This is a repost of a few excerpts from Aileen McKusick’s article on human fascia and mycelium.
“Movement matters because movement changes pressure. Breathing matters because breathing changes pressure. Muscle contraction, stretching, walking and vocalizing all squeeze and release the hydrated matrix. The body is continually irrigating itself through motion.
We often speak about nature as though it is somewhere outside the human body. Nature is the forest, the ocean, the garden, the soil. But we are not visitors to nature. The calcium in our bones came from ancient stone. The iron in our blood was forged in stars and cycled through soil, plants and animals before becoming part of us. The water moving through our tissues has been ocean, cloud, rain, root, river and blood many times before.
And the architecture of the Earth appears within us as well. Our vessels branch like rivers. Our lungs branch like trees. Our neurons branch like roots. Our fascia spreads like mycelium.
I have begun to wonder whether fascia might communicate partly through light. This is not yet established physiology. But it is not an empty idea either.
Living cells emit extremely faint light, sometimes called ultraweak photon emission or biophotons. These emissions are closely associated with cellular metabolism and oxidative activity.”
This january marked the 10 year anniversary of starting my tantric path, although I started my journey in hatha yoga in 2011.
What is tantra to me? It is easy to go into a textbook definition of it, and I will add one further down, but first I want to share what it means to me personally.
Tantra is transformation. It is working with energy in energy systems (of our mind and body).
Tantrics are usually laypeople – men and women with children, jobs, etc. We do not renounce the material and relative world but rather the opposite – using everyday life and challenges as fuel for the path, transforming impure energies into their pure state through specific yogic practices*.
Being a tantric means training and trusting oneβs own path and experiences, rather than just doing what is being told – to have disernment and critical thinking, yet stay open and humble.
Tantra can turn ignorance into wisdom, selfishness into compassion. Illuminating the dark corners of our minds, interrupting the cyclical habits, and learning how to read and work with energies; masculine and feminine, peaceful and wrathful alike. To find the center between extremes; letting hope and fear, aversion and attachment collaps into each other. With practice I believe it is possible to return ones mind and body from the samsaric state into its natural pristine state – which is the difference between ourselves and fully realised practitioners/masters of yoga/tantra. It only makes sense to me, for example, that if you can heal 10% of your traumas, you can heal 100%.
There is no tantric lineage without a head teacher (‘guru’ in sanskrit language, although I hesitate to use the word guru because it has been so misused and thus misleading). Tantra is based on passing empowerments from the teacher to the student. All empowerments I have received has been from Finnish tantric teacher Amrita Baba, and I am part of his sangha (community of practitioners), called Open Heart. I feel fortunate to have found what I deem to be an authentic Teacher of Dharma, who is able to transmit high teachings to his students, so that we actually feel the shifts and benefits. In this pragmatic lineage we work closely with non-physical tantric masters (mahasiddhas), mainly Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Ishanath (aka Jesus Christ), Babaji, Mataji, Krishna, Radha, Lao Tzu, Bodhidharma, among many others. See full list here.
Personally, I feel a very close relationship with Ishanatha, he has for instance healed some of my serious physical ailments spontaneously on more than one occasion since 2021 in meditation, and he is – in my eyes – a true tantric yogi beyond of any religious establishment – pure Christ consciousness. (I am raised atheist and am not baptised, so this connection came later in life).
Impermanence is also a central topic in tantra. It is well believed that a practitioner (tantric yogi/ni) should be able to know what happens at the time of death (our two subtle bodies leaving the physical body), and there are practices for this specifically. Meditation and contemplation on illness, death and the impermanent nature of the relative world is essential.
I vaguely remember a few past lives, and that my soul chose this incarnation; I chose being a girl/woman, my parents, my place of birth, and the immense health challenges to fuel my practice. The deeper the suffering, the wider the perspectives, the greater the lessons and the brighter the light at the end of the tunnel.
I am also a Mother, and both of our boys’ souls came to ‘visit’ me before they decided to be born through me. I feel very honored that they chose us as parents, and I cannot wait to see what their plans are for their lives, and what kind of men they grow up to be.
Another important cornerstone of tantra is bodhicitta; the genuine wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. This wish can carry you through some of the darkest moments – it really has for me.
Vajrayana is the tantric interpretation of mahayana. The goal is the same in mahayana but the methods are different.
The biggest practical different, as theyβre doctrinally the same, are empowerments and transmissions given by a tantric preceptor who traditionally are called gurus (tib. lit. lama). In tantric empowerments the guru transmits the experience of buddhanature that all beings inherently possess that can be afterwards returned and cultivated by the student. This cultivation is done through the repetition of mantras, visualizations and mudras or physical gestures that are direct expressions of the enlightened speech, mind and body. Mantras are specific verbal formulas of various deities or enlightened archetypes of buddhas and bodhisattvas that embody different aspects of our inherent enlightened nature. Manjushri is an archetype of wisdom and discrimination, Avalokiteshvara that of compassion and Vajrasattva that of selfless clarity. The tantric system is an esoteric method of healing and awakening which under certain circumstances leads to buddhahood ie supreme enlightenment (skt. anuttara samyak sambodhi) in a single lifetime.
It is good to mention that the mentioned enlightenment is not something of the distant past and cultures. Vajrayana which is a yogic training system for normal laypeople, enables full enlightenment for anyone who dedicates to pursue the path to enlightenment for the purpose of helping others, is willing to keep bringing accepting awareness to oneβs most painful and unpleasant thoughts, emotions and memories and who is willing to continue to the end of the process regardless.
In terms of doctrines vajrayana, like mahayana, is based on the so called Second and Third Turnings of the wheel of Dharma by Buddha Shakyamuni. Interpretations of these doctrines, especially the buddhanature (skt. tathagatagarbha) teaching of the Third Turning vary slightly. However, all vajrayana, also called tantrayana or mantrayana, is based on the doctrine of emptiness or better, selflessness of all things of the mind (skt. shunyata) and bodhicitta which means revealing the natural loving, compassionate and kind nature of ours towards all beings.
Amrita Baba
My tantric tattoo. A portrait from May 2024, with second baby π§‘πΉππΌIshanatha on our wall
The Sacred Bear and “the Origin of the SΓ‘mi People”
In SΓ‘mi mythology, the bear is a divine ancestor, not just an animal.
One myth tells of a heavenly bear who descended to earth and married a human woman. Their children became the first SΓ‘mi people.
