RETREATS AND COURSES
Connect with your nature with Helena Karhu
In this page you will find more information about upcoming longer events and day-retreats.
Wild Nature / Wild Being 2.-5.3.2023
in Wilderness Center, Finland. with Eero Peltonen and Helena Karhu
Basic Course on Shamanism 15.-18.6.2023
Thursday-Sunday 15.-18. June 2023 in an island at Koli, North Karelia, Finland
SHAMANISM EXPERIMENTALLY AT AN ISLAND * ONE OF THE MOST SACRED NATURAL PLACES OF EARTH * TRADITIONAL FINNISH SMOKE SAUNA EVERY EVENING * BOAT JOURNEYS ACROSS THE LAKE *
Guided by Helena Karhu
Welcome to Koli in North Karelia in the summertime. This is one of the most sacred natural power places of Finland, and we welcome you to learn about our Ancestral ways together with us. As your course guide will serve the local Helena Karhu, whose ancestral roots are deeply from the region.
We meet in the harbor of Koli. We travel by boat through the lake islands towards the magical Tarina-aho retreat place in Kelvänsaari Island. The enchantment of Tarina-aho is difficult to describe in words or photos; we enter a world whose traditional Finnish wooden buildings and special island milieu support awakening our senses, raising spells, and summoning the nature spirits.
DAY RETREATS IN NORTH KARELIA
Welcome to join a day retreat in your selected destination in North Karelia.
The purpose of the day retreats is to strenghten and deepen your connection to North Karelia, as well as towards your sense of self: The inner and outer nature can meet in the beautiful retreat days of the House of the Bear.
All the retreat days include guided walk in the local environment and in the power places of North Karelian nature. Welcome to this sacred land, to continue the journey, and to increase the wholeness of well-being. The safe and professional guidance of Karhun Talo is offered as part of your travel and retreat experience.
Please find below information on possible day retreat packages of your choice:
EMBRACE THE EARTH
Day retreat of natural meditation and mindfulness
with sparkles of nature of North Karelia
This day retreat includes the simple practices of natural meditation and mindfulness. We rest in the peacefulness of North Karelian land and in the silence of nature. Allow your mind to relax and find the path way to deep calm.
During this day, we will practice as much as possible outdoors. We meditate the beauty of North Karelian nature, natural elements, and allow the silence to balance and empower the wholeness of our well-being.
This retreat is deeply soothing for our whole bodily nerve system, mind, and emotions. In this practice day, our inner nature can integrate with the beauty of the outer nature of North Karelia.
The simple practices are available both as introduction to meditation, or for the more advanced meditation practitioners. The program will be tailor-made especially for you.
Example of a program:
10.00 Introduction and guidance to natural meditation.
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Guided tour in local nature: Natural mindfulness in each step.
15.00 Coffee / tea break
16.00 Meditation practice continues.
17.30 Closing of the retreat and final circle
18.00 Dinner break
20.00 Sauna (possibility to add a sauna ceremony)
HEART OF THE LAND
Day retreat of ancestral practices and natural power places of North Karelia
This day retreat package includes a cultural touch of the ancestral practices and wisdom of North Karelia. The folk beliefs and mythologies of the spirits of nature, the sacred power places of nature, and the seers and sages of this land are with us during this retreat day. The shaman drum will be playing, as we connect to the heart essence of the ancestral wisdom, and we remember our old roots as human tribe.
This retreat day is like a mystical journey to embrace the beauty and balance of our inner and outer nature. The deep essence of North Karelia can unfold in its vast beauty and authenticity, as we rest and journey as we are. Welcome to get the real sense of what this sacred land is truly about!
Example of a program:
10.00 Introduction and guidance to natural meditation.
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Guided tour in local nature: Finding the natural power places and connecting with nature.
15.00 Coffee / tea break
16.00 Shamanic journey for ancestral wisdom with a traditional drum by Helena
17.30 Closing of the retreat and final circle
18.00 Dinner break
20.00 Sauna (possibility to add a sauna ceremony)
TERRA FEMINARUM
Day retreat for the women: The Sacred Feminine and North Karelia
There is a theory that North Karelia might have been a “Terra Feminarum”, “ a land of women” in the ancestral times. This hypothesis has foundation for example in the many place names in North Karelia, that include the word “Louhi”, which means an old mythical and powerful female architype in the traditional epic poetry. The potential matriarchal cultural roots give fascination for our imagination, as we connect with our ancestral lands and divine feminine archetypes. The beauty of the Mother Nature of North Karelia is spreading like a mandala around the sacred mountain of Akka-Koli (“the female Koli mountain”) and the Lake Pielinen.
