Two weeks ago, I took the bus for 15 minutes, just out of Gjøvik, and walked another 15 minutes to reach @indalforestretreat .Plan: receiving, being in the presence. No wifi. And getting out of my winter cocoon. […]
Tag: Norway

a musing: evergreens in Christmas songs, midwinter poems and cultural heritage
Traditionally, the spruce is the Christmas tree in the North-West of Europe, but this is not always the evergreen with is the subject of christmas carols. In Flanders, we have a famous christmas song about […]
Ecofeminism anno 2021: ‘return to’ forest (healing) activism
In February I connected with a Brazilian serial rooter, currently rooting in Brussels, who is doing her Master thesis about urban gardens as commons applying an ecofeminist lens. The exchanges of thoughts and questions reminded […]
Sacred Garden trees in Norway, part 2 –
In spring 2019, I was doing a bit of research about trees in Norway. I found an interesting paper by Douglas Forell Hulmes about “sacred trees of Norway and Sweden: a #friluftsliv quest”. This professor environmental education […]
‘Bergtatt’ – my new favourite Norwegian word
Bergtatt: the word itself is captivating, enchanting and encompassing the images I have from Norwegian folklore. I have not written for a long time. I had some good reasons: finishing PhD (not there yet) and […]
I came to hidden springs and ponds.
I came to hidden springs and ponds. Reading this quote from Norwegian poet Johan Sebastian Welhaven (1807 – 1873) gives me goosebumps. I came across Welhaven only recently through Mikkjel Fønhus, a renowned writer from […]
Peatland, bogs and other buried stories
In the end of February I was in Scotland and visited all kinds of initiatives around forest baths, foraging, Dòigh Nàdair – the path of nature and initiatives for more trees to find inspiration for […]
Japanese Wood: a nostalgic story of loss
This is my last post about Japanese woods – for a while. I decided not to return to Japan until my PhD defense. As a sort of tribute, I want to share some Japanese experience […]
Lucia – the night of light … and trolls?
A Finish friend, with ties in Belgium, and with who I learn a lot about forest and nature based health practices in the last month, shared this video with me, and I like to share […]
When a Nordic forest bath becomes a fairytale
Last weekend I accompanied my Russian friend on her first forest bath. I had found another guide with ANFT that guides in Ekebergparken in Oslo. Two weeks earlier, I had asked the guide before what […]