Because of this, bears were/are honored as ancestor spirits, and when a bear was killed (very rare and ritualised), its bones were carefully placed in a tree to allow its soul to return to the sky.
A ceremony called the Bear Feast included songs, dances, and apologizing to the bear spirit for the killing, inviting it to be reborn.
The Bear Who Fell From the Stars:
A SΓ‘mi Creation Song of the First Bear
In the hush before dawn, where no footprints fall, Where the wind hums secrets to the pine, A star broke loose from the roof of night And tumbled down through time.
He fell with a roar through clouds of gold, Bathed in *Beaiviβs light. He landed not dead, but dreaming still In the heart of the forestβs white.
The reindeer bowed their crowned heads low, The lynx stood still in her track. For this was the First of Bears, The Sky-Child, fallen back.
He walked like thunder on ancient snow, His breath, a wind of flame. Yet gentle were his dreaming eyes, And wise, and without shame.
A woman came from a northern vale, A weaver of skins and song. She found him sleeping in a ring of birch And stayed with him all night long.
They spoke without words by fire and frost, By the rhythm of blood and bone. She taught him the names of the winds and streams; He gave her dreams of home.
And so their children, wild and wise, Were neither beast nor man. They sang to trees, they hunted clean, They walked where few else can.
But then the bear, when spring had sung, Felt longing rise like steam: His fur grew light, his eyes grew wide He vanished into dream.
And so today, when the bear is seen, The SΓ‘mi bow and sing βChild of stars, our ancient kin, Return again in spring.β
If ever a bear is taken in hunt, The people weep and pray. They dress his skull in flowers and moss And lift his bones away.
Art card with envolope βοΈ 17 x 12 cm including white edges. 75 NOK (norwegian kroner) Can be shipped anywhere π€π
The prints are made from a painting I did back in 2021 when I first became a mother. Afterwards, I slightly edited it digitally, and thought it looked wonderful as printed art cards π I have 3 cards available currently.
“The ancient Masters were profound and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable. There is no way to describe it; all we can describe is their appearance.
They were careful as someone crossing an iced-over stream. Alert as a warrior in enemy territory. Courteous as a guest. Fluid as melting ice. Shapable as a block of wood. Receptive as a valley. Clear as a glass of water.
Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?
The Master doesn’t seek fulfillment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.”
Noen gode Γ₯penbare grunner jeg kom pΓ₯ til Γ₯ kanskje velge hjemmeskole.
Alle foreldre vil jo det beste for sine barn. I det siste har vi tenkt mer og mer pΓ₯ Γ₯ hjemmeundervise vΓ₯re. Enn sΓ₯ lenge er de jo begge under 5 Γ₯r, sΓ₯ vi har ennΓ₯ litt tid pΓ₯ Γ₯ ta avgjΓΈrelsen, men det er per nΓ₯ hva som fΓΈles mest rett. Personlig kjenner jeg ennΓ₯ pΓ₯ ettereffektene av 13 Γ₯rs skolegang (10 Γ₯r grunnskole og 3 Γ₯r videregΓ₯ende) og den skolevegringen som fargela alle de Γ₯rene. Jeg er altsΓ₯ 33 Γ₯r, men tenker fortsatt pΓ₯ det. Men ingenting er jo svart/hvitt; man kan for eksempel velge Γ₯ hjemmeundervise de fΓΈrste Γ₯rene, og sΓ₯ begynne pΓ₯ skolen ved et senere tidspunkt, for eksempel rundt tiΓ₯rsalderen.
Er det noen av dere som leser dette innlegget som har noen erfaringer Γ₯ dele pΓ₯ dette omrΓ₯det?π
Chatral Rinpoche (8. June 1913 – 30. December 2015). Yogi whom has helped me on my spiritual path ππΏ
You might spend your whole life pursuing only food and clothing, With great effort and without regard for suffering or harmful deeds, But when you die you cannot take even a single thing with you β consider this well. The clothing and alms needed to keep you alive are all you need. You might dine on the finest meal of delicious meat and alcohol, But it all turns into something impure the very next morning, And there is nothing more to it all than that. So be content with life-sustaining provisions and simple clothes, And be a loser when it comes to food, clothing and conversation.
No matter where you stay, be it a busy place or a solitary retreat, The only things that you need to conquer are mindβs five poisons(jealousy, pride, anger, ignorance, attachment). And your own true enemies, the eight worldly concerns(hope for pleasure and fear of pain, hope for gain and fear of loss, hope for praise and fear of criticism, hope for good reputation and fear of bad reputation).
There is no better sign of accomplishment than a disciplined mind. This is true victory for the real warrior who carries no weapons. When you practise the teachings of the sΕ«tras and tantras, The altruistic bodhicitta of aspiration and application is crucial, Because it lies at the very root of the MahΔyΔna. Just to have this is enough, but without it, all is lost.
It is far better to eliminate your doubts and misconceptions, By relying on the instructions of your own qualified teacher, Than to receive many different teachings and never take them any further.
If you lack the wealth of contentment in your mind, Youβll think you need all kinds of useless things, And end up even worse than just an ordinary person, Because you wonβt manage even a single session of practice. So set your mind on freedom from the need for anything at all. Wealth, success and status are all simply ways of attracting enemies and demons. Pleasure-seeking practitioners who fail to turn their minds from this lifeβs concerns Sever their connection to the authentic Dharma.
Limit yourself to just a few activities and undertake them all with diligence. Not allowing your mind to become fidgety and restless.
