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

  • Gentle yoga and guided meditation (suitable for all levels)

  • Guided mindfulness with horses

  • A warm sauna and nourishing meals

  • A small group (Maximum 10 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:

  • ✺

    You are longing for time and space to just be.

  • ✺

    You feel drawn to silent retreats, but would like to try a gentler version first.

  • ✺

    You need a break from screens, obligations, and constant stimulation

  • ✺

    You are new to yoga and meditation, or have an established practice.

  • ✺

    You are seeking rest, reflection, and renewed energy

  • ✺

    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.

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

Friday:

4:00–6:00 PM – Arrival and settling in

6:00 PM – Dinner

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


Saturday:

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: Light dinner

20.00–21:30 PM – Restorative yoga and meditation



Sunday:

8:00–9:30 AM – Yoga and meditation

9:30–10:30 AM – Breakfast and free time. The sauna will be warm.

10.30-11.30 AM: Guided mindfulness walk in the forest

1:00 PM – Lunch

2:00 PM – Closing circle with an opportunity to share reflections (if you wish)

If you want to add an extra day, you can come either a day before or a day after.

*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.



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.

Practical information

Dates: October 9th-11th

Accommodation is available in either single or double rooms in a modern handcrafted log house. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, and welcoming.

The price includes:

  • Two nights of accommodation

  • The full retreat program

  • All meals

Early Bird Prices (available until September 20th)

  • Double room: NOK 3,800 per person

  • Single room: NOK 4,800 per person (limited availability)

After September 20th, 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 10 places available in total.

As places are limited, registration is binding once your place has been confirmed.

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

The retreat begins with dinner at 6:00 PM on Friday, 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.

Registration

To register, please complete the form below. You will receive an invoice within one week of signing up.

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

Registration Form

 

Ingvild Mikkelborg Photography

Ingvild Mikkelborg Photography

Guest Testimonials

A special place. Oda and Vetle have a meaningful respect for the area, its history, the animals and biodiversity that forms part of why the farm is so special. This is a beautiful community space that is deeply rooted in the values of compassion, respect and integrity. I’m really looking forward to the next opportunities to participate at the farm and it’s co-creating community again!

-Isla Keesje Davidson (Google review)

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. I thought that simply having a weekend where I didn’t have to talk, respond, or be anything for anybody would be enough — but the experience turned out to be so much more than that.


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

Bekkola held us throughout our whole weekend with it’s beauty and grounded calmness. Surrounded by soft forest and the lovely horses it felt like a safe place to let go and open my heart. Thank you ❤️

-Hannah Mattsson (Google review)