Sparrow on a real dried leaf I found last autumn going to visit friendsπ I was able to paint more from my intuition than from my head, so I feel like it turned out much more alive and authentic than many of my other works ππΌπ¨ππ
Why a sparrow; had some interesting and symbolic encounters with sparrows lately – I didnβt even realise until recently that they even live here, close to our home π
Not king, not eagle, only a pulse of brown and breath. It carries the secret of small things: that life does not need grandeur to be holy. In dust, in hedges, in the cracks of cities, the sparrow sings the same simple truth to live is already enough. π¦β¨
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 AmritaMandala. 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.
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
A painting I started a while ago, didnβt know how to finish it, until today. I really like it now. π I used acrylic paint, gold -and glitter pens. It is 15 x 15 cm, the title is “Myk” – meaning soft. It is for sale on my art page. π«Άπ»
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.
Bought a new diary, in hopes of finding time to write again; haven’t written anything in over a year. Initiated first page with this poem πππΌπ
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.
A zen tradition that doesnβt separate buddhanature from substrate consciousness (skt. alaya vijnana), doesnβt speak or teach kensho but then claims to be able to just sit (j. shikantaza), that doesnβt have one on one instruction (j. sanzen/dokusan), that has no emphasis of any type of dynamicity or physicality in training, where lineage blessings go unnoticed, where students and roshis spend sesshin after sesshin half asleep, has got to be the most decadent form of Zen to ever exist. These are the very problems that Bodhidharma corrected by teaching the weak, sleepy and ignorant meditation monks dynamic movement practices but also how to transform, stretch and strenghten tissues (c. yijinjing) and how to transform all three bodies from samsaric to nirvanic state (c. xisuijing, bone marrow washing). Itβs been long since Bodhidharmaβs time but the state of some systems that claim to be zen buddhism merely based on lineage transmission and mimicked external form, proves that the deluded mind is master in deluding itself, without much ability to learn from the mistakes done by others. It is indeed difficult to find practitioners who are able to analyze and extract the essential meaning of dharma thus demonstrating abundant merit (skt. punya).
Baba, Revitalized Zen 16 March 2025
Yes, this seems to be true; that the state of Zen lineages today is simply not producing Masters, as was the whole point of Zen training. The state of Dharma is seemingly in a bad shape all around. Therefore, I find it very refreshing and interesting to read such quotes as the one above. Here is the YouTube channel of Revitalized Zen, the facebook group and here is the blog. Excellent reading for any spiritual seeker ππΌπͺ·
“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
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”.
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.
When we are small children, it comes natural for us to think of others. We don’t see much separation between ourselves and others, and so wanting to be kind, to help and be generous comes as naturally as dusk and dawn.
As we age and experiences shape us, we get hardened. We are no longer soft and supple like babies, now we have frozen places in our bodies and mind that makes us feel and act in certain negative ways, or it even makes us ill. We get prickly edges, we might be ‘difficult’ for others to be around and as much as we wish to feel soft, authentic and playful again, it just don’t seem to happen by will alone.
This is where yogic practices (dharma) can help, because it targets and addresses both the physical body, and the subtle energy bodies. Focusing only on one aspect, will not be a holistic solution, in my experience. And focusing only on my own healing, without regard to others who are also suffering, is not sufficient; it has to be for the benefit of others – it has to touch the heart (bodhichitta).
Prayer flags in our garden
Here is the youtube channel and the website of the Amrita Mandala dharma lineage which I practice and which has helped me the most in my life and healing ππΌ
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)
Our true inner nature is the same as in the natural world; open, alive, grounded, expressive…π§‘πππ “Basic nature”, acrylic and oil pastel crayons, 31,7 x 23,6 cm
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 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
While the safe blanket of snow covers the landscape, and the crisp cold air cradle us to sleep under the starry sky, know that spring is waiting in hibernation just like you, ready to rejoice once more.
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)
Yellow birch leaves bathing in the sunlight. Ramfjorden/GΓ‘ranasvuotna.Calm sea….πThe yellow trees against the blue sky is a sight to behold. ππVery happy with this shot, was thinking for many weeks that I wanted to take this photo and feel like I nailed it just how I wished πππ»This one is with phone camera, because I could not find my Panasonic camera (found it 2 days later, exactly where I put it!) Tinden / SΓ‘laΕ‘oaivi.Another phone shot, but feel like I really captured the mood of the weather, even though it is bad quality! βοΈ
New painting inspired by the Arctic autumn.. Colourful landscape and a Sun that has started to set again after midnightsun season is over. This is a gift for my father, who is kind of the one who gave me art and an interest in art. πππ ππΌ
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.”
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
The Winter is stubborn this year, not allowing Spring to enter just yet. I don’t really mind, but also looking forward to green fields, bird song, less layers of clothing and mountain streams. Hope everyone has a great Spring, wherever you are! π€ All photos are taken in Arctic Troms.
