Festival summer: creating Peace in Borlänge

The adventures of the Swedish summer continue North. As you might understand by now, there is a special glow to be found in northern Sweden. Dalarna is situated just above the middle of the country and I interpret the area to be the heart chakra of Sweden. All around the villages and towns ancient myths, stories, fairies, creatures and ceremonies still live. The deep lush forests whisper of stories yet to be told and journeys yet to unfold. The deeper you walk into the soft moss and green surroundings you’ll see Mother Earth open her heart for you, show you her vulnerable inside. And you can’t but listen. Listen to the waterfalls, the birds in the tall pine trees and to the fairies playing in the moss.

Styggforsen

Many gatherings, ceremonial work and festivals take place around the area and for July 3 and 4 I am invited to share some sweet Bhakti Flow and healing Yin and Drum sessions at the Peace and Love Heartflow Yoga festival. The festival is put together by my strong and magical soul sister Emelie Steen. Her heart is wild and pure and she is a true inspiration for the world. I am truly grateful that we are connected and to be part of this creation of Peace and Love in Borlänge. The schedule is full of various yoga styles such as Ashtanga and Virya; inspirational lectures about the knowledge of life Ayurveda; and music workshop such as transformational Gong sessions.

Come and join us as we, once more gather the tribe to connect our hearts to ourselves and to one and other.

Highlights of 2014

2014 was not only the year of the Horse but also the year of Love and, WOW! How many great, magical and life altering moments and journeys I got to experience! Here is my attempt to summarise my travels within and without from 2014. Enjoy and please share your stories in the comments below! 

1.     Around Costa Rica and across Worlds

Starting the year off in one of my favourite countries, and one of the two I currently call “home”, by purging and cleansing and working in various traditional shamanic ceremonies such as the Temazcal (sweat lodge) and the meeting with Ayauaska. Many great journeys within oneself and between worlds are made in traditional ritual and ceremony, personally one of my favorite ways of traveling. I also got the chance to travel around Costa Rica together with my best friend and show him the magic of the country before heading on to the next adventure: Yoga Teacher Training in the desert! The adventures, travels and challenges were overlapping each other these first months of 2014! Thank you all – new and old- friends and family that helped make these voyages MAGICAL!  

2.     Space of Love

As I got back to Sweden in the start of summer, I was guided to visit a Yoga Festival on an island outside the east coast. Little did I know how those 2 weeks would continue the flow and journeys that started in Costa Rica and, at the same time be a trigger point for what would come next. It truly is a Space of, for and with Love. I met long lost friends and lovers- new to this lifetime, served the fire, encountered Grandfathers from the North and traditions completely new to me, and I experienced Love in ways I never knew of. Love, Connections and Journeys within and without with guidance from the medicines of song, dance, yoga, ceremony and human beings with big hearts. Thank You ALL! 

3.     Summer Love Tour

I continued the summer by touring Sweden together with my best friend. We had no plans as how to transport ourselves or where to end up on our way to the North and my family house. We packed yoga gear, food, a tent and all the necessities for camping- yes, we carried more than ever before on our backs! – and we hit the road. There is a special beauty and inspiration in traveling only by intuition and bare feet. We found ourselves creating connections on a yoga camp in the forest of Småland, catching up with old friends, and finding Light in the church. I taught yoga in the park and we got on buses and trains not knowing where to end up. We helped a shaman constructing a Shamanic Museum, danced with the drums and walked bare foot around Dalarna in pouring rain. We visited the native people of the North and learnt more about ancient wisdom; we camped with reindeers and created songs. And somewhere on the road we fell in love.  

4.     Skattungbyn

All the meetings and connections that were made during the sunny summer months led me further and towards new adventures. One of them being the Yoga Festival in Dalarna in October where I got to, once again, experience the magic of the deep forest and wild rivers, connect through love and rhythm, and share the wisdom of my drum and the ancient roots. Guiding a Yin and Drum class for about 50 people was incredible beyond words. I am so very grateful. Thank You Thank You.

5.     Liverpool & Wales

What seems to have started in July, with our Summer Love Tour, came to somewhat of a peak in early December. Me and my best friend went to visit the fairytales of northern Wales and my dancing soul sister Anahí. We watched a psychedelic Christmas parade, had a chat with the Hatter, followed the White Rabbit and we got engaged on the hills of the Welsh coast where the seals have their playground. Indeed, 2014 was a year filled with Love and magic, guided by the great Horse. Thank you all for participating in the ride! 

I ended my highlights of 2013 by saying: “My intentions for 2014 are to continue deeper into my spiritual journey, wherever in the world it may take me.” Summarizing 2014 showed me that I really did dive deeper into my spiritual journeys and practices and in ways and places I never could have imagine. I am grateful for everything I experienced through feelings, vision(s), hearing, touch, taste and smell. And I am grateful for being guided by the magic flow of life, always taking me to new challenges and journeys - within and without. I set my intentions for 2015 to be even more profound; deepening my spiritual practices and, thus, share the wisdoms with the world(s) even more! 

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The Nomadic Yogi part II: How To become a Traveling Yogi

Bhakti Fest Oxelösund

Rolling out my mat in cramped spaces is no longer an annoyance (if it ever were) rather a part of life, a way of living. These last few months, I have been traveling all over Sweden with my mat on the back, rolling it out in every park I’ve been to and even using it as a sleeping mattress! My yogic and my traveling journeys are, since long, the same. One big, spinning, delightful, life-enhancing, joyous, colorful RIDE of worlds, asanas, music and dance. Both- merged together- take me further and farther- the light is constantly expanding: Travels within and without

And so it were, that this Summer Love Tour led me to Bhakti Fest in Oxelösund, Sweden, in the beginning of September. It was one of those early autumn weekends: the sparkling sun warmed our feet during the days and the crisp air gently tucked us in at night. We sang early morning sadhana followed by pooja’s magic to start the day, had delicious meals, and tried various workshops in yoga, dance and mindful kayak paddling. Food By Magie contributed in the kitchen and Yoga By Magie donated a powerful Yin and Drum session to start the festival Friday.

We shared music, tears, laughter and love. We created new bonds and tied new knots; we weaved the web bigger and wider. The web of Light, of Travels, of Joy and that of Companionship. Oneness. From there, new roads, paths, signs and worlds will show. Always. And that, my friends, is the simple answer to this post’s heading “How To Become a Traveling Yogi” :

The more you expand, the more will unfold before you….

Eka Pada Raja Kapotanasana - Pigeon Pose - in the park