Interview with Eve Smyth
Tell us a little about yourself?
I help people reconnect their mind, body and spirit through the mediums of Reiki, Shamanism, yoga, and sound healing.
Earlier in my career, I travelled extensively, working as an English teacher and teacher trainer either through positions in universities or fellowships in China (Hefei, Macao and Hong Kong), Mexico, Ukraine, Moldova, The Republic of Georgia, Afghanistan, Russia, and Pakistan. I also visited a variety of other countries in the regions where I lived.
Tell us about your spiritual path and your experiences with spirit?
I remember being introduced to spirit around 6-years-old. My mind detached from my thrashing body during a seizure and a beautiful white horse asked if I would go for a ride. We galloped through silvery white clouds and emerald forests. Eventually, the horse brought me back to my body and I woke up to see the panicked faces of my parents. That was how I met my power animal. This childhood epilepsy, of which I was eventually cured, is a sign of shamanic calling in many cultures. I did not know to embrace the life of a spiritual practitioner at that age, but I’ve always been connected with spirit.
What sort of training and initiation have you done?
I’ve trained with shamans and shamanic practitioners in Ukraine and Hong Kong as well as The Foundation for Shamanic Studies in the USA. I became interested in Ukrainian and Russian shamanic practice when I was living in Ukraine. One of the diplomats I knew invited me to meet a shamanic practitioner and artist. One of my favorite afternoons in Ukraine was spent with the practitioner at his home just outside of Kyiv. It was at this time that I also trained in Reiki 1 and healing with crystals.
About six years into my Reiki journey, I was moving further away from my life purpose as I clung to a university job rather that the way of the healer. A health crisis was the catalyst for my deepening Reiki practice and taking a deeper dive into shamanism. In Joseph Campbell terms: it was my call to adventure — the call to claim my inner resources and life path. I picked up that call and got back on my path by re-taking Reiki in Hong Kong to the master teacher level at Shakti Healing Circle.
This led me to being stuck between the expectations of the “real” work world where I felt trapped and my calling to be a spiritual practitioner. I began to practice Reiki and shamanic work with more intensity, working with human and spirit mentors who helped guide my studies.
What does your practice look like?
My personal practice begins in the morning connecting with the spirits at my home alter and centering myself so that I can hear any messages they have coming through. Often, I’ll get information about a client I’ll be seeing later in the day. The centering consists of breath work, asana and meditation. Often, I’ll go for a walk in the forrest by my house and collect offering for the spirits of land and forest. They love it when you decorate a tiny alter using natural debris. Birds and other animals will gather to watch and creep fairly close!
I’m currently working with a spirit on a vision quest. We’ve completed 2 out of 3 experiences that were very confronting—I met a very vocal black bear!— and beautiful. This work both creates a sense of calm and feelings of being exposed as I’m forced to confront my shadows and work to integrate them.
We know from training in shamanism that spirit is the best teacher. Reiki will tell me what is wrong with my client at times and how to work with the energy to help the imbalance. Interestingly, l received confirmation on some of the methods that I was using as I studied Reiki 1 & 2 again out of professional curiosity with Tenzin Lama S. when I returned to the U.S. It was hard not to jump out of my seat in excitement as he would teach something that I’d been directed by Reiki to do and had not been taught by any of my other teachers. This is a wonderful lesson in how important it is to let spirit teach us. They are masters. The more you’re open to their guidance and teaching, the more effective you’ll be at your healing modality. Practice is another way to grow as a shamanic or Reiki practitioner.
What would you like to work on in the future?
I am continuously developing my practice and service. One aspect of this is helping people to work through dark nights of the soul by finding their life path through coaching and retreats. These programs move people from feeling like they’re living someone else’s life to being back in their body and aware of their full potential. Another is working with death. Currently, this looks like working to ease the pain of those at end of life through Reiki and guiding those who have passed to where they will find rest. In the future, I would like to train to become a death dula.
What sort of legacy do you want to leave?
It is my hope that my community of students and clients are actively engaged in understanding and practicing what leads to their optimal health and wellbeing through diet, movement, the mind, body, and spirit.
How can people contact you or find out more about you?
You can find more information about me or book a coaching session at https://www.evesmyth.com or by email at evesmyth@gmail.com.
If you’re in Atlanta, book a Reiki session or gong bath meditation at Decatur Healing Arts.
To purchase art:
Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/EveSmyth
Society6: https://society6.com/evesmyth