Har veldig ofte blitt fortalt at man ikke kan leve AV kunst, sΓ₯nn inntektsmessig. Jeg tenker like ofte at man kan leve FOR kunst. Men jeg skjΓΈnner hva de mener; det er veldig vanskelig, nesten umulig, spesielt med tanke pΓ₯ alt av ressurser man putter inn i et slikt tidsfordriv, gΓ₯r det ofte i minus. I tillegg lever vi i en verden der man fort kan oppleve plagiering om man deler sin kunst pΓ₯ nettet, man kan stΓΈte pΓ₯ en kreativ eller eksistensiell tΓΈrketid der man er ute av stand til Γ₯ lage noe som helst, man kan vΓ¦re i et stadie i livet der kunst fort blir siste prioritert (f.eks som smΓ₯barnsforeldre), kanskje har man ikke rΓ₯d til Γ₯ kjΓΈpe mer materiale, eller man kan vΓ¦re sΓ₯ blyg og usikker at man ikke tΓΈr Γ₯ dele kunsten i det hele tatt, og ihvertfall ikke modig nok til Γ₯ spΓΈrre om noen er villig til Γ₯ betale for det. En annen ting, er at ens kunst aldri vil vΓ¦re for alle, det mΓ₯ man alltid huske pΓ₯ slik at man kanskje tar avvisning bedre. Med andre ord; the struggle is real π Men nΓ₯ som 2025 er her, jeg nΓ¦rmer meg 33 Γ₯r nΓ₯ i januar og jeg blir bittelitt mer sikker pΓ₯ meg selv og min kunst, sΓ₯ GRUGLEDER jeg meg til Γ₯ tΓΈrre Γ₯ hive litt av mine penger inn i Γ₯ lage kunsttrykk og nye malerier, legge de for salg og bare se hva som skjer. SΓ₯rbart, men verdt det, tror jeg. β¨οΈ Godt nyttΓ₯r!! π
“Maintain the state of undistractedness, and distractions will fly away. Dwell alone, and you shall find the Friend. Take the lowest place, and you shall reach the highest. Hasten slowly, and you shall soon arrive. Renounce all worldly goals, and you shall reach the highest Goal. If you follow this unfrequented path, you will find the shortest way.” -Milarepa
October photos. Colourful sky, sunny days and snowy days.. It’s always shifting very fast here, you could almost say there is four seasons within one season π π¦βοΈPrayer flags in our garden βοΈ The weather was interesting that day; grey sky and sea, white landscape and a heavy kind of silence.
Humans are herd animals, we’re mammals. We are literally made to raise children in the company and with the support of other women.
This is something we have lost as a modern society.
I would go as far as to say that we have a pandemic of lonely Mothers. Home alone most of the time with their babies, doing their best, often without much mental, emotional or physical support or stimuli from other mums. It’s not natural. And it’s not healthy for the baby; having their start in life defined by this kind of isolation.
It’s not long ago in our human history that women and mums were much closer, and could rely on each other more. I often wish I could turn back time, and experience that closeness, that kind of Motherhood.
In rare small (indigenous) communities around the world, this is still the case, and used to be like that here too (in Troms and Finnmark).
Loneliness sucks a lot of the joy out of Motherhood. It sits like a gray veil over us and makes us even more isolated. Not to mention the shame and guilt many mums feel for even feeling lonely, bacause we have our babies, so we should feel more than content.
But the truth is that women need women. Mums need mums. Only other mums can truly understand the ordeal of birthing and raising children.
So, if you feel lonely in Motherhood, like me, please do not blame yourself, the fault is not with you. It is that we as a modern society have separated ourself too much and we don’t see the importance and value of a supported mum. It’s kind of obvious though; a healthy happy mum = healthy happy start of life for baby, and thus for the all humans and society at large. It all starts with mum.
A painting I did some years ago. “I will keep you safe and warm”.
My Traditional SΓ‘mi wives’ silver ring πππ₯ It was a gift alongside actual wedding rings. Got married to my best friend and partner in September. Very small short wedding, no guests, just our kids and two witnesses. It was perfect:)
(Made in Kautokeino, Northern SΓ‘pmi)
Gold wedding ring inscribed with my now husbands dharma name inside, and he has mine. Never owned anything made from gold before π Always wanted an inscribed gold ring ever since I saw LOTR as a childπ My bouquet was something I put together from dried flowers and the band around it was same colour as my wedding dress; actually I cut the band (belt) from the dress itself because it was too long.
Being a parent means receiving a unique invitation back to the present moment by these small individuals who only asks for you to be yourself around them, to be fully in the moment and to see them for who they are. It’s so simple that even a child can understand it.
Oh, and I just have to show this gift our oldest made for his dad/my husband for his 35th birthday in October. It was a white statue that I bought, and then he decorated it with paint and gold flakes β¨οΈπ
I highly recommend this very helpful and insightful podcast episode on breaking the fear-tension-pain cycle that most women go into when in labour, myself included. I am very close to giving birth to our second child, and feeling all the emotions that comes naturally leading up to that. This podcast episode really helped me, along with a hypnobirthing course I’ve been doing lately.
In my summer sea sΓ‘mi gΓ‘kti. And small baby “shoes” made by mother-in-law ππΌShades of blue shellRusty coloursBlue and purple hues“Det er morgen igjen, vesle hΓ₯p og verden frotterer seg med nyvasket solskinn. Livets ansikt er aldri det samme selv om vi ser pΓ₯ det i all evighet.” – Kolbein Falkeid #home #kitchen #midnightsunCurious little guy on a short hike in the rain. βοΈSummer details in some of my older paintings. Just playing and experimenting with colours and techniques so that I will hopefully find the Joy of painting again π I guess I have a little dry spell in my creative life at the moment.. Blue, orange and yellow are great together. A bouquet I picked by the side of the road.Details Beef tallow.Son and daddy ππβ€οΈπMy partner of 14 years meditating. #yogisondisplay Our shed with some new flowers.Curious little rabbit in our garden.
Yogi on display in nature for the birds, foxes and rabbits to see π also i found a long-ish animal bone that was perfect to use for hitting on a rock to keep the rhythm while chanting and singing prayers. π°π¦π¦π¦΄
What is #YogisOnDisplay?
“Unlike in cultures long established in the dharma, spiritual practice is not visible in the everyday life of Western society. While many Westerners practice some form of spiritual practice, the actual practice is often kept private. This is a great pity. Not only does it speak volumes about the level of spiritual maturity of the West, but it also means that many people never encounter dharma in the first place. If spirituality is not publically displayed, the fact that there is an alternative to existential confusion and suffering does not reach the masses.
In an attempt to counter this, Amrita Baba has initiated the Yogis on Display project. The idea behind Yogis on Display is to encourage spiritual practitioners of the West to become living examples for others. Instead of hiding away in our modern city caves, we need to bring meditation, mantra singing, yoga practice, and so on, directly to where it matters; straight to the middle of the hamster wheel. Displaying the solution to existential confusion and suffering is a hands-on, time-tested way of practicing care and compassion for all beings.
