you for all the love you have put into creating and birthing this event! Let's do it again!!!"
MoonCoach Silvia Pancaro
"I am incredibly grateful for the invaluable info I got about finessing the menopausal transition with grace and health. I feel that the up-to-the-minute research plus the Wise Woman approaches I learned about will be not just life-enhancing, but potentially life-saving, as I enter cronehood."
KKN, Charlottesville, VA
"The conference was awakening, enlightening, empowering, and liberating! Being around women who revere Mother Earth and who are learning from her wisdom was a very special healing and inspirational experience."
Emily Gupta, Washington D.C.
"I feel that the presenters at the se wise women’s conference provided an exceptional look at the real world of medicine and life style! I feel through the presentations, options for health can be an individual decision where the individual can use the herbal medicine and pharmaceutical medicine to make his or her life the best possible and that nothing is permanent and we can always reevaluate our decisions to make quality of life the top priority!!!!! "
"The love of Mother Earth, love of other attendees, and the love of herbs was so inspiring. Each year it gets more profound."
Marian Wall, Pittsboro, NC
Each year I attend I learn a little more; another use for this plant, a deeper understanding of that herb, how to tap into a stronger pulse to the rhythms that connect us all. It's a wonderful combination of applicable skills, spiritual strategy and true magic. I've brought my son for the past three years, and though 2010 will be his last (he’ll be 10), I'm so grateful that he's had the opportunity to soak up the wisdom of all these amazing women. I think the SE Women's Herbal Conference will surely contribute to his becoming a wonderful man! Thank you for all that you do."
Jessica Leigh Lebos, Savannah, GA
"This conference was a very joyful and rare coming together of kindred female spirits refining, shaping and sharing knowledge passed down from the ages. I have learned more in three short days from these women than I have in 30 years of studying alternative wellness. The pathways are becoming clearer and beckon more urgently than ever. Thanks SE Wise Women, for uniting so many in the sacred mission of healing and nourishing ourselves and our loved ones. True wisdom is always passed on, the old ways live through courageous women who understand that everything we need to heal is already at our disposal by the grace of Gaia."
Teresa Britt, Hendersonville, NC
"The conference took me deeper into exploring myself and connecting with nature. It has become an annual tradition."
"I look forward to connecting with so many other women seeking the truth for wellness & celebration of life. It is rejuvenating for my soul to meet other like-minded women on similar paths & nurturing attitudes!"
Sunshine, Carrollton, GA
"Thank you for creating a warm, safe space for women. You have succeeded in creating a place of no judgment where women can just be their selves. The wide diversity of people was refreshing and exciting. It gives me hope for the future."
"I left the weekend with a peace in my heart, a head full of knowledge, and the know-how to go home and use herbs and nutrition to improve the health and my self and my family. Thank you."
K. Morgan, Black Mountain, NC
"When over 500 powerful women come together, it's an amazingly beautiful sight and sound. The seeds of Dreams are visualized/spoken/and born. The web grows and strengthens...we are women...hear us howl!"
"The entire weekend was amazing! I learned so much about healing herbs and myself. I'm excited to do it again!"
Christi, Centennial, CO
"The SEWHC is not only a weekend to learn, connect, and deepen for me. It is a weekend to renew my spirit, and to be reminded of the beauty inside me. A weekend to be a woman with no boundaries or expectations. A weekend to nourish my body AND soul."
"I feel that by expanding the creativity track, you allow the conference to go beyond the experience of herbalism to expand and grow within the soul, becoming the true essence of women\'s ways of being. When I was dancing with Barbara's class, or singing with my own class, I felt as though we were all part of a priestess\' school, and that we were creating temples of the Goddess right there among us. It was an incredibly authentic and welcome feeling of women being at home in their own bodies, and creating from their true selves. A sense that we were creating a new, feminine future for us all, for the whole Earth."
