I am Sarah, born of Mari, born of Alice Maclean born out of the west highlands of Scotland, of Gaelic language and Queen Victoria’s empire
I am born out of the British Empire, of Shanghai banks, of whaling and Newcastle beer.
Born out of Clarence Bicknell, esperanto and wild alpine flowers, out of Constable and knights and those who burnt King Alfred’s cakes.
I am born out of crofters and fishermen and the Scottish potato famine. The old ones tended the hill fires at Beacon Hill, Devon deriving the name Bicknell
I am born out of stone and wild moorlands, of moss and the fae, who travelled west through the Summer Isles on an immram of her own
I am a Brit who washed up on the shores off the Pacific Northwest amidst seaweed, ravens and cedar bough who found her feet amidst clabber board, wild mountains and cranberry bogs.
I am one who loves and changes and creates as she goes
For I am many lifetimes all rolled into one, a traveller, a juggler, anam cara and priestess
I am one who has been adopted by these shores, who 50 years later carries my new roots in a US passport and has birthed children and grandchildren into this new land.
I am she who found her place inside and out at the feet of Native wisdom borrowed and returned.
I am the medicine of my rowan roots interwoven with wild salmon and Douglas Fir
I am earth person, vulnerable to the song of life and I follow my breath.
I am Grandmother Turtle landing in meadowland, fresh from the ocean currents of life
I am she who crosses oceans and cultures to connect and be whole, One who dances with others in shared language of the soul
I am a dreamer, a sharer of truth, an assistant, a collaborator
I am a special education teacher, a mentor of life, a student, a poet
I am a lover, a wife, a mother, a ceremonialist, and shadow doctor of grace
I am you, I am me, and I am continuing our prayer
To love even more, to be kind even more and be here even more, whomever we be.
Sarah Maclean Bicknell is a healer, teacher, and mentor. She has studied healing and ceremonial work in North American indigenous traditions for 30 years. She has incorporated her Celtic roots into her present North American practice and is sought out for her intuitive readings, workshops, ceremony, and her soul doctoring practice. She stands in deep gratitude to her elders and teachers that have gone before and stands firmly in her own vision, a vision that is related and crafted for these times of the 21st century. Her work is about connection, community, ceremony and respect. Also raised in the Western world, she has lived the loss of disconnection and is profoundly thankful to her indigenous elders who taught her how to re-arrive more fully into her life.
In 1991, Sarah was adopted by ceremony, into the Ghost Horse, Hunka Waye, Lakota Nation. She stands in deep honor to her elder council/mentors and ceremonial collaborators which over the years have been Adalberto Rivera (Maya), Wallace Black Elk, Buck Ghosthorse (Lakota), Paul Ghosthorse, Rod Mcafee, Vicky Ghosthorse (Sungleska), Grandmother Red Leaf (Cherokee), Donna Carlita, Hernando Salazar (Inca, Peru), Silvia Calisaya Chuquimia (Aymarra, Lake Titicaca), Youseff Bashir (Berber, N. Africa), Betsy Bergstrom (NW coastal, Norse, Scottish), Francesca Boring (Shoshone, N Native European), Harold Blood, Carolyn Hillier, K.Trevelyan (N Native European), Stephan Hausner (Germany), and to the many around the world that she has sat, dreamt and stood in ceremony with.
Sarah’s effectiveness as a teacher and mentor is seated in her ability to move quickly with a core style of kindness, pragmatism, humor, and discipline. In workshops or in private session, she is adept at astute listening, enabling her to tease out and distill core issues in both individuals and groups. She synthesizes information quickly to determine what is really needed to shift entire belief systems and break up the gridlocks that keep people and organizations from arriving at their best work.
Offerings
One on One
I offer one on one healings, readings, and mentoring sessions using intuitive guidance in a variety of ancestral teachings and modalities. Learn more here.
Online Courses
Dreams have played an intricate part in my life since childhood. I have worked alongside indigenous dreamers as well as in Jungian circles and with Druid dreamers. I have been teaching the Dreamer and the Messenger in Seattle for over ten years and have supported expanding dream groups, both virtual and local. After thirty plus years of practice and experience, I now offer my Dreamtime courses online. Click here for more information.
Ceremony
Blessing ceremonies allow us to welcome the good things in life and share with each other and in community, the gifts of life. We can give thanks to the elements of water, air, fire, and earth, and to the sacred around us both visible and invisible to our physical eye. Ceremony is an opportunity to welcome in all the changes and transitions we go through with inspiration, hope, recognition and gratitude. Learn more here.
Speaking
Constellations
Living constellation work is a dynamic practice that connects with the knowing field to diagnose and reveal deep and unresolved systemic traumas in the family lineage. More information is available here.
Mentorship
Mentoring is a resource for life, an ancient relationship between older and younger. When the creased face encounters the wisdom reflected in the younger and open hearted face, it allows new vision to be born out into our new world. Together, the insights and connection between the mentor and the mentee contribute to the greater, lighter, consciousness and sustainable living practices. Learn more here.
Sacred Directions Workshops
The Sacred Directions is a series of four weekend retreats that follow around the cycle of the sun and the four seasons. For the time shared in community together it allows us to be on the same page. No previous experience or background of religion is required. Learn more here.
Teaching
Night Turtle Dance
Night Turtle Dance
August (dates TBD) at Smoke Farm Wa
Night Turtle Dance Foundation
Building cross-cultural bridges between ancient wisdom and today
Testimonials
“I've moved into a new sense of being, and have seen the entire community move as a whole into new connection, maturity, and humaneness... Sometimes spiritual growth feels like climbing an unknown mountain, and it is deeply reassuring to work with a teacher who has climbed these intimidating paths, and returned to help the rest of us find our way. ”
“Her work, which stems from the Lakota ceremonial traditions and Celtic traditions, is of great and resonating magnitude. Based in Shamanic rituals, she uses sounds and smoke as a large part of her healing. Her belief is that we as humans have a 1st skin. When trauma happens on any level, that skin gets broken. Sarah’s work restores the missing pieces to help Spirit and eternal skin become whole again. ”
“Sarah is an intuitive, sage, experienced healer. I entered into work with her without really knowing the depth of my trauma, but feeling it permeate my world. Sarah's empathy coupled with the ability to channel knowledge from ancient times washes over you like magic.”