Part 1 · Terms of Service
TERMS OF SERVICE, REFUNDS & PRIVACY POLICY
Birch House Rituals · Effective date: (the day you publish)
Please read these terms before using this website or buying from us. They explain your rights and ours. Nothing in them affects your legal rights as a consumer.
1. About us
Birch House Rituals is run by Silvija Šuliokaitė, a sole trader based in the United Kingdom. "We", "us" and "our" mean Birch House Rituals. "You" means anyone who visits this website or buys from us.
Contact: hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk
Address: (add your business address here)
We offer: in-person pirtis rituals and ceremonies; retreats; online courses, including With the Trees; live online gatherings; downloadable guides; and physical products, including hydrosols, printed booklets and sauna hats.
2. Using this website
By using this website you agree to these terms. Please use it lawfully. You must not upload or send anything that is unlawful, abusive, defamatory or that infringes anyone's rights, or try to disrupt or gain unauthorised access to the site.
We take reasonable care to keep the site secure and free of viruses, but we can't guarantee it. Please use your own up-to-date protection.
3. Who can buy
You must be 18 or over to buy from us or take part in our services. Our in-person rituals and retreats are for adults only.
4. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time, for example when we add a new offering or the law changes. The version on this page when you make a purchase is the one that applies to that purchase. Changes won't affect anything you've already bought. For significant changes, we'll let our customers know by email.
5. Prices and payment
All prices are in pounds sterling. We take care to show the right price. If we make an obvious pricing mistake, we'll contact you before going ahead, and you can cancel for a full refund. Payments are processed securely by Squarespace and Stripe. We never see or store your full card details. Where we offer a payment plan, every instalment must be paid; access to a course may be paused if a payment fails, until it's settled.
Part 2 · Online courses and digital products
6. Your access
When you buy an online course or digital product, you'll receive access details straight away. Your access is personal to you.
"Yours to keep" and "no expiry" mean you can return to the course for as long as we continue to offer it, with no time limit on your purchase. If we ever need to retire a course, we'll give you at least 60 days' notice by email, so you have time to finish watching. We may move a course to a different platform or update its content; your access will continue.
You'll need a working internet connection and a device that can play online video. We aren't responsible for problems caused by your own device, software or connection.
7. Sharing access
Your access details are for you alone. Please don't share your password, course links or materials, or let anyone else use your access. If access is shared, we may change the password or end that access, without a refund.
8. Our intellectual property
Everything on this website and in our products belongs to us or is used with permission: text, videos, audio, images, logos, research, guides and our English translations and interpretations of Lithuanian folk material.
When you buy a course or guide, we give you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use it for your own learning and personal practice. You may not copy, record, download (unless we provide a download), share, sell, publish, teach from, or create courses or materials based on our content, in whole or in part, without our written permission.
You may not use our content to train, prompt or build artificial intelligence tools, or allow others to do so.
You're welcome to share short quotes on social media with credit to Birch House Rituals and a link to our website.
9. Cultural heritage
Much of our material draws on Lithuanian folk archives, charms, songs and historical sources. The underlying folk tradition belongs to the Lithuanian people, and we treat it with respect. Our research, selection, translation, interpretation and teaching of this material is our own work and is protected as described above. Please honour this knowledge with the same care with which it has been carried.
Part 3 · Rituals, retreats, gatherings and products
10. In-person rituals and retreats
Before taking part, you'll be asked to complete a short health form. Please answer it honestly and fully, including any medical conditions, pregnancy, medications, allergies (including to plants or honey), injuries, or recent alcohol or substance use, and let us know if anything changes before your session.
We may adapt a ritual, or ask you not to take part in some or all of it, if we believe it may be unsafe for you. You may stop or step out at any time, and should tell us straight away if you feel unwell. We may ask anyone to leave whose behaviour puts others at risk or disrupts the group, without a refund.
For retreats, you are responsible for your own travel, passport and visa requirements, travel and medical insurance, and any personal belongings. Times and activities may change because of weather, the season or safety, and we'll always offer something of similar value.
