REIKI & BREATHWORK RETREAT

MEDITATION, BREATH, AND NATURAL WELL-BEING

Friday–Sunday, January 9–11, 2026

Vuonislahti, North Karelia, Finland

You are warmly welcome to join us for a weekend of healing practices at the start of the new year. This retreat offers a gentle opportunity to slow down, breathe, and connect with your inner healer through Reiki, meditation, and deeply relaxing breathwork practices. Held on the frozen shores of Lake Pielinen, opposite Koli National Park, we will spend the weekend immersed in the tranquility of northern nature. The retreat is guided by two local teachers, Hermanni Hakalisto and Helena Karhu.  

Retreat Options:

You can choose one of the two main focus areas for the weekend:

• Reiki (Usui Reiki Level 1 course )

• Buteyko Breathwork

Participants can take the Reiki Level 1 course for the first time or review it if previously completed. Those focusing on breathwork will also receive a Reiki treatment during the retreat. Likewise, Reiki students will experience guided breathwork and meditation sessions throughout the weekend.

Retreat Highlights:

Start your year with powerful self-healing practices. The retreat includes:

• Reiki energy work

• Breath and meditation practices

• Deep rest in pristine northern winter nature

This weekend offers an opportunity to discover how your breath can guide you toward deeper self-awareness and well-being. We'll explore the Buteyko method, a gentle, deeply calming breathing practice that restores natural breath volume and soothes the nervous system.

All participants will experience both Reiki and breathwork during the retreat.

Purpose of the Retreat:

The intention is to create space for deep rest, connection to self, and intuitive listening. By focusing on the breath and the body’s innate wisdom, we invite insight and clarity into our lives. Practices include shared meditations, breathing sessions, Reiki treatments, and time outdoors.

Compared to a standard Reiki day course, this retreat offers more in-depth shared time and community connection.

RETREAT Schedule:

Friday
17:00 Opening circle + meditation/breathwork
18:00 Dinner
19:00–20:30 Choose your track:

• Reiki Level 1 begins with Helena

• Breathwork session with Hermanni
  20:30 Sauna

Saturday
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Morning meditation / Pranayama
10:00 Continue with your selected focus:

• Reiki Level 1 course

• Breathwork session with Hermanni
  12:00 Lunch
  13:00 Reiki treatments for all participants / free time in nature
  18:00 Dinner
  19:00 Evening circle

Sunday
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Group morning meditation & world peace practice with Reiki, crystals, movement & music

• Breathwork session with Hermanni

• Reiki Level 1 continues
  12:00 Lunch
  13:00 Reiki treatments / breathwork
  Closing circle & certificates
  17:00 Retreat ends

More About the Breathwork Program:

You’ll explore your breath through the Buteyko Method, developed by Ukrainian physician Dr. Konstantin Buteyko in the 1950s. This method is not about doing more—it’s about breathing less. It teaches you to quiet your breath, increase body awareness, and return to your natural state.

Benefits include:

• Reduced stress and anxiety

• Improved sleep

• Better emotional regulation

• A deeper connection with your body and intuition

We will explore both theory and practical tools backed by science to support your everyday well-being. Through conscious breathing, your experience of life and health may shift in lasting ways.

Note: Breathwork is not recommended for those who are pregnant, have Type 1 diabetes, or suffer from serious health conditions. If unsure, please contact Hermanni: hermannihengittaa@gmail.com

More About the Reiki Level 1 Course:

Reiki can be a powerful and life-changing experience. During the course, you’ll learn:

• The history and principles of Reiki

• Basic hand positions

• How to give Reiki to others and to yourself

• The foundation of the “Usui System of Natural Healing”

You’ll receive:

• Four Reiki attunements

• A course manual

• A Reiki 1 Certificate (valid for life)

No previous experience is required—Reiki is simple and accessible to everyone. Our Reiki lineage is intact and traceable back to Dr. Mikao Usui, founder of Usui Reiki in early 20th-century Japan.

“The knowledge that invisible energy flows through all living things and is directly connected to the quality of health has been part of the wisdom of many cultures for centuries.” – William Lee Rand

Feedback from Previous Participants:

Practical Details:

Venue:
Kestikievari Herranniemi, Vuonislahdentie 185, 81590 Vuonislahti
An atmospheric and historic guesthouse located by Lake Pielinen. This is one of North Karelia’s most beautiful and peaceful locations, with views across the water to Koli National Park. Easily accessible by train via Joensuu—Vuonislahti train station is within walking distance.

Accommodation & Meals:
Full board in shared twin rooms (Fri dinner – Sun lunch): €195 per person
Single room supplement: €22/night
All meals are vegetarian. Special diets can be accommodated. All rooms have private bathrooms.

Retreat Price:
Participation fee: €295 (incl. 25.5% VAT)
Includes the Reiki 1 course and certificate or the breathwork program.
Accommodation with full board: €195

Registration:
Please sign up via e-mail to info@karhuntalo.com Please include your accommodation wishes (single or double-room) and information about the possible dietary restrictions.

All participants are required to review the retreat’s terms and conditions: https://www.karhuntalo.com/booking-and-cancellation-conditions

Questions? Email: info@karhuntalo.com

Retreat Facilitators:

Helena Karhu
A native of North Karelia, I’m a shamanic teacher, cultural producer, and researcher. My life’s mission is rooted in Karhun Talo, an initiative to help people reconnect with nature as a source of awareness, wellness, and community. I’m also chair of the Pielinen Center of Ancestral Knowledge. I’m currently finishing my PhD in cultural studies on Finnish shamanism.

I trained as a Reiki Master in Copenhagen under Marie Brown (Reiki CPH). Reiki has brought clarity to my life and reminds me daily of the power of deep relaxation and intuitive direction.

Hermanni Hakalisto
I’m Hermanni, a breathwork instructor (Buteyko, Oxygen Advantage®, Pranayama) and nature guide based in Joensuu. I discovered breathwork through personal health challenges and was soon drawn into its transformative potential. Alongside various breathing methods, I’ve studied the latest science behind them. I believe the breath connects us to the innate wisdom we all carry. It’s a tool for everyone.

We look forward to sharing this peaceful, powerful weekend with you in nature’s embrace