To spread the message of Yogis on Display the hashtag #yogisondisplay has been created. Practitioners who chose to take part are encouraged to take a picture of themselves and share it on social media using this hashtag. This way more people can learn about the initiative and become inspired to light the torch of dharma in our public spheres.” (AmritaMandala.com)
It is from Eastern Siberia that the word shaman comes from, which means to ‘heat up’. Where it originated before that, I do not know. The ‘new shananism’ people in the west speak of today can hardly be compared. Shamanism and animism has permeated most if not all of the nomadic and semi-nomadic cultures in this part of the world. The shamans have traditionally been both women and men, though the word ‘shaman’ is masculine form. The feminine word for a female shaman is ‘udugan’ in Tungusic language. In Northern SΓ‘mi a shaman is known as a Noaide. (Acrylic on mixed media paper, A4)Shaman’s drum to aid in the trance travel
Here is some pictures I used for inspiration for my painting.
I can also highly recommend these practices on youtube by a Uralic Tantric yoga teacher Amrita Baba; where he teaches tantric practices with ancient shamanic masters. Here is part 1 of 4, and the other parts linked below video.
I often think about how the two genders are put up against each other in todays’ society, and we forget how to cooperate. We forget that men and women are dependant on each others’ strengths and that we complement each others’ weaknesses. We tend to focus on “who has it worse and who does what is most important”, instead of focusing on “what can we accomplish together, and how can we best raise the next generation, and be there for one another in life’s traumas, challenges and victories”. We hear absurd statements like “what is a woman”, and “do we need men”. The feminine and the masculine are two wings of the same bird, we need both to soar. The feminine power represents creation and wisdom, while the masculine represents stability and action. The whole Universe – and thus you and me – are made of these, and we should not forget that.
(Acrylic and oil pastel drawing/painting size A4, on mixed media paper)
I am tempted to just answer my own question with “why not?”, but that is not satisfactory at all. Especially since there is a very good answer that comes to mind, although it is a cheesy one;
My soul needs it. It is who I am, and art helps bring out my authenticity. I feel ill when I have long periods of low motivation and inspiration, and thus don’t paint.
As probably many other children who loved art, growing up meant finding out how fragile art making can be. How vulnerable you make yourself. How other things in life seems to creep in and take over your time, to the point where there is not much time left for art making. All children are born with an innate sense of wanting to create and learn, and it can take a long time to find back to that once you have entered the hectic adult world of chores and time schedules. What a shame. But also, what a journey.
Like in all good stories, the main character loses herself at one point or many, and falls into some sort of despair and discontentment. She wants to find herself again and strives to get rid of the layers of inauthenticity she has adopted during adolescence and adulthood. Deep down, she knows herself, but too much junk has accumulated, and she feels frozen and trapped.
“Energy that is in motion, stays in motion”. In other words; just start something, and the momentuum will keep going by itself. The more we create, the more we want to create. Do 2 mintues of art making, and before you know it, time ceases and you enter the timeless realm of creativity, where it doesn’t matter how long you do it, all that matters is that you enjoy it and you feel yourself being in a flow state.
You may ask; why paint? Does the world really need another painting of a mediocre rose or the aurora borealis? The answer is No, it doesn’t. But the world needs your interpretation of a rose or the aurora borealis. Your superpower is and will always be that there is only one of you. When someone buys your artwork, takes it home and put it on their wall, they are bringing a piece of your soul home. They want that unique thing you made out of nothing to remind them of what they perhaps have forgotten themselves. Or, they wish to have a feeling or memory your artwork inhabits in their home through their eyes. This is a huge compliment for any artist.
You may also ask; but how do I find my own style? You don’t! It finds you. And you can’t get rid of it, even if you wanted to. Unique personal style is something that happens on its own. Don’t worry about it, it will reveal itself, if you just keep making stuff.
It’s hard being an artist. It can be lonely, it can be difficult to get into the desired state for creating, it can be challenging to make a studio/workspace, it can be close to impossible to find motivation some days and it can be a job in itself to make something out of thin air. But then again, it can also be the most rewarding soul nourishing work.
Winter is on our doorsteps, snow is here, polarnight is 2 weeks away, and it’s time for cosying up, hibernating, perserving our energy – and perhaps do some more icebaths. A small photo series from September, October and a few from November so far π€ Much love from Arctic SΓ‘pmi ππΌ
Crips airHalf autumn, half winter Woman walking…Kitchen view 22.oct. The adults were watching over the white baby reindeer. Colours of autumnWe are 6-7 women doing ice bathing every week togetherHelps to have a fire when icebathingSΓ‘lasvaggiFrost on seaweedFrosty boatWhen winter crept down the hill side12:30 lightIda swimmingKali on a reindeer peltLadies ice bathingMe ice bathingAfternoon light in autumn Reindeer heart…Cooked it with onion and full fat creamNorwegian, SΓ‘mi and Kveni flag next to each other Blue tones by the riverPastel hues
Been spending most days outside this past few months, especially since we discovered that we have mold in our house, that has been contributing to my health issues, and resulted in me being diagnosed with CIRS/mold illness. It’s a hell of a thing to live with, and we are currently looking for treatment and a new place to live. I hope and pray these things sorts out, so that we can focus on our daily lives as a family and not live in a state of emergency.
In other news, I am (still) working on my film on remaining and recently extinct Arctic Indigenous languages in Europe and Asia. It will hopefully be done sometime soon, and I am so looking forward to share it with the world. I hope that it will be interesting and valuable information for people to watch.
