Helen Star Cave became a SMSD Lodge Leader in 2025, and her Lodge, Brave Friends of Life is, at the moment, the only one in Estonia.
Helen Star Cave interviewed by Nicola Samad
Fall 2025
Her journey on the SMSD Path began at the Lodge in Bristol, UK in ‘98, and she apprenticed in ‘99.
“During the Christmas holidays I went home to Estonia and my friends were really curious and eagerly asking me to share what I was learning and experiencing.
In 2011, at our Annual Renewal ceremony, I received a vision about bringing the SMSD teachings to Estonia. The vision was a dialogue; I asked my questions and received very specific answers, the clear steps, painting the whole picture of how to move forward – it was so solid that I knew it was the right time”.
Upon returning to Estonia, she was guided to honor the ancestors of the land and started her study group on her birthday in 2012.
“The news travelled word of mouth. I started with evening gatherings that soon grew, so I needed somewhere bigger. I found this beautiful place on an acre of land in the middle of the countryside and there was a lot of work to be done. I did most of the work on my own, but sometimes I needed help and found win-win solutions within the local community.
How was it to bring the SMSD teachings and ceremonies to Estonians?
“The Twisted Hairs honor all paths to spiritual growth and enlightenment, with no claim to be the only path or truth. The teachings don’t feel foreign here, they align with the Estonian worldview. Often, I hear that the teachings remind the people of something they always knew, and now they’re happy that somebody put that knowledge into good words, structures and processes to allow them to go deeper in their understanding and move forward. They recognize that even though there may be a different word, way, or practice, at the core it’s the same. The teachings about the Elements, Nature and Creation make sense for us. Estonians are very down to earth, many live in the countryside, grow their own food and know how to survive very well in Nature, they’re strong. We have our folk medicine, we don’t call it shamanism, it’s just the normal way of living for us, everyone knows about how to use plants for healing.
We have the Smoke Sauna ceremonial tradition. There is a documentary film that won a European film award in 2023 called Smoke Sauna Sisterhood. Have a look!
Song is also very important. When we use plants for healing, we sing. Song was also part of how we got our independence. When we were invaded, our traditional Estonian songs were made illegal, but then thousands of people came together and sang the songs. They couldn’t stop us singing and something opened in the hearts of the people. The connection between people’s sovereignty, the land and our cultural wisdom remains because it has been passed down. We are very proud of this and like to share it with others.
Our sovereignty is about choosing for ourselves what we want to do in our life and the SMSD teachings support this because they hold knowledge that works to give freedom. We in Estonia have a long history of invasions, so we cherish our freedom”.
During the last 10 years Helen has built a solid foundation for a home for the SMSD in Estonia, and in the last couple of years has sponsored various workshops with A Road Teacher-Ceremonialists; Sabina, Johannes, Batty and Rose.
What are you envisioning in the future for your Lodge?
“My guide asked me – How would you know you’ve been successful? and I answered, “if the teachings of the SMSD path continue in Estonia for at least 7 generations after I’m gone. So that’s my intention”.
The plan is to give teachings and run ceremonies from April and through the summer, and then in September, I will be back in the local school teaching English to the children. I don’t think about what I want to do with my life, I ask, where am I needed. I’ve grown a lot by doing what I have accomplished here. Next year, I want to continue my training with Rites of Passage, and I am dreaming of a ceremonial drum team in the future.
I’m also training to hold Eagle Dances. The space is ready, but we’re waiting for the tree to get a little bit bigger and for me to get a little bit bigger – we’re growing together!
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