Annelinde Metzner, Black Mountain, NC
"I attend the SE Women's Herbal Conference annually to heal my indigenous soul, learn new skills from the wise woman tradition, connect with people and plant allies, and refresh my whole being so I can assist in evolving our culture to one that is more sustainable and holistically healthy. In 2008, I came to my first conference from Florida by myself but felt like I was returning home. This past year, in 2009, I returned to the conference bringing three sisters and an elder from Florida. Now, we are inspired towards creating a Florida Women\'s Herbal Conference tentatively planned for winter 2011! What a blessing it is to be empowered to reclaim our innate abilities to heal and nourish ourselves, our families and our communities and to be part of the resurrection of a grassroots, women-led, community-based healthcare system for the people. Thank you to Corinna Wood, Red Moon Herbs, and all the incredible, magnificent women that gather each year for this powerful celebration. In gratitude."
Julia Onnie-Hay, Sarasota, FL
"The SEWHC conference renewed my life in ways that will unfold to all around me! It fed my mental, emotional, physical and sensual realms! Thank you!!"
Jacquelyn Howard, Atlanta, GA
"I just wanted to let you know how inspired I am, coming from the conference. There was such a wealth of information and a wonderful sense of community. Also, I wanted to put in a good word for sweet monkey! Those girls did a wonderful job keeping those of us without meal tickets with full tummies. Thank you for all of your hard work putting this together for us. It is greatly appreciated! Blessings to you all!"
Kim Riddell Oldtown, MD
"I am always energized by the community and gathering of women, the nourishing and delicious food, and the beautiful surroundings of Black Mountain. This year was the first year I had a hard time deciding what class to take because so many awesome classes were offered. I look forward to next year!"
"Living outside Philly, I feel like one of the few who takes time to notice nature in a way that honors rather that destroys. I felt so at home at the conference and came back renewed in my awareness that... I'm not crazy! Thank You"
TONI, Philly PA
"Although I was very excited to attend the conference for the 1st time, I had no idea that what I would eventually experience would have such a profoundly powerful effect on me as a woman. The conference goes beyond herbs. It goes beyond being a woman. For me it went to how I can be a better person by allowing my perspective to embrace something very primitive that was always there. I just had to re-remember."
Kristie, Chattanooga, TN
"Wonderfully uplifting experience with many kindred souls. Learned a lot. Am looking forward to next year\'s conference."
Jinx Jenkins, Spartanburg, SC
"To have a place to connect with other women in such a safe and nurturing environment, will go a long way in healing all of us on many levels."
"It was amazing to be with so many like-minded women of all ages. The diversity was incredible! We need to continue to support each other and the S.E. Women’s Herb Conference is a wonderful vehicle to encourage women to feel empowered, loved and valued. Thank you to the staff for all the hard work!"
Kat Stratton, Gainesville, GA
"The three years I have attended the SEWHC, I arrived with expectations of learning. Each time that I have departed I realize that not only do I have much to learn about learning itself and a much greater library of herbal healing, but I also have an opportunity, a prompting and a call to my spirit to change. I feel so blessed to be part of such a powerful space of sharing and loving, empowerment and support; a place of healing while learning how. wow!"
Zoma Delasestrellas, Asheville, NC
"Wow. So much more than I expected and everything I needed spiritually and intellectually. It was insightful, empowering, liberating and absolutely nourishing. A gathering of strong, beautiful, likeminded yet diverse women - with teachers that seemed to affirm the very inclinations of every woman\'s nature as well as our inherent connection to each other, the earth and healing, while reawakening the knowledge of our very roots with wisdom and rhythm. I'll be back next year with more women. There are not words adequate except perhaps Thank you."
H.K., Asheville, NC
"Two years ago I attended my First SEWHC. The experience has changed my way I look at life and others. Along with the wonderul wealth of knowledge that I bring home with me, I also bring home a renewed spirit and a feeling of empowerment being with all the beautiful women. Attending your conference has truly changed my entire life! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I honestly feel physically and most of all, spiritually renewed every conference. All the teachings feel like a gift sent down from all the wise women that have come before us. We are the lucky ones that will continue the eternal circle of knowledge through compassion and strength of spirit! Loved it!!!"
"I have attended the SEWHC conference since its inception, five years ago. I have seen it grow and mature. It has become to many women in the southeast, an integral part of their life. As an elder, I am deeply inspired by so many young women feeling so nourished and rejuvenated by this remarkable conference, which now includes more than 30 teachers and practitioners. I met women from Montana, Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio , VA, and, of course, North Carolina, who feel a healing which they can't find anywhere else. This is a unique experience! Come and join us!"