Wishing you all a great and bountiful autumn (or spring if you are on the other side of the planetπ ) ππΌππ
The sky is always so colourful right before polarnight sets inEarly in NovemberAn important topic and film (“The silence in SΓ‘pmi”) Saw it in the cinema, I think it will be put online later.Made some Christmas decor with our son β€οΈFrom high up! Propeller plane ride from Arctic to Southern Finland βοΈπ€πHis third plane ride, and he isn’t even two!Amrita Mandala yoga retreat 20+ people in person and online, practising yoga-dharma together for 4 days. In PorvooMe doing Dzogchen Metta practice with Jenna β¨οΈPhoto of calender I printed with my own photos. These are for June, because they were taken in June at midnight. I chose this photo for March because that is when these little birdies return. 11 am πππ€
Soon we enter December and thus the last month of 2022. Hope you are all staying warm and safe, and that Christmas is not a source of stress, but a time for relaxing and magic β¨οΈβοΈ
Morning sunlight through the autumn leavesDew drops…Patch of neighbourhood bathing in morning lightA kind of autumn bouqet I pickedIt’s dark in the evenings now. Hello candles!The golden season
Can I just say, this is the best photo anyone has ever taken of me? Susann, thank you for capturing my essence. Here I am wearing a headdress and silk liidni I sewed myself, and the gΓ‘kti summer dress is made by Nadezda Johnsen. Autumn wind…π§‘πππΌLife is a lot of chopping wood and carrying water… I think that is how the saying goes π
“Your healing journey will, of course, include a consideration and use of all the best tools modern medicine can offer you, as well as the best tools holistic healing can offer you. From a deeper perspective, illness is caused by unfulfilled longing. The deeper the illness, the deeper the longing. It is a message that somehow, somewhere, you have forgotten who you are and what your purpose is. You have forgotten and disconnected from the purpose of your creative energy from your core. Your illness is the symptom: The disease represents your unfulfilled longing. So above all else, use your illness to set yourself free to do what you have always wanted to do, to be who you have always wanted to be, to manifest and express who you already are from your deepest, broadest, and highest reality. If indeed you have discovered yourself to be ill, prepare yourself for change, expect your deepest longing to surface and to be brought to fruition. Prepare yourself to finally stop running and turn and face the tiger within you, whatever that means to you in a very personal way. I suggest the best place to start to find the meaning of your illness is to ask yourself: βWhat is it that I have longed for and not yet succeeded in creating in my life?β’ (From Barbara Brennan’s book Emerging Light)
Sunlight in the sea – the grey stuff is mudLate summer in AugustA foot bath in the sea mudA funny cloud that looked like skaller (nuvttohat/sΓ‘mi pelt shoe)KvalΓΈya seen from TromsΓΈ islandA pale yellow flower from my mother’s gardenOur son being immersed in play
“Darkness, no matter how ominous and intimidating, is not a thing or force: it is merely the absence of light. So light need not combat and overpower darkness in order to displace it – where light is, darkness is not. A thimbleful of light will therefore banish a roomful of darkness. The same is true of good and evil: evil is not a thing or force, but merely the absence or concealment of good. One need not ‘defeat’ the evil in the world; one need only bring to light its inherent goodness.”
Vajra brocade jacket in green and gold I was lucky to find in local second hand store. It is handmade, too, wonder who made it and gave it away.
I wanted to make a post on the physical body. I have noticed in social media a trend called ‘body positivity’, and I wanted to share my own version of what that means to me:
Knowing that my body is made from the natural elements and is a result of thousands of generations
Reminding myself that all my cells are working hard to keep me alive every day
Eating traditional sustainable foods that my body easily turn into energy
Deep sleep and meditation to give body healing and vitality
Practice prayer and mantras to help body get rid of karmic traces stored inside the cells
Strength training to keep joints stable and posture straight
Keeping in mind how ancestors lived, and how they treated their bodies
Reminding myself to breathe with my belly, through nose and keeping my tongue in the roof of mouth, while jaw relaxed, as this feels most natural and it makes body relax
Tapping into body’s innate healing powers if I feel sick
Feeling how the body is an anchor that keeps us in the present moment
Maybe I could add more later. What would you add? Thanks for reading, have a lovely day. -M
My mum staring into the ocean πLittle flowers in the sand at our hidden secret beach.Beach view.Our son got to see and play with the ocean waves. He was kind of scared, but also curious!Prestvannet / BΓ‘hpajΓ‘vriSome lotus like flowers at the Arctic Alpine botanic garden. In the forest πSome gorgeous tulips outside the Polar Museum in TromsΓΈ.My beautiful coffee bag sewn by duojΓ‘r Inga Nilsen Eira. It’s made from reindeer skin, wool and cotton bands, and braided reindeer skin string. Perfect to bring my coffee on walks and trips β€οΈ
“From the perspective of a healer, illness is the result of imbalance. Imbalance is a result of forgetting who you are. Forgetting who you are creates thoughts and actions that lead to an unhealthy lifestyle and eventually to illness.” – Barbara Brennan, Hands of Light
Healing can occur spontaneously and over time. The spirit has an innate ability and longing for healing, health and happiness. We can all access this healing ability, we just sometimes need some help to tap into that. Never think that healing is not an option for you, or that it’s too late. We can always be reminded of who we are, where our strength lies and how strong our spirits are.
I’d like to recommend 2 books that helped me: Healing back pain: the mind-body connection by Dr. John Sarno, and Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan.
Much healing love to anyone and everyone who needs it. -M
Pictured: me at age 10 ca., on a hiking trip with my family. π€
Me, our son and my friend and relative β€ LΓ‘hppigΓ‘kti. Coastal SΓ‘mi.ππβ€Hat and traditional shawl made by me β€πTraditional knit by his father’s mother. Belt is supposed to be on hips, but not easy when he is moving like a little maggot πͺ±π
Today, we celebrated the SΓ‘mi National Day, Feb 6th.
I have Kven/Finnish, Norwegian and SΓ‘mi heritage, and love to celebrate what I can while I can. I am deeply thankful for my connection to my heritage and my own heart, and wish you all the best 2022 possible.
“People wearing their national dresses symbolise unity. A research conducted on this subject showed that youngsters wearing traditional clothes, irrespective of western pressure, had fewer behavioural and emotional problems. The reason being that they are in touch with their ancestral culture, religion and traditions and thus not confused about their identity or who they are.” Makes sense to me; feeling like you belong and have a community is very important. Nowadays, I think many of us feel a part of many different groups, because we live in a globalised world, and clothing can be changed, thus changing your identity. Maybe that makes our traditional and national dresses even more special? β€
Here is the link to the study for anyone interested. It also sheds a light on the dangers of not allowing indigenous peoples to use and wear their own clothings, as we have seen happen all over the world.
SΓ‘mi man in gΓ‘kti with reindeer pants and mittens. The shoes are nuvttohat, skaller, nutukas.. many names for same shoe. Different languages and dialects. Photo by Lola A. AkerstrΓΆmKautokeino SΓ‘mis. Guovdageaidnu in Northern SΓ‘mi language. Wearing pesks and gΓ‘ktis. With traditional shawls, belts, mittens and hats. Northern Lapland/SΓ‘pmi. Khanty woman Kristina Neva and baby in reindeer clothing with decor. Summer on the Arctic tundra. Photo by Bryan and Cherry Alexander.
