Friends of the Forest

Shamanic Yoga & Nature Immersion on Kelvänsaari Island, Lake Pielinen

July 29 – August 2, 2026
Koli National Park, Finland

With Sófía Stefánsdóttir & Helena Karhu

This summer, we gather on a secluded island in Lake Pielinen, surrounded by the ancient hills of Koli National Park. We arrive by boat. We live simply. We practice yoga and shamanism. We sit in silence. We enter the traditional smoke sauna. We listen for what emerges from the soul. This retreat offers space for embodied rest, clarity and renewed direction. Held within wild Nordic nature and a supportive circle. Together we create a council of mutual listening and shared reflection.

What to Expect
– Daily yoga (dynamic and restorative)
– Shamanic journeys for insight and grounding
– A full silent day for inner integration
– Rituals and solo time in nature
– Community fire circles
– Smoke sauna and lake swimming
– Time for rest, walking, reading, and being
The rhythm of the days balances practice, silence, and spaciousness.

Tarina-aho is a retreat place with traditional wooden buildings on Kelvänsaari Island in Lake Pielinen.
We stay in historic wooden buildings arranged around a quiet courtyard. Excellent vegetarian food made of local products and harvesting. Fish from the lake might be offered in the menu. There is no traffic here. No noise. Only water, forest, sky, and light.

We will experience North Karelia’s largest traditional smoke sauna and swim in the lake while the long Nordic summer evening skies stretch above.