SHAMANIC DRUMMING COURSE IN KOLI

Kolin Mattila, Koli National Park, Finland
Fri–Sun, 14–16 November 2025

 
 

Do you have your own frame drum – sometimes also referred to as a shaman drum? Would you like to deepen your connection with it and practice drumming together with others? You're warmly welcome to join this course, no matter how much or little experience you have with your drum. The course is open to beginners and more experienced drummers alike. Even if you don’t have your own drum, you can still join – I have a few extra drums available to borrow for the weekend. Perhaps this is your first step to familiarize with drums before creating your own. Or other way round.

During the course, we’ll explore the use of the drum both in theory and – most importantly – through experiential practice in the powerful natural surroundings of Koli. The course takes place at the charming Mattila Farm in the heart of Koli National Park. Indoors, we’ll be held by the warm atmosphere of log walls; outdoors, among the cliffs and ancient trees of Koli, we’ll tune into the rhythm of nature – the same rhythm the drum calls us toward.

Over the weekend, we’ll explore the drum in a variety of ways:

  • Drum relaxation

  • Drum journeying (shamanic journeywork)

  • Using the drum in shamanic healing – tuning into natural balance

  • Ritual and ceremonial uses of the drum


Course Schedule

(Please note: the schedule is a general outline. I may creatively adjust the content intuitively as we go, but starting times and meal times will be kept as scheduled.)

Friday
17:00 – Arrivals in Koli
17:30 – Dinner at Kolin Mattila
18:30 – Opening circle, introductions, and group drumming with opening ritual
Evening sauna

Saturday
08:00 – Breakfast
09:00 – Morning meditation

Inspiration Lecture:
We begin the day with a talk on the cultural and spiritual significance of the shamanic (frame) drum across different traditions and cultures.
Is shamanic drumming part of Finnish folk heritage? How have neighboring cultures used the drum? Why is the drum gaining popularity today? When can we talk about "shamanic drumming"?
I’ll also introduce the foundations of shamanism and nature-based spirituality.

Drum Journey / Drum Relaxation Session 1

12:00 – Lunch
Free time to rest or explore the Koli landscape

15:00 – Shamanic practice in nature with the drum
Drum care and maintenance
Drum Journey / Drum Relaxation Session 2

Dinner and evening sauna

Sunday
08:00 – Breakfast
09:00 – Course continues: Morning meditation and short inspiration talk

Break

Healing with the drum – practical methods

12:00 – Lunch
13:00 – Drum dedication and activation ritual

15:00 – Closing circle and end of course

Course Facilitator:

Helena Karhu
I’m a native North Karelian teacher of shamanism, tradition bearer, cultural producer, and cultural researcher. My life’s soul calling is expressed through Karhun Talo ("The Bear's House"), a course center devoted to remembering our deep connection with nature – as a source of awareness, wellbeing, and belonging. I seek to understand, remember, and live folk cultures and wisdom traditions together with others.
I am also the chair of the Pielinen Wisdom Center Association and am currently completing a doctoral dissertation in cultural studies on Finnish shamanism at the University of Eastern Finland.

My passion is to bring out the empowering, connecting, and balancing aspects of the shamanic-animistic heritage. As a facilitator, I aim to inspire and guide from a place of simplicity and natural presence.

Practical Info

Course Venue:
Kolin Mattila, located in the heart of Koli National Park, within walking distance of Koli’s peaks and harbor. It is a peaceful, traditional log-built retreat center surrounded by nature. More info: https://www.kolinmattila.com/

Please note that the venue is not wheelchair accessible, so participants must have normal mobility. Accommodation is in shared rooms (if you require a private room, you may book lodging at a nearby guesthouse).

The course is alcohol- and substance-free.

Registration & Course Fee

Register by email: info@karhuntalo.com
Please include:

  • any special dietary needs

  • your motivation for attending (e.g. your experience with drumming)

  • your full name, address, and phone number

Early-bird (until July 31, 2025):
Course fee: 175 EUR (incl. 25.5% VAT)

From August 1, 2025 onward:
Course fee: 225 EUR (incl. 25.5% VAT)

Accommodation with full board (Fri dinner – Sun lunch):
220 EUR / person, paid separately to the retreat center.

The course fee does not include travel to and from the venue, nor accident or travel insurance.

Booking & Cancellation Policy:
All participants are required to read and understand the booking and cancellation terms before registering:
https://www.karhuntalo.com/varaus-ja-peruutusehdot