The Rural We: Heidi Raymaakers
The jewelry designer has expanded her Etsy business by opening a spiritual boutique in Pittsfield.
Berkshires native Heidi Raymaakers’ sensitive nature put her on a path in which she could use her empathic gifts to help others on their journeys to wellness. She is clairsentient, Reiki II certified, an intuitive Tarot/oracle reader, a jewelry designer, and a Certified Life Coach. Raymaakers has a successful Etsy shop where she sells jewelry she crafts from crystals and stones, and last Saturday, she opened a brick-and-mortars version of her business, Soulful Intentions, in Pittsfield. In this “spiritual boutique” she sells her own jewelry along with items from other local artisans.
I got a degree in psychology, but that didn’t really feel right. After I left school, I was feeling a bit lost, then got pregnant unexpectedly. I’m a single mom, and didn’t want to send my son to daycare, so I got a full-time nannying job and was able to bring him with me. I’ve always been empathic, super sensitive around people, and it used to overwhelm me. A friend gave me a crystal and told me about energy and Reiki. I slowly started making jewelry with crystals for people I loved and became familiar with the meanings of each of the crystals.
People became interested in my jewelry, and when I saw the words “soulful” and “intentions” popping out at me in something I was reading, I knew that would be the name of my business. I started my Etsy shop in 2016 on my living room floor — I would work all night to make a couple of bracelets. In 2018 I slowly backed off of nannying and when I got my first big wholesale order at Kripalu I was able to quit my day job. Now my jewelry is in about nine stores along with the Etsy shop. I do Tarot (I do readings at Miraval) Reiki, and life coaching sessions. I work with your past, present and future energies to get you on your highest path. If you’re feeling a little stuck, we work on how we can move things. I also employ EST, a tapping technique that reprograms the subconscious.
People told me I was crazy for wanting a storefront, but I saw it as a way of connecting with more people. I love people and I wasn’t getting that connection when I worked from home. A year ago, my friend Alicia Powers at Four One Three Salon on Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield told me she had a space available in her building. I went to see it, and it was incredible, an old building with so much character. In August I decided to take the space and pulled it all together in a couple of months. I opened on Saturday and a lot of people showed up. I got to connect with people I knew from Instagram or Facebook.
The shop has my jewelry, but also the work of about 17 local artisans: flower bouquets, Berkshire sweatshirts, sage smudge energy-healing kits, books, journals, crystals, candles, aromatherapy items. In the future, I want to expand by offering vision board parties (to set intentions), mindfulness classes, art workshops and other events that focus on empowering women. Each month I plan to highlight a woman-owned business.
My vision is that Soulful Intentions is a place where when you walk in, you instantly feel better. If you come here when you’re having an off day, the environment will raise your vibrations a little bit. I’ll help you find the perfect thing to help you or someone else feel good.
