A 5-day/night retreat in the expansive wilds of the North.
This will be time to tend to & integrate the year gone by and rest in the stillness offered within the North to make space, listen for and call in intentions for the year ahead.
We'll settle into the embrace of deep winter, take time to turn inwards, take time for deep rest and feel the support of community.
We will share time both in quiet stillness and in group connection.
Meditation
Systemic Ritual
Conscious Movement/Dance
Community Saunas
Wood-Fired Hot Tub
Aurora Watching possible!
Sample Day Timetable (subject to change)
08:30 - Sunrise Stretching/ Meditation
09:00 - Breakfast
09:30 - 13:00 - Free Time to enjoy the daylight hours
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:00 Sunset Walk/Hot-Tub/Movement
15:00 - 17:00 Group Session
17:30 -18:30 Supper
19:00 - Sharing Circle/Dance/Sauna
20:30 - Quiet Time
Optional Extras include local skiing, husky-sledding & snow-mobiling, which we can help organise.
Single Occupancy
£800
Shared Room
£600
Stillness
There will be ample space to take time out for self-reflection and quiet time. Both alone and in the company of others. As well as daily meditation offered.
COMMUNITY
You'll be free to lean into community & connection through time each day to prepare & share food together, as well as optional saunas, outdoor hot-tubs dance/movement and sharing circles.
WILDERNESS
Our wilderness location during deep winter offers a place from which to rest into deep stillness & connection within the expansive peace of the frozen North.
RITUAL
We will honour this time-in-between-time that the New Year offers with Systemic Ritual that creates the structure to both tend to what's been and invite in intentions for what's to come.
Being at Bjärkan
Bjärkan is nestled at 63°46' north, in a land where the Earth reveals her wild beauty through winter’s pristine, snow-covered landscapes. In the heart of Ansättfjällen, often called Sweden’s ‘Alaska,’ this place is a sanctuary for those who wish to honour nature’s cycles throughout the year. In winter, a deep, expansive stillness embraces the land, inviting a profound sense of peace.
As December unfolds, the sun rises slowly, beginning its gentle ascent at around 8:30am, peeking over the horizon just before 10am, and retreating again by 2:30pm. Though the days are short, the light that graces the landscape carries an ethereal quality, painting the sky with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. It is a time to slow down and connect with the Swedish tradition of ‘Mysa’ – a mindful embrace of winter’s gifts: the warmth of a fire, the soft glow of candles, and the tranquility that fills the air.
In harmony with nature, we cherish the daylight hours by venturing into the snowy wilderness, moving through the land by snowshoe, skis, or dog-sled, or simply sitting by an outdoor fire with a warm drink, appreciating the quiet magnificence of the season. Here, the Earth invites you to listen, to rest, and to remember the beauty in every moment.
About Us
Justine & Nick co-founded Bjärkan in April 2023 after many years of dreaming into and visioning-in this project.
Justine will be leading this retreat while Nick will be offering his presence & practical support as co-host at Bjärkan.
Justine Corrie
As an experienced psychotherapist and facilitator, I work at the intersection of embodiment, ecology and ritual. Animist perspectives & a deep reverence for the other-than-human run as a thread through all of my work. More recently I have spent 3 years training in Family Constellations and Systemic Ritual.
Logistics, FAQ & Further Details
DATE & TIME:
December 30th -Jan 4th
Arrivals on 30th from 3pm - Departure on morning of 4th
LOCATION:
Bjärkan is 1.5 hours North of Östersund
RETREAT COST (5 NIGHTS):
Inclusive of all meals and shared accomodation.
Shared Twin or Double Room - £600
Single Occupancy Room - £800
MEALS:
Each day will entail a period of community food preparation for the day's meals and participants are asked to share in supporting with cooking. You will be asked to support on one day during your stay, but very welcome to join in on other days if you enjoy sharing community time in the kitchen. Food prep will take place in the morning's which is otherwise free-time. All meals are vegetarian and vegan/gluten-free can also be catered for.
FAQs
*WHAT ACCOMMODATION IS INCLUDED?
Most of our accommodations are shared twin or double rooms, either in the guest cabin or the main farmhouse. We also have two smaller bunk rooms available for single occupancy at an additional cost.
Rooms can be seen on the gallery here
HOW COLD IS IT IN WINTER?
Temperatures here typically average around -6°C, though on rare occasions, they can drop as low as -26°C. Rest assured, the house is warmly heated and well insulated, keeping you cosy and comfortable indoors. Outside, as long as you're dressed for the season, the cold has a dry, crisp quality that makes it refreshing and invigorating. It’s the perfect kind of cold to fully experience the enchanting, Narnia-like beauty of the landscape.
HOW DO I GET TO BJÄRKAN?
There are several ways to travel here.
Our nearest big town (1.5 hours away) is Östersund.
A smaller town, Krokom, connected by rail is 1 hour away.
FLY:
You can fly to Österund Åre Airport via Stockholm Arlanda.
You can also fly direct from Gatwick in the UK to Trondheim in Norway, then take a train via Storlien to Krokom (6 Hours)
This option usually requires an overnight stop in Trondheim.
TRAIN
You can take a train from Stockholm to Östersund or Krokom . The train takes between 5-7 hours and there are several each day as well as a sleeper train.
It is also possible to travel from UK by train to Stockholm, via Hamburg in 2 days.
From Krokom/Östersund there are options of bus or shared taxi. Full travel details will be shared upon booking.
CAN I COME WITH A FRIEND/PARTNER?
Of course, we have some double/twin rooms for couples and friends.
We will not be able to accomodate children during this event.
DO I NEED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT TO STAY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR?
If you want to enjoy the winter experience here at Bjärkan, some appropriate outdoor clothing is essential. There is deep snow on the ground at this time of year (over a metre!) so snow boots are very useful. A ski-suit over good quality base-layers is the ideal clothing for being outside for any prolonged period of time. Inside, cosy warm base layers are ideal. We have a newly built outdoor sauna we will be firing up as well as an outdoor wood-fired hot-tub, so optional swim wear and a warm cover-up for getting in/out are also useful. A full suggested kit list will be sent, but these are the main items.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please take a moment to review the cancellation policy. All questions are warmly welcomed.
• If you cancel at any time up to 8 weeks before the event start date, the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 8 weeks of the event start date, 50% of the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 4 weeks of the event start date, 25% of the full payment will be refunded.
• If you cancel within 1 week of the event start date, or if you withdraw from the event after the start of the first day, no part of the payment will be refunded.
CONTACT US:
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the event:
E-mail: info@bjarkan.org