Anonymous, Asheville NC
"The Sacred Puja was in essence, my experience of the conference itself. We were asked to look deep within the face of a "stranger" who in an instant became a sister. I felt myself open and relax. I learned something about her and something new about myself. We became a mirror to one another. We wanted to send love and to be kind. As we moved round and round to face different partners, I saw something precious and unique within each woman. It was deeply moving and healing. Good, good medicine."
Tarleton Brooks, Hendersonville, NC
"I had a migraine headache a couple of days before the conference. I was 30 minutes late for the first class period on Friday. I wandered up to the Herb Walk class just as the teacher was explaining how to use Dogwood bark to ease migraines. Throughout the conference I felt more easily in touch with my intuition than anywhere I have ever been."
Mary Cubberley Greensboro, NC
"The classes I attended at this year's conference were very timely in my life. A tremendous wealth of information was shared in Bevin Claire's HPV class and Susun Weed's Menopause class. I feel well informed and well prepared to make sound decisions on my wellbeing now and in the future."
Angela DeToro, Littleton, CO
"The 2009 SE Woman's Herbal Conference was amazing, as it always has been in the past! This was my 4th year attending and the conference has become one of the highlights of my year! The diversity of women that attend is amazing and I love the accepting, healing atmosphere! Not to be missed!"
Becky, Durham, NC
"My 12-year-old daughter, Nora, had a fantastic time in the young women's workshops. Please continue to provide these and invest in the development of our young women! Thank you!"
"We learned more in one weekend than we could have hoped thanks to your incredible instructors, and the fellowship with other like-minded women was an extraordinary pleasure!"
Tammy L. Lowe, Alliance, Ohio
"The evening Puja experience was magical. Connecting with so many wonderful, unique women through our sustained eye contact and array of touch was like exchanging pure love and light with dozens of souls."
C. Nicole Hinebaugh, Asheville, NC
"Juicy creative abundance of 'The Feminine” overflowed at the conference through the wisdom of teachers, the nourishment of food, the support of vendors and volunteers, and the immersion in Gaia's presence. We all were blessed, Thank you."
Suzanna Alexander, Wildwood, GA
"What a fabulous conference! I haven't stopped thinking or talking about it yet! I cannot describe how wonderful it was! Now--these are not a "wow" comments, but I just had to tell you that the weekend was even greater than my expectations! I plan to be back next year!"
Evelyn Mosley, Germantown, TN
"When I arrived I had a small patch on my cheek that was growing quickly. Was going to address it after the conference, dreading the thought of possible cancer. I bought some poke salve from red moon herbs on the first day and used it consistently. By the second day it was half the size and now two weeks later it's almost completely gone. Thank you Wise Women!"
"I am SO grateful to have such an amazing Herbal Conference so close to my home in Asheville. The love and care of the organizers is so obvious in how the whole conference feels and flows. It just gets better and better each year. I especially love all the Spiritual and Creative classes offered. After coming four years in a row, I wouldn't miss it and look forward to next year! Thank you all!!"
Rebekah Gonda, Anderson, SC
"I came to the conference as my first weekend away since having my son almost 2 years ago. I had been working on weaning him, which was an emotional process. Being among a group of powerful women and learning how to better care for myself, my family and my community was empowering and was just what I needed to get through this life transition. It was the perfect environment to begin reexploring myself as a woman as I had been so focused on myself as a mother. I left with a better sense of balance-a blessing to be sure!"
Lisa Schactman, Mill Spring, NC
"I had a really wonderful time volunteering in the kitchen. It was full of warm smiles and music and the clanking of dishes and the savory smells of fantastic food! It was an important part of my experience at the conference."
Ricky Bratz, Asheville, NC
"I particularly enjoyed the Sacred Puja. I had never experienced anything like that before and it was a great way to start the weekend and truly connect with other women especially since I came not knowing anyone. All the women I met and interacted with during the whole conference were warm and welcoming and truly authentic."
Nancy Miller, Candler, NC
Testimonials from previous years
