Do you feel like life is moving a little too fast?

We live in a world filled with constant stimulation, a relentless pace, and endless accessibility. It’s easy to lose touch with ourselves.

Welcome to a weekend in Finnskogen, where we put our phones away, slow down, and make space for stillness.

During this weekend, you are invited to enjoy:

Three days on a peaceful forest farm surrounded by nature and horses
Time in the forest for walking, quiet reflection, and rest
Sound healing
Gentle yoga and guided meditation (suitable for all levels)
Guided mindfulness with horses
A warm sauna and nourishing meals
A small group (Maximum 12 people)

You do not need any previous experience with retreats or meditation—only a desire for more peace, calm, and stillness.

This retreat is for you if:

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You are longing for time and space to just be.
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You feel drawn to silent retreats, but would like to try a gentler version first.
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You need a break from screens, obligations, and constant stimulation
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You are new to yoga and meditation, or have an established practice.
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You are seeking rest, reflection, and renewed energy
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You often find yourself caught up in thoughts and long to reconnect with your body.

Why silence?

When the pace around us begins to slow, something within us has more room to emerge. Thoughts settle, the body softens, and the breath deepens.

In this space, we can begin to listen—not to expectations or the pressure to perform, but to what is true for us.

Here, we can reconnect with inner resources we may have forgotten we carry within us: clarity, intuition, creativity, courage, direction, and rest.

Silence holds an infinite field of possibility.

Some of the experiences that may arise include:

Ideas beginning to take shape
A deeper connection with who you are and what truly matters to you
Greater clarity around choices and decisions you are facing
A profound sense of peace settling in
Space for what has been beneath the surface to emerge
An opening to deeper joy and gratitude
A renewed sense of direction and purpose

Whether you arrive with a specific intention or simply with an open mind is entirely up to you.

We encourage participants to hand in their phones for the duration of the retreat, but this is completely optional. If you choose to disconnect, your loved ones will be given our contact number in case they need to reach you.

Mikkelborg Photography

Mindfulness with horses

Horses live fully in the present moment. As highly sensitive herd animals, they respond to what is genuinely happening within and around us, often acting as mirrors for our inner state.

In a mindfulness session with horses, we are invited to slow down and reconnect with the present moment. Horses live fully in the here and now, and their calm, attentive presence often encourages us to do the same. As the nervous system settles, some people experience emotions, memories, or insights emerging naturally, while others find a deep sense of peace, connection, and presence.

Program

Saturday:

8:00–9:30 AM – Yoga and meditation

9:30–13:30 AM – Breakfast and free time. The sauna will be warm.

13.30: Lunch

15.00-16.30: Guided mindfulness walk in the forest

18.30: Evening meal

20.00-21.30 – Soft evening yoga and meditation

Sunday:

8:00–9:30 AM – Yoga and meditation

9:30–13.00– Breakfast and free time. The sauna will be warm.

13:00 PM – Lunch

14:00 PM – Closing circle with an opportunity to share reflections (if you wish)

*All activities are optional, and you are welcome to participate as much or as little as feels right for you. However, we kindly ask that everyone attends dinner on Friday evening, as important information about the retreat will be shared.

*Massages can be booked during the retreat

*The classes will be spoken in simple, easy-to-understand English, so you don’t need to be fluent to participate.

Thursday:

5:00–6:00 PM – Arrival and settling in

6:30 PM – Dinner

7:30–9:00 PM – Introduction + Yoga nidra

Friday:

8:00–9:30 AM – Yoga and meditation

9:30–13:30 AM – Breakfast and free time. The sauna is warm.

13.30PM Lunch

15:00–16:30 PM – Guided mindfulness with the horses.

18.30 PM: Evening meal

20.00–21:30 PM – Sound healing

About Bekkola and Your Hosts

Bekkola is a beautiful farm in Finnskogen, just two hours from Oslo. Accommodation is provided in a charming log house featuring eight bedrooms, a beautiful yoga shala, a cozy living room with a fireplace, a homely farmhouse kitchen, and a sauna.

Outside, ten horses, including a foal, roam the property and are available to spend time with throughout your stay. The farm is surrounded by forest, with direct access to beautiful walking trails, including sections of the Finnskogen Trail (Finnskogleden).

The philosophy of Bekkola is inspired by the wisdom of the horse herd. Its core values are nature, presence, and community. We encourage guests to spend time with the horses, who can be wonderful guides in cultivating presence, connection, and a deeper relationship with nature.

Bekkola is lovingly cared for and run by Oda and Vetle.

Oda organizes a variety of events focused on holistic health and wellbeing and is a certified yoga teacher with over 300 hours of training completed in Sweden and India. She is passionate about creating spaces where people can slow down, connect authentically, and experience a sense of belonging. Community, meaningful human connection, and genuine encounters are at the heart of her work.