We sometimes photograph or film rituals and retreats. We'll always ask first, and we'll never share images in which you can be identified without your permission.
11. Live online gatherings
Live gatherings take place on video platforms such as Zoom. Please be respectful of others and keep what people share in the group confidential. We may record a gathering only if we tell everyone first; you can keep your camera off if you'd prefer not to appear. We may remove anyone who behaves disrespectfully.
12. Physical products
Our hydrosols are made in small batches from plants we gather, and each batch varies with the season. They are for external use only, unless a product clearly states otherwise. Patch test before first use, avoid contact with eyes, keep out of reach of children, and store somewhere cool and dark. Stop using a product if irritation occurs. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or have a skin condition, check with a professional before use.
Handmade items, such as our sauna hats, are made individually, so small variations are part of their character and aren't faults.
We aim to dispatch orders within the time shown at checkout. Delivery times are estimates. Responsibility for the goods passes to you once they're delivered to the address you gave us.
Part 4 · Refunds and cancellations
13. Online courses and digital products
Digital products are delivered immediately. At checkout, you agree that access begins straight away and acknowledge that, once access is provided, you lose your 14-day right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. We confirm this in your order email.
This doesn't affect your rights if the content is faulty or not as described. If anything isn't working for you, please write to hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk and we'll do our best to put it right.
14. Physical products
You can cancel an order for physical products within 14 days of receiving it, without giving a reason. Tell us by email within that time, then return the item within a further 14 days. We'll refund the price and standard delivery cost within 14 days of receiving the item back (or proof you've sent it). Return postage is at your cost, unless the item is faulty or not as described.
For health and hygiene reasons, hydrosols and other sealed bath and body products can't be returned once the seal or bottle has been opened, unless they are faulty.
You may handle items as you would in a shop, but if an item is returned used or damaged, we may reduce the refund to reflect that.
If an item arrives damaged or faulty, please email us with a photo within 7 days and we'll replace or refund it. Your legal rights for faulty goods always apply.
15. In-person rituals and sessions
If you cancel more than 7 days before your session, you'll receive a full refund. Within 7 days, we can't offer a refund, but we'll always try to offer another date. If you don't attend without letting us know, the session is non-refundable.
16. Retreats
Your deposit secures your place and is non-refundable, because we commit to venue, staff and other costs as soon as you book.
If you cancel more than 12 weeks before the start date, we'll refund any payments made beyond the deposit. Within 12 weeks, we can't offer refunds, though if we can fill your place we'll always explore options with you, such as transferring your place to someone else.
Please take out travel insurance that covers cancellation as soon as you book. Accommodation, flights and transport you book yourself are subject to those providers' own terms.
17. Live online gatherings
Paid gatherings can be cancelled for a full refund up to 48 hours before the start time. After that, we can't refund, but you'll receive the recording if one is made.
18. If we cancel or change something
If we cancel a ritual, gathering or retreat, you'll receive a full refund of everything you've paid us, or you can choose to move to another date. We aren't responsible for costs you've paid to others, such as travel or accommodation, which is why we recommend insurance. If we need to make a significant change to a retreat, we'll tell you as early as possible, and you can choose to accept the change or cancel for a full refund.
Part 5 · Health, responsibility and the law
19. Education, not medical advice
Our courses, guides, articles and emails are shared for education and cultural understanding. They draw on Lithuanian folk tradition, historical sources and herbalism. They are not medical advice, and they don't diagnose, treat or replace care from a qualified professional. We are not medical practitioners.
Sauna, heat, cold water and plants carry real risks and aren't suitable for everyone. Please speak to your doctor before using them if you are pregnant, have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, epilepsy, or any other health condition, or take medication.
Always be completely certain of a plant's identity before gathering or using it, and respect local laws and protection rules for wild plants. Never use a plant internally unless you are certain it is safe for you. Any use you make of the information we share is your own choice and responsibility.
20. For practitioners
Our courses and guides are not a qualification, certification or licence to practise. If you use what you learn with clients, you are responsible for your own training, insurance, health screening, consent and the safety of the people in your care.