In this mythical retreat, we meditate the essence of the sacred feminine in connection with the nature of North Karelia. We build our sense of sisterhood and womenhood, and rest in the cyclical nature of the being a woman.
Example of a program:
10.00 Introduction to North Karelia as a mythical “Terra Feminarum”. We start with guidance to natural meditation. The mandala and flower offering of the sacred feminine. We create together beauty from flowers and natural materials, and support gratefulness in our path of life as female.
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Guided tour in local nature: Finding the natural power places and connecting with nature.
15.00 Coffee / tea break
16.00 Shamanic journey for the sacred feminine with a traditional drum by Helena
17.30 Closing of the retreat and final circle
18.00 Dinner break
20.00 Sauna (possibility to add a sauna ceremony for women)
BUDDHA NATURE AND NORTH KARELIA
Day retreat: Combination of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
and North Karelian Nature
This retreat day combines the Tibetan Buddhist practice with the power of the North Karelian nature. The purpose of this retreat day is to offer an introduction to Tibetan Buddhist meditation and mantra singing practice. The further purpose of practicing is to develop our compassion and to awaken into our natural sense of being. We will rest grounded in our bodies, and allow the mind to relax in the natural silence, supported by the strong North Karelian nature.
The group can choose from two practices for this day: We will practice either the Tara Buddha practice, which is for the enlightened female principle of Buddha. The practice will support for example our connection to the feminine principle in life, or can support our relationship to the Great Mother.
The other option to offer the practice to Chen-Rezig, the Buddha of Compassion. This practice will connect to the wisdom of our hearts and heal the world with compassion. In this practice, we will sing the most popular mantra of the Tibetan Buddhist practice: Om Mani Padme Hum.
Earlier experience is not needed for this practice, just an openness to learn more about Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and practice.
Example of a program:
10.00 Introduction to the day and opening meditation. Introduction to our Buddhist practice for today.
12.00 Lunch break
13.00 Guided tour in local nature: Finding the natural power places and connecting with nature.
15.00 Coffee / tea break
16.00 Continuing with the Buddhist practice.
17.30 Closing of the retreat and final circle
18.00 Dinner break
20.00 Sauna
You guide in culture and nature
Helena Karhu
As the retreat guide serves a 44-years old Helena Karhu, M.Soc.Sc. (with advanced studies in Tourism Science), a North-Karelian retreat guide, culture producer and reasearcher. Helena’s life project is Karhun Talo (House of Bear), which aims to promote self-awareness through folk cultures and wisdom traditions. She is born in Joensuu, North Karelia, Finland, and both of her parental lineages have deep roots in North Karelian soil. For the travelers, she wishes to show the beauty and wisdom of her ancestral land and culture, and to invite to rest in nature.
Helena is currently writing a Ph.D. research on Cultural Anthropology at the University of Eastern Finland. She is a chairwoman of a local association called Pielisen Tietäjäkeskus ry., which aims to promote, strengthen, and live the ancestral wisdom traditions of North Karelia. Helena has about 15 years of experience of meditation and mindfulness practices, and she has guided meditation for groups about 10 years. She has experience of cultural production for over 20 years.
Helena has vast international experience, as her international career took her to live over 13 years in Denmark. Besides her long-time residence in Copenhagen, her world journeys have taken her across the Northern and Arctic regions in her quest for life. She has lived in Greenland and in Fairbanks, Alaska. Helena’s passion is to bring forth the light-increasing, co-operative, and empowering aspects of the ancestral practice, where everyone can rest as they are, yet have freedom to become who they are. Helena is known for her inspiring and positive guidance, where simplicity and naturalness of life are the key focus.
“I hope that our retreat time together will bring you closer to the essence of this land, the beauty, and balancing strength of North Karelia. The purpose of retreat is that the effects and practices can be integrated to your home environment and everyday life.”
Practical:
The retreats are suitable for everybody. The program can be adjusted according to the needs of the each group and individuals. It is possible to make a retreat with additional days. The retreat can be as many days as possible for your group.