Feeling the Sunday blues today, and felt like sharing some thoughts I have had for some time now. I hope I manage to articulate myself in a good manner, and hoping to hear others’ view on this as well π
I feel it is so important to have a sense of community and identity. A tribe of sorts. In fact, we all did up until very, very recently. You could even tell what area or region people were from by their clothing. The way they proudly wore their identity and sense of community. It is so rare nowadays that tourists will literally pay thousands to witness authentic indigenous way of life.
A wedding photo from my family tree, many generations ago in Finnmark. Kven/Finnish and SΓ‘mi marriage.
It sounds silly, but I miss that. I have never had it, but I miss it. I miss traditional everyday dresses and stronger traditions. I miss women being more supported with raising children by their community. Not feeling alone in our experience. We are not supposed to raise kids alone. We are not supposed to not work together and to not rely on each other. When we donβt have that community around us, we get consumed by loneliness and loss of purpose. Just think about how wonderful it feels to have a good friend or a family member who truly cares. We are utterly dependent on our safety net.
The globalisation we see today has come at a great cost. Every month, the world loses indigenous languages. Every week, less natural surroundings and every day people feel more cut off from each other, and Mother Earth. Where will we end up? Even our diets are globalised, getting adviced to eat the same here in the European Arctic as they do in warm climates. That is not sustainable. That is not what have been practiced for thousands of generations, and what our bodies are used to.
I do not wish to naively say that all things were better before, because I do not believe that they were. I do, however, think we have lost something very precious along the way, at least in my part of the world. People who wish to reclaim their sense of community and identity sometimes even feel like a fraud or a fool for ‘taking back’ something they never personally had.
I believe that the trauma experienced by virtually all humans today by having our way of life so dramatically changed in such a short timespan, needs great healing. And only we can do that job ourselves; in our own hearts and minds.
Thank you for reading, may all beings be free and happy β€ May communities heal and may we take better care of the planet π
HΓ₯ja and HillesΓΈyHΓ₯ja mountain. We drove up and got the best view ever. Very happy with this photo!Arctic July.More furry neighbours.Rainy summer day.Ilo, a cute little dog we met at ReinΓΈya.Early morning at ReinΓΈya. Seal at ReinΓΈya. Summer swim.. Me and my boyfriend’s mother. 8-9Β°c!TromsΓΈ centrum, the pavillion.At the Arctic-Alpine Botanical garden in TromsΓΈ. Blue Himalayan poppies. π In the World’s Northernmost botanical garden.So many beautiful colours and shapes.Midsummer, 23rd of June.Tiny Arctic dolphins.Sunlight over Lyngsalpan. Rainy evening at SpΓ₯kenes. Kali ππ€Picked a small bouquet.
“I love the Arctic summer, it’s the best day of the year!” Short but sweet. How was your summer?
Yesterday was World Indigenous peoples day, so I share this wonderful portrait of my relative Johannes from 6 generations ago. Wearing a pesk/finnmudd. I think we have the same nose, and eyebrows. I look forward to teach our son about his ancestors. It was a black-white photo by S. Trombolt but Per I. Somby colorised it. #ArcticPeople #Uralic
Indigenous means ‘naturally occuring’. Someone or something that ‘belongs’ to a place, and who is living in harmony with the natural surroundings. A part of the local ecosystem. The natural world belongs to us ALL, we need to treat it with respect and appreciation to be able to continue living in it sustainably. Always give more than you take, even if it is “just” gratefulness.
Where was or is your ancestors indigenous to? Do you feel as a part of the natural surroundings?
Small tip on how to feel more connected to the natural world: consciously focus and feel into the knowing of being held and supported by the Earth and gravity. See if you can completely relax intothat knowing and if you can trust that you are safe and being held.
Our sweet little boy π€ My wool sweater knitted by grandma.
Being a mama has really opened my heart, not just for our child, but for all children. I have always loved the little new humans obviously, but being a parent takes it to another level somehow. Truly an automatic bodhicitta practice; infinite love and boundless compassion – our true nature.
Here are some beautiful motherhood art pieces I really like. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! π₯°
Art by Germaine Arnaktauyok, “Quiet Time”, 2005Art by Mayoreak Ashoona, “Matching braids”, 1991
Not a painting or art print, but traditional SΓ‘mi komse (baby carrier). Truly an art piece in itself, with every woven band having a meaning. Art by Emily KewageshigArt by Alanah Jewell
How has motherhood changed you? Has it opened your heart (more)?
Was so lucky to receive this traditional SΓ‘mi bracelet from my partner’s mum as a gift “for giving her the greatest gift” (our son, her grandson) π€
It is made from black leather, reindeer antler button and decoration, and the braids are traditional tinwire used in duodji/daidda. It is made by @tinntraadfruen on instagram if you want to see her work π«
What was a gift you received that had a nice meaning behind it?
Excellent talk/discussion on the topic of “dark nights”. Very nice to know how to handle, especially if you are a yoga/meditation practitioner or just prone to experience them, and how to get out of it.
I think it’s great when spiritual teachers talk openly about these matters. Many meditators get into spiritual practice because they want answers to their discontentment with life, to get happy. And often with practice we will hit spots in our minds that makes waves into daily life, for example if you have anxiety, it can momentarily get amplified when it is uncovered with practice. So it’s good to know that the goal is not to bypass all our problems, but to face them and to “cut through” them so that our natural state gets revealed. Over and over until all karmas are erased.
The yogic path was never about feeling good and calm all the time, but to unravel and reveal our true selves, our buddha nature, to understand ourself and how the mind works. πΏ
A little snow leopard put her print in the snow πΎ Tara dancing in the snow next to it β10 x 10 cm. Colours used: white, blue and copper/gold.Our Christmas altar. Put my new painting there next to Vajrasattva statue.‘During practice, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas are omnipresent. Theyβre always here, but we donβt see them because of our obscurations. We practice in order to clear away the obscurations and to acquire pure perceptionβnot with the eyes, but with the heart.’ β€ππ»
The copper coloured mountain is also known as Zangdok Palri; Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava’s non-physical pure land.
Photo coloured by Per Ivar Somby. In the photo: Brita Somby, wearing traditional dress (gΓ‘kti) with traditional wool shawl. Reindeer pants and boots.