Vetle is a horse whisperer, farmer, and musician. He is deeply passionate about natural horsemanship and creating conditions where horses can live according to their own nature and needs. See more pictures from our farm here:

Picture by Mikkelborg Photography

Your facilitators

Oda Elisabeth Dahl

Oda lives at Bekkola together with her partner and is deeply passionate about creating warm and inclusive gathering spaces. She has hosted several retreats and events, including the Community Gatherings at Opaker and the Håp Festival (Hope Festival).
She holds a 300-hour yoga teacher training and has been practicing meditation, yoga, tantra and personal development for many years, in addition to attending several silent retreats herself, the longest lasting 17 days. She is currently training in Zen Coaching, deepening her exploration of presence, self-awareness and inner transformation.
At the heart of Oda’s teaching is a belief that yoga is for everyone, and that it can be a pathway back to our own inner wisdom – if we become quiet enough to listen. Her classes invite deep listening to the body, curiosity rather than performance, and a gentle exploration of what we truly need. She loves spending time in nature and creating spaces where people can slow down, reconnect and simply be.
Instagram: odagoda

Annie Carroll

Annie Carroll has over 15 years of musical experience in jazz, folk and world music, Indian classical music and mantras/kirtan. She loves to create and offer music that inspires and relaxes both the listener and herself as improvisation and the present moment guides the way.
She will guide a relaxing sound journey where you can land meditative sounds of singing bowls, harmonium, mandolin, drum and voice. A sound journey that will travel through different moods with the intention of creating a delicate and relaxing space for the receiver, that can fully be and allow whatever need or feeling that arises.
Annie is also a certified massage therapist, and has spent the past seven years providing treatments at retreats and working as a freelance therapist. During the retreat she offers deep and relaxing classic Swedish massage with a gentle Ayurvedic touch.  With an intention to offer the body a moment of rest and presence—an opportunity for recovery, reconnection, and a deeper connection with oneself.
Instagram: listentoannie
Click here to find her on Spotify:

Practical information

Dates: December 3rd-6th

It is possible to arrive on Friday and the price will be 600 NOK less.

Accommodation is available in either single, double og triple rooms with shared bathrooms in a modern handcrafted log house. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, and welcoming.

The price includes:

Three nights of accommodation
The full retreat program
All meals

*Optional massages can be booked separately

Early Bird Prices (available until November 10th)

Triple room: NOK 4000 per person

Double room: NOK 4,800 per person
Single room: NOK 5,800 per person (Limited availability)

After November 10th, prices increase by NOK 600.

Would you like to come a day before or stay an extra night? 1000 NOK per night. Breakfast included.

There are 12 places available in total.

As places are limited, registration is binding once your place has been confirmed. But as long as the invoice is paid, you can get a refund from your travel insurance if you get sick.

Location & Arrival

Bekkola
Løvhaugen 355
2256 Finnskogen, Norway

If you do not have a car, we can arrange pick-up from Kongsvinger train Station for NOK 350 and help you get a ride back with another participant.

Kongsvinger is 1 hour and 20 min from Oslo and two hours from Oslo airport.

The retreat begins with dinner at 6:30 PM on Thursday followed by an introduction and a yoga and meditation session at 7:30 PM. We kindly ask all participants to arrive no later than 7:30 PM.

It is also possible to arrive Friday and you will get the welcome information by arrival. The price will be 600 NOK less.

See more pictures at Instagram: bekkola_

and Facebook: Bekkola

Registration

To register, please complete the form at the bottom of this page. You will receive an invoice within one week of signing up.

For any questions, please contact us at hei@bekkola.no.

I had never done anything like a silent retreat before, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I arrived feeling overstimulated, touched out, tired, and like my mind was constantly full.

Oda is such a warm and calming presence, and she has created a truly special place. The silence never felt rigid or uncomfortable, and communication was made easy with little notes when needed. The yoga was gentle, welcoming, and perfect for someone like me who had not practiced in a long time. The evening sessions especially helped quiet my mind before sleep.

The food was absolutely amazing — fresh, vegetarian, filling, beautifully prepared, and often made with ingredients from the garden.

The farm itself is beautiful, both inside and out, and the surrounding forest, horses, views, and peaceful atmosphere made me feel completely at home.

The forest walk was probably the part that resonated with me most. Even in silence, there was such a strong feeling of connection within the group. You really do feel the love even when you’re not talking to each other.
I left Bekkola feeling calmer, more grounded, and much more connected to myself. It is hard to put the weekend into words, but I am incredibly grateful I went and would absolutely return.
Thank you, Oda, for creating such a beautiful and welcoming experience.

Jessica Allen (USA) (Google Review)

Guest Testimonials

This was my first solo trip in over 30 years, and my first retreat of any kind, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I needn’t have worried; Oda & Vetle have created a warm and welcoming place to just “be” in a beautiful and spiritual part of Norway. Surrounded by forests, the house is peaceful and feels like a safe space that held each of our small group during our 2- night retreat. Oda prepared nurturing, wholesome and satisfying meals including using produce from their garden and fruit from the forest.

As someone who has only attended a couple of yoga classes, I was concerned that the yoga element would be too advanced for me, but the somatic practice, guided by Oda, was perfect for our group, and it was healing and relaxing, rather than testing our physical abilities.

I have spent time around horses, but the idea of surrendering to their presence, rather than managing their space, was unfamiliar to me. Observing how they chose to interact with the herd and the group during our mindful session with them was powerful and held great meaning to us all, whether it was as a participant or an observer.

I left (reluctantly!) with a deep sense of calm and whilst the hustle and bustle of life has returned to my day to day, the knowledge that it is possible to feel like that, and connect with that part of myself, is a gift, and one which I hope to come back to in the future.

If you are thinking about a retreat and want to disappear in to a place of peaceful nature, then Oda and Vetle have created a beautiful option in Bekkola. Nothing is forced and if something is not your thing, then you can opt out and just enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Oda and Bekkola give you permission to just “be”, without demands or conditions, which is the perfect gift to give yourself when life can be so hectic.

Aimee Harris (UK) (Facebook review)