The guidance languages available are English, Danish, and Finnish.
The day programs can be ordered to any destination within North Karelia. If you need assistance in finding a suitable retreat location, please send a request. We are happy to coordinate and help in finding the most suitable location for your group. It is also possible to ask day retreats outside of North Karelia, to any destination in Finland. Please ask a separate offer for the rates for the retreats outside of North Karelia.
The price:
Please ask an offer for your group, or ask for available on-going retreats. The prices will include the guidance, the travel costs of the guide, and 24% VAT. If the retreat will include overnight accommodation and meals, the accommodation and meal costs will be added. The group takes care of its own travel, accommodation, and meal costs. Please ask a separate offer for the rates for the retreats outside of North Karelia. Additional sauna ceremony for the retreat day can be added to the program. Other additional programs such as traditional Karelian poetry singing, programs of natural herbalism of North Karelia, and other, can be added on request.
Contact:
Helena Karhu
+358405148788
TESTIMONIALS OF OUR WORK:
“I am grateful for the work you do, it is valuable and wildly inspiring. Things suddenly start to fall into place and I feel like I'm on the verge of something bigger and amazing in life. For the first time, I dare and trust more than ever before. Thank you for your warm and authentic way of dealing with people, as well as your wisdom and courage.” - A Finnish participant for a retreat
“Captivating teacher, who delivers from the depths of the heart. The contents of the retreat were wide-reaching. I discovered the joy and freedom of being, that everything necessary is already here and now. I feel relaxed and inspired. ”
“Helena is magical teacher, who is able to guide everyone the way they need.”
Photo: Helena in Outokumpu, North Karelia, Finland.
Where is the House of Bear located?
I am currently working as a nomadic teacher around North Karelia and Finland, offering my services in beautiful local guest houses and retreat centers. I am based in Joensuu, Finland.
I am looking for a suitable property in North Karelia, a reasonable distance from my birthplace in Joensuu. For example, Kontiolahti, Koli, and Vuonislahti have enchanted me with their beauty. The destination can also be in my place of birth in Joensuu, if it is in the middle of nature. The property would preferably be by the lake or within walking distance of the lakeshore. It would be great if there was also a beach sauna and a pier.
I would need an interior space where gatherings of min. 10-30 persons would be possible. The property should have wooden log walls, wooden floors, a baking oven, running water, and electricity. My goal is an architecturally beautiful entity that honors the Karelian architectural tradition.
Becoming a sponsor for the House of Bear?
The architectural vision of high-quality traditional construction and the surrounding protected forest requires resources. I call on sponsors and supporters who can offer unconditional support for the Bear House to create the space for cultural work that develops and practices folklore, wisdom traditions, and nature. If you feel called to support the House of Bear, and hear more about the vision, please contact us via info@karhuntalo.com
More feedback for the work of House of Bear:
“I still haven’t sent you feedback about the Summer Retreat. It is hard to put into words all that it meant to me. The weekend brewed for a long time in my mind and body afterwards. And I still feel it. It was great and gentle program. I was impressed with the tasks and everything we did. It was wonderful, and really important to be able to see and experience how attentively and with gentleness and at the same time comfortably you guided the course and what we did. I enjoyed how different traditions came together over the weekend. I found it really empowering to be among two sensitive and powerful sages. I am happy and grateful that I found you. Thank you for being there and doing your valuable work. ”
“The retreat weekend gave me more than I could have expected. Clearly I was supposed to be involved in this and right now! My self - knowledge and also my self - esteem got a completely huge boost and this has brought big things into my own life right now. Also my life mission and what I want to do got more confirmation. That's the way I am, but now that too was further confirmed and reassured that I am on the right road. I'm not in the goal, but now I enjoy this trip and whatever it brings to me. :) It felt like the forces and energies in us moving over the weekend could have even move the mountains! Now I feel liberated and grateful as well as happy! thanks thanks thank you!"
“We were like flying in the air the whole return trip to Helsinki, we were in such wonderful feelings and sensations. Thanks for a memorable weekend! This will continue to live in our hearts and lives forward. Grateful. Thank you both, wonderful shaman women. It was lucky to be involved, I really hope the roads still meet. ”
CONTACT
Helena Karhu
+358 (0)40 5148788
info@karhuntalo.com
Based in Joensuu, Finland.