The eight remaining SΓ‘mi languages are spoken here in the north of Europe (see map and gallery below) in a cross-border region which includes Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. This region is generally called SΓ‘pmi – mostly by northern SΓ‘mis, and is sometimes referred to as Lapland or Samiland. Laponia in Swedish Lapland is the one of the World’s largest unmodified UNESCO nature area still cultured by natives. SΓ‘mis are indigenous to SΓ‘pmi/Northern Europe and Kola Peninsula, our heritage and ancestry traces back to Ural mountains and Siberia. SΓ‘mi is part of the Uralic language family, alongside Khanty, Mansi, Nganasan and Karelian, to mention a few. Lap is considered a deragatory term for SΓ‘mi person.
SΓ‘mi languages speakers estimate:
Southern SΓ‘mi 300 β 500 speakers
Ume SΓ‘mi – less than 20 speakers
Lule SΓ‘mi 2 000 β 3 000 speakers
Pite SΓ‘mi – less than 20 speakers
Northern SΓ‘miΒ – 20-30 000 speakers. There are three main North SΓ‘mi dialects. Northern SΓ‘mi is the most accessible language, both in terms of literature, news broadcasts, and other material for those who want to learn a SΓ‘mi language as a foreign language.
Kemi SΓ‘mi – extinct
Inari SΓ‘mi 300 β 500 speakers
Akkala SΓ‘mi – considered mostly extinct since 2003
Kildin SΓ‘mi 300 β 700 speakers
Skolt SΓ‘mi 300 β 500 speakers in Finland, fewer than 20 speakers in Russia
Ter SΓ‘mi – less than 5 speakers left, all elderly (update 2023: Ter SΓ‘mi is extinct)
Today we are around 90 000 SΓ‘mis, but as you can see from the numbers they do not match up to speakers of SΓ‘mi languages. Roughly 4/10 SΓ‘mis speak and use one of the SΓ‘mi languages today.
Why is this so?
To avoid humiliation and to give their children “better chances in life”, indigenous and minority parents often decide to speak a dominant or official language with their children. SΓ‘mi parents have not been an exception to this rule, especially in the very near past.
For the sake of how long this post would be in order to include all four countries’ history with the SΓ‘mi people, I will mainly focus on Norway.
Title: Samiske barn undervises i norsk / SΓ‘mi children learning norwegian Opphaver: Fotograf Sverre A. BΓΈrretzen Rettighetshaver: LeverandΓΈr NTB scanpix
Up to the 17th century, SΓ‘mi society lived pretty much its own life, with little interference from the outside. But with the new borders of the Nordic countries, interference was inevitable. Historically, the language situation after interference can be divided into three distinct periods: a missionary phase; a harsh assimilation phase; and the present phase, with potential for integration and revitalisation.
The 17th and 18th centuries characterise the beginning of missionary activities, with some very positive projects for the benefit of the SΓ‘mi languages: teaching was conducted through the medium of SΓ‘mi and religious texts were translated into SΓ‘mi (the LΓ¦stadian faith was introduced to SΓ‘pmi). From the middle of the 19th century however, a new policy based on national romanticism and ‘vulgar Darwinist ideas’ led to a harsh suppression of SΓ‘mi and the languages. The Norwegian Parliament and government pursued overtly a policy aiming at assimilating the whole SΓ‘mi population in Norway in the course of one generation. One can only say that this assimilation was very effective.
The “dark century,” 1870 to 1970 ca, had detrimental effects which can still be felt on both the languages themselves and on their status and speakers. In the coastal areas of Norway (and elsewhere), negative attitudes were transmitted by the SΓ‘mi themselves as a result of the policies, and inter-generational transfer of the language ceased in only a few generations.
Approx distribution of the languages/dialects today. The biggest blue area is mainly Troms and Finnmark.
New efforts in maintaining the languages were revived in the 1970s and still continues to this day. However, one of the most striking failures of the SΓ‘mi strategies is that the smaller SΓ‘mi languages (in numbers of speakers as listed above) have not seen success in improving their situation or even in defending their previous position. This failure is partly due to the fact that most speakers live apart from the larger SΓ‘mi groups. Dispersed among Norwegians, Swedes, Finns, and Russians, they do not have the demographic concentration that would enable them to use their language in the workplace and in official situations, including schools.
A language’s development, aging, and dying was considered “natural,” out of human reach. Languages were not killed, they “died of old age.” This agentless “model” for the prediction of the future of languages is still found among politicians, and legitimates their way of treating minority languages. The view that a minority is not autonomous and their own people, is devastating to that people’s culture and language.
In Norway, many municipalities with a SΓ‘mi population had developed procedures to give the SΓ‘mi some local linguistic rights. Yet, when the SΓ‘mi language law (in force since 1992) designated certain areas as belonging to the SΓ‘mi administrative districts, many of the municipalities left outside these official districts – often municipalities where the speakers of the smaller SΓ‘mi languages lived – withdrew services in SΓ‘mi, claiming that the law did not require them. Even today, there is strong resilience towards using official SΓ‘mi names in for example Norwegian towns and municipalities. This seems to stem from the view that SΓ‘mi people somehow belong to Norway, Sweden, Finland or other countries, and not to ourselves as our own people with our own unique language, history and culture.
South SΓ‘mi name for BodΓΈ not welcome, 2011.
Currently, education, official documents and the media use Northern SΓ‘mi almost exclusively. This variant is used as a de facto βofficial languageβ and the most significant efforts have gone into the development of this particular language, to the detriment of other SΓ‘mi languages.
Opinions also differ on whether the different versions of SΓ‘mi are actual languages or dialects, and how to designate their speakers. Here is a an example what ‘Have a good weekend’ is in 6 SΓ‘mi languages:
“Buorre vahkkoloahppa” – North Sami
“Buerie hΓ―elje” – South Sami Β«Buorre vahkkogiehtjeΒ» – Pite Sami “Buorre vahkoloahppa” – Lule Sami “Ε iΓ΅Η₯Η₯ neΓ€βttel-loopp” – Skolt/East Sami “Pyeri oholoppΓ’” – Inare Sami
Eastern SΓ‘mi is the most different from the other languages.
Official SΓ‘pmi flag by artist Astrid BΓ₯hl from Skibotn, Troms. Photo: Γrjan Bertelsen
Most SΓ‘mis today speak either Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, or even English as their everyday tongue (some migrated to the USA). Many are bilingual as well. Another factor is that some SΓ‘mis do not identify as SΓ‘mi or even know that they are due to the heavy assimilation of the past. They do not have any relationship with the language(s), and thus have lost their door to that culture.
