Our Story
Wondrousound is a holistic platform born from a life in music, law, and social justice advocacy that tipped me (Rachel Butt) deep into mindfulness and the yoga of sound. In 2016 I received a national award for outstanding advocacy, toured a new album, and burnt out in the same year. I’d spent years pushing beyond my limits to “achieve change” and my body-mind was fried. I started questioning the way we live and work, started practicing yoga, and encountered the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, who said:
“What you need, what we all need, is silence. Stop the noise in your mind in order for the wondrous sounds of life to be heard. Then you can begin to live your life authentically and deeply.”
Instinct led me to Plum Village Mindfulness Practice Centre, where I began to let go of the old story and allow a more authentic way of being to emerge through mindfulness practice. I started writing new music that embraced sound as a way of relaxing into presence, and trained with masters in the field. Over time, I began to live in greater harmony with this “wondrousound” of life moving through me, and developed a body of work to help others do the same. With gratitude to all my teachers, I am committed to sharing this path and co-creating new ways of being, relating, and creating consciously together.
Education + Training
2024: Spiritual Mentorship Training, The Lotus Institute
2022: Mindfulness Course Leader Training, Plum Village UK
2018: Gong Master Training with Don Conreaux, UK
2017: 200-hour Hatha Yoga RYT, Kalimpong, India
2008 – 2011: Law LLB, University of Sussex – 1st Class Honours
2001-2003: Music (BT National Diploma) Warwickshire College- Distinction
''You don't play the gong, the gong plays you''
Gong Master Don Conreaux
Mindfulness, Collaboration & Collective Wellbeing
A decade of mindfulness practice in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has profoundly shaped my work. Alongside my own transformation, I have led sound meditations and service-based mindfulness practices at retreats such as Wake Up, Rain Retreats, and Coming Home to Mother Earth.
My collaborative experience within Plum Village, including long-term residencies, has deepened my understanding of living in harmony with ourselves, others, and the earth. I have also facilitated training and capacity-building initiatives within the community, focusing on safeguarding and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), to support the growth and flourishing of collective wellbeing.
In 2025, I was ordained into the Order of Interbeing, taking the Bodhisattva vow as a commitment to mindful, ethical, and engaged living, and received the Dharma name True Form of Stillness.
Musical Adventures
Advocacy Work
Memberships