Who are Uralians and Ugrians? We are different peoples with unique cultures and common linguistic roots, stretching from Russia, over Siberia and the Ural mountains, into Scandinavia. Some have moved further south, like the Hungarians. Many of us live Arctic and sub-Arctic lives and livelihoods. Many of us also have lost our traditional cultures and language.
We are SΓ‘mis, Kvens, Finns, Karelians, Khantys, Maris, Mansis, Nganasans, Nenets, Komis, Tornedalians, Selkups, and many more. I added a small variety of photos from our community below.
Uralic clothing vary from boys and girls/men and women, and is usually made just to fit the climate. Sewing patterns are often kept within the family and only used by the ethnic group and not outsiders. Summers can get pretty warm, and winters of course get extremely cold, so there are different garments for the seasons. More text and a poem below π
Usually, if not always, ethnic European and Eastern/Eurasian (Arctic) clothing has specific designs for women, men, girls and boys. Practical, warm and distinguishable; usually a bit, or vastly, different for each region. Often bright colours and intrinsic details. Made from the immediate surroundings; wool and animals. Sometimes silk. Giving the wearer a place and belonging; need only look at a persons clothes to know where they, or where their parents are from. Sewing patterns are often kept within the family only. Nowadays however, many native outfits are only used a few times a year for special occasions due to many people moving into the city and/or the boarding schools, and designs are evolving with the new creative youth, creating new ideas and identities, which is normal and expected. But traditional sewing skills are sadly not being taught that much from early age.
Clothing is important. No store bought garment sewn by a machine can measure with an outfit that contains your ancestry and history in every stitch. Many nowadays are also lucky to have more than one ancestry and thus more wardrobe options! Many have lost their native language(s) and feel like a “poser” if they use them or sew them, perhaps scared of getting strange looks or be called names, but I will forever argue that we should wear it like our own skin, because it is a birthright of sorts.
Every two weeks a language dies with its last speaker, 50 to 90 percent of them are predicted to disappear by the next century (source for the statistic: National Geographic). For example; 35 out of 38 Uralic languages are endangered or critically endangered due to assimilation and globalisation. Many Uralics live Arctic lives and livelihood in Europe and Eurasia. Herding, fishing and hunting. Linguistics say there used to be at least (!) 31 000 languages in the human history, now we are down to around 6000, and it is declining every fortnight. This makes sewing and using our traditional dresses even more important.
Keep sewing and keep teaching children traditional skills. They will thank you down the line, I am sure of that.
Thank for reading. I will end this post with a poem by Ingrid Mollenkopf from her book ‘Between Sleeps: Uralic Poetry’:
“Petals do fall on the grass beneath my feet
Do they remember their days among the branches?
Do they remember
All the worldβs sweet breezes
Brushing their fibers
Carrying their good scent afloat?
As I remember
My youth
Among my people
Do we remember
The colors and voices
Moving our instincts guiding our every moment?” πΊ
The path to the light is dark. Silencing the mind through meditation allows us to feel and see the radiant light of our own basic goodness, basic buddha nature, where compassion and creativity flows without obstruction, like the rays of the Sun. – Monica Xx
A heart opening guided meditation session led by Kim Rinpoche.
October night sky a few weeks ago ππ
If we know our hearts and our own natural state, we will also simultaneously know how to love and care. Not only for others but for ourselves and our difficult emotions. Life is so full of difficult emotions, as we know. Compassion and forgiveness is always with you, like a silent friend.
Thank you for reading and still following my blog. It is most appreciated. My posts are very sporadic, as time flies by with the new baby. Long days but short weeks. Not enough hours to get it all done, and not enough hours to just enjoy him – this new little person that runs our lives now. Motherhood is equally hard as it is wonderful. I hope to get more painting and other artsy projects into my days again.
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?
Allow yourself to be yourself. Close your eyes and feel the stable mountain-like presence of your own being. Indestructable, isn’t it? Your own light, your own intuition. Keep returning to yourself. To home, to where you are safe and where you belong. The same stillness that exists in nature, exists in you. There is no seperation, and it cannot be taken away or destroyed. Allow yourself to come home, over and over, until there is no doubt. xx Monica
A few snowy peaks shots from beginning of May. Spring is here! Camera used: Panasonic Lumix.
For the past 11 years or so, I have been teaching myself how to relax and be calm.
I have always been quite a worried person, so I feel I had to learn this in order to simply have a better life with more control. I still sometimes forget how to, but each time I remember, I do the following:
An easy quick way to instantly relax the mind and muscles, causing bloodflow to spread more evenly in the body, is to do three things simultanously: relax the jaw and eyes completely, breathe deeply into belly for at least 8 breaths and move the inner gaze/attention to the feet or ground below. Get a sense of the Earth. Notice the effect.