Unlike the Indo-European languages spoken in most of Europe, the SΓ‘mi languages belong to the Uralic language family.Photo I took at the main square in TromsΓΈ 2019. Demonstration against violence and discrimination towards sΓ‘mi.South SΓ‘mi women and a man in Sweden. Colourised photo by Per Ivar Somby. Many young SΓ‘mis today use the traditional handwoven wool shawl as an everyday garment in a more urban way in order to still show our SΓ‘mi identity, and belonging. (Photo by NatGeo of Jokkmokk SΓ‘mi Ella-Li Spik, herder).Portrait of my relative Johannes from 6 generations ago. Wearing a pesk/finnmudd. Finnmark, Arctic SΓ‘pmi. I think we have the same nose, and eyebrows. It was a black-white photo by S. Trombolt but Per I. Somby colorised it.
Norway, Sweden and Finland was in 2019 urged by the UN to increase public funding of SΓ‘mi parliaments as a response to the dire state of the disappearing languages. But even if the situation seems dire for many languages, it is still possible to revitalise them and start using them more often. Which languages survive and which do not ultimately seems to be a question of human will, not of any rules of nature.
I know that languages and cultures come and go, but I do feel it a great loss to lose what has been native for SΓ‘pmi for literally thousands of years, in only a few generations, when it can be perserved. I am happy that some schools and institutions are giving sΓ‘mi language courses to anyone who wishes to learn it (although this is mostly in Northern sΓ‘mi), and I do also wish that my children will learn it, which I never did due to the Norwegianization process in Finnmark. Language is a huge part of culture and when it’s taken away, people get confused about their own community, identify and sense of belonging, and even turn on each other as a result of feeling alienated.
The languages we learn from our parents shape our brains, literally!, and our worldview, how and who we relate to. The immense loss of language and culture for the SΓ‘mi people cannot be described as anything else but traumatic.
Me keeping warm and optimistic about the future of the languages and culture.
My favourite shawl. Head dress I made by hand.A tantric Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal statue I helped repaint for a friend. The union of wisdom and compassion. Wish I had a similar one! Hopefully one day I will afford one ππ»
You know how you need to pretend to sleep in order to fall asleep? And at some point it just happens. Maybe it’s the same with other areas of life. Fake it till you make it, kind of, not in a bad way – just a dedicated one. I have noticed at least that the same applies to yoga and meditation sometimes. If I feel stressed, anxious and restless, I force myself to do the practice anyway. And at some level it still does its magic, of that I am 100% sure. In between the sleepless thoughts and rough emotions – they become like clouds in the pastel coloured sky.
Wishing all a lovely calm Polar night, and remember that it’s in darkness you shine the brightest πβ¨π
“Just like water, snow and ice, life is always shifting, changing forms.” (This photo is from february 2017). Beautiful texture and shapes in the frozen water.
One of my paintings inspired by the icy landscape:
Click to see bigger versionsMy little pregnant polar bear. Wrote a post earlier about this painting π Here she is framed.
Come see my little exhibition of 13 paintings at Magic Ice TromsΓΈ β Most paintings are for sale ππ» They also have the cosiest tiny coffee place there, an impressive ice sculpture gallery by Lithuanian artists and a cocktail bar – all ice, even the glasses βοΈπ₯π
Fant meg en fin plass i fjΓ¦ra til Γ₯ meditere samt se pΓ₯ fargespillet pΓ₯ himmelen som alltid skjer nΓ¦rt mΓΈrketida.Alle bildene er tatt med mobilen, sΓ₯ beklager kvaliteten πFrost πPastellhimmel.Regnbuefarger.Kaldere vΓ¦r betyr store jakker og ullsjal β€ Er ikke sΓ₯ mange jakker som passer over magen lenger ππ€° MΓ₯nedene flyr forbi, er allerede i siste trimester ππ
“The first study on the DNA of the ancient inhabitants of Finland has been published, with results indicating that an abundance of genes reached Finland all the way from Siberia.
This article I am sharing is from phys.org
The genetic samples compared in the study were collected from human bones found in a 3,500-year-old burial place in the Kola Peninsula and the 1,500-year-old lake burial site at LevΓ€nluhta in South Ostrobothnia, Finland. All of the samples contained identical Siberian genes.
Siberian origin remains perceptible
The ancient DNA has also been compared to modern populations. Siberian origins are still visible in the SΓ‘mi, Finns and other populations of the Finno-Ugric language family.
“However, it has been mixed up with the European genome. Of all European populations, modern SΓ‘mi are the most evident representatives of the Siberian genome. As for the title of the modern people with the largest Siberian genetic component, that privilege goes to the Nganasan people living in northern Siberia,” says PΓ€ivi Onkamo, head of the SUGRIGE project at the Universities of Helsinki and Turku.
The project succeeded in mapping out the entire genome from the bones of eleven individuals. From the Kola Peninsula, the bones of six individuals were collected from a 3,500-year-old burial place, while those of two individuals were found from another location dating back to the 18th and 19th century. In the case of the bones found in the LevΓ€nluhta site in South Ostrobothnia, the entire genome was mapped for three individuals.”
Some other Uralic/Finno-ugric peoples with roots from Ural mountains, Siberia are the Nenets (previously called the Samoyeds), the Khanty, the Mansi, the Selkup and the Mari people. We also have very similar traditional costumes and of course traditionally being nomadic, following the reindeers, and sharing same langauge family. Maybe I will write a post on our traditional dresses.
These findings also makes sense with my own FamilyTreeDNA results, although commercial DNA test kits are not super accurate:
Did you know there is a reason why orange+blue and yellow+purple work together so well? π§‘πππ They are considered complementary colours! “Complementary colours are pairs of colours which, when combined or mixed, cancel each other out by producing a grayscale colour like white or black. When placed next to each other, they create the strongest contrast for those two colors. Complementary colours may also be called ‘opposite colours’.”
Lowcarb chocolate muffins (from one of those easy to make packages) πππΌ Also, look at the beautiful Latvian cup coasters of traditional woven belts π they make me smile. And remind me to maybe do some more weaving myself π€·π»ββοΈ
Ask The Mountains 