21. Results and testimonials
Everyone's experience is different. We can't promise particular outcomes from our rituals, courses or products. Testimonials are real individual experiences, shared with permission, and aren't a guarantee of yours.
22. Sharing your words
If you send us a testimonial or reflection and tick the box to give permission, you allow us to share it, with your first name only, on our website, emails and social media. You can ask us to remove it at any time.
23. Our responsibility to you
If we fail to meet these terms, we're responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our failure or our negligence. We aren't responsible for loss that wasn't foreseeable.
Our products and courses are for personal use. If you use them for business purposes, we aren't liable for any loss of profit, business or opportunity, and our total liability to you is limited to the amount you paid us.
Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else the law doesn't allow us to limit. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer, including your rights if goods or digital content are faulty or not as described.
You agree to be responsible for any loss we suffer because you break Part 2 (for example by sharing or reselling our course content).
24. Events outside our control
We aren't responsible for delays or failures caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, illness, travel disruption, platform outages or public health restrictions. If this affects something you've booked, we'll contact you as soon as possible and offer another date or a refund for anything we can't provide.
25. Complaints
If something isn't right, please email hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk. We'll reply within 7 days and do our best to resolve it.
26. General
If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest still applies. If we don't enforce a term straight away, we can still do so later. These terms are between you and us; no one else can enforce them.
27. Law
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. You can bring legal proceedings in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring proceedings in your local courts.
Part 6 · Privacy Policy
28. Who looks after your data
Birch House Rituals (Silvija Šuliokaitė, sole trader) is the data controller for the personal information described here. Contact: hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk. We don't knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.
29. What we collect
Contact details: your name, email address and, where needed, phone number and postal address, when you subscribe, buy, book or get in touch
Order details: what you bought and when. Payments are processed by Squarespace and Stripe; we never see or store your full card details
Health information: only when you book an in-person ritual or retreat, through our health form. This is special category data, and we collect it only with your explicit consent
Retreat details: dietary needs, emergency contact and travel information
Your words: testimonials and reflections you choose to send us
Website and email data: pages visited, device and browser type, approximate location, and whether you open or click our emails, collected through cookies and similar tools
30. Why we use it, and our lawful basis
To provide what you've bought or booked, including course access, orders, sessions and retreats, and to talk to you about them (contract)
To keep you safe during in-person rituals and retreats (your explicit consent, for health information)
To send our emails and letters: with your consent if you subscribed; and, if you're a customer, about similar offerings under our legitimate interests. Every email has an unsubscribe link
To share your testimonial, only if you've given permission (consent)
To run and improve our website and offerings, and to prevent fraud (legitimate interests)
To keep financial records for HMRC (legal obligation)
You can withdraw consent at any time; this doesn't affect anything we did before you withdrew it.
31. Who we share it with
We only share what's needed, with trusted providers who process data on our behalf: Squarespace (website, email and shop), Stripe (payments), Vimeo (course video), Zoom (online gatherings), Google (email and documents), and delivery services. For retreats, we share what's needed with our co-facilitators and venue. We may share information if the law requires it. We never sell your data.
Some providers are based outside the UK, mainly in the USA. Where data is transferred, it is protected by UK-approved safeguards such as the UK–US Data Bridge or standard contractual clauses.
32. How long we keep it
Financial and order records: 6 years, as HMRC requires
Course access and customer details: for as long as you have access, plus 6 years
Email subscriptions: until you unsubscribe (we may then keep your email address on a suppression list so we don't contact you again)
Health forms: deleted within 3 months of your ritual or retreat, unless there was an incident we need to keep a record of
Testimonials: until you ask us to remove them
33. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you can ask to access your data, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, or receive it in a portable format. You can also withdraw consent at any time. Email hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk and we'll reply within one month.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, please tell us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113.
34. Cookies
Our website uses cookies to work properly, to understand how it's used and to measure our emails. Non-essential cookies are only set if you accept them through our cookie banner, and you can change your choice or block cookies in your browser at any time.
35. Contact
hello@birchhouserituals.co.uk · Birch House Rituals, United Kingdom · birchhouserituals.co.uk
© Birch House Rituals. All rights reserved.