Another way, if you have the oppotunity, is to lay down flat, do the same with jaw and eyes, and to focus on the in and out breaths in the belly. Take deep slow breaths. Imagine them as waves ebbing on the shore.
And lastly, going into nature of course has a calming effect too, even just for 10 minutes. If you cannot go outside, perhaps painting or drawing nature is an idea.
Hope this helps! I truly believe knowing how to relax and calm our selves is an important skill. Getting carried away by the storm can be both painful and result in regrets.
The Sun is properly back, and giving us all sorts of moods with her play of light. Like brushstrokes.Afternoon.My friend Flo.We are making a short film. Stay tuned! π₯°Same landscape, different season.
It’s the last day of a very eventful January, and I am spending it curled up on our big sleeping couch with our newborn baby boy who is about 2 weeks old now, in his little baby nest and my partner who is sitting on the other end writing away on the computer. Outside, it’s already dark again. Polar night is officially over here but I have not seen the Sun yet. I am not outside so much, hardly at all as all time and energy is spent adjusting and taking care of this new amazing creation. I did however manage our first little walk with the pram!
Life is new and different and surreal as parents. Giving birth was intense and hard work, and unfortunately not how I envisioned, but nontheless a very powerful experience. A rite of passage of sorts.. At one point during delivery I felt like I connected with all other Mothers giving birth naturally, experiencing the same pain at the exact same time. When he was born, there was an incredible silence and love that I have not experienced before π€±π»
January is also my birthday month, and this year I celebrated at home with my little family and my friend Katharina. 29; last year in my twenties, first year as a mama! πβ¨
My favourite painting from last year ππ§‘ππ Acrylic on canvas.
“An amateur (literally means ‘lover [of something]’) is generally considered a person who persues a particular activity or field of study independently from their source of income/does not persue it professionally or with an eye to gain.” π¨
“No slΓΈkkes en dag som sΓ₯ vidt rakk Γ₯ grΓ₯ne og vise fram landet ei skjΓΈmmingsblΓ₯ stund og gjΓΈmt attom fjellan i aust stΓ₯r en mΓ₯ne som snart skal strΓΈ sΓΈlv over fjorda og sund. I sΓΈr ligg ei strime av lys over tindan der dagen blΓΈr ut fΓΈr han slokne fΓΈrr godt og vi stΓ₯r igjen med oss sjΓΈl og med minnan i mΓΈrketidslyset der allting blir blΓ₯tt.
SΓ₯ kom og vΓ¦r nΓ¦r meg β vΓ¦r sol i desember nΓ₯r midtvinterstanka tar rom i mitt sinn fΓΈrr Γ₯ret mΓ₯ fΓΈle sin kurs og kalender og stian blir tungtrΓΈdd nΓ₯r lyset fΓΈrsvinn. Men hold meg i handa og lΓ¦r meg Γ₯ vente pΓ₯ solkvervingstimen dΓ₯ allting skal snu. I mΓΈrketidslyset e varme Γ₯ hente fΓΈrr den som har mot tel Γ₯ trosse og tru.
Ja, streif mine strenga og lΓΈys i meg tonen tel landet som kvile ved midtvinterstid la mΓΈrketids-tankan og haust-depresjonen fΓ₯ vike fΓΈrr strofe av blΓ₯ poesi. Vi leve med rest av en sommar i minne i lengting mot daga vi ikkje har fΓ₯tt men kjem du meg nΓ¦r skal vi solvarmen finne i mΓΈrketidslyset der allting blir blΓ₯tt.” – Helge Stangnes πππ§‘
Litt mΓΈrketidspoesi nu nΓ₯r sola ‘har snudd’ π€
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.
Senja island. The pointy peak is Segla. Hiked it once, amazing view. Apologies for grainy mobile shot, it doesn’t do it justice.I love driving. One of my happy places, for sure.
“Away, away,βto the mountains away, Where the pine trees murmur and sway, And the foamy waterfalls sing and spring Over the boulders gray.
Hillsβ Blue and green hills, near and far, The farther they lie, the better they are. The near ones I can climb and see But the beautiful far ones call to me”
KjΓΈpte noen kjempesΓΈte smΓ₯ trehjerter pΓ₯ Flying Tiger for en ukes tid siden. De er vel egentlig for Γ₯ bruke som gavelapper, men de funker ogsΓ₯ tydeligvis bra til Γ₯ male pΓ₯ πππ»π¨πβ
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
Where the glorious mountains laid Their heads on the breast of the sky And slept while the wind sang by,β There my hurrying feet were stayed. β Ruby Archer
This leaf survived in my bag for weeks, on planes and buses (from some travels in february, I hope to find time to share some photos with you soon!) Only a bit broken in the edges πππ Turned out great as canvas for a little landscape paintingπ¨π
Ask The Mountains 