WEBINAR & SHAMANIC GUIDED JOURNEY:
WOMEN AND BEARS: From the Cave to the Sauna Sanctuary

Online via Zoom

Art work by Kaarina Kailo.

 
 

29th of January 2025 at 18.00 Finnish time (EEST)

(London time: 16.00-18.00, New York time: 10-12 am. ).The webinar is being recorded, so it is possible to watch it at another time as well

 

Lecturer: Kaarina Kailo
Host and Guide: Helena Karhu

Welcome to an inspiring webinar where an introduction to ancient wisdom traditions is followed by a shamanic guided journey!

During this evening, Kaarina Kailo, one of Finland's leading experts in bear mythology, will take us deep into the world of bear mythology. She will explore its connection to the Great Mother and ancient women's spiritual traditions. What is the symbolic relationship between women and bears, and what can this timeless wisdom teach us today? We’ll hear about the bear’s role as a symbol of the life force and rebirth and the significance of the cave bear’s den to our ancestors.

The lecture will be complemented by a meditative guided shamanic journey led by Helena Karhu. She will take us deep into the bear’s cave, where we can rest in the symbolic embrace of the Mother Bear. The bear embodies healing and strength, and through this meditative journey, we can experience how the bear is interconnected with the balance and unity of all nature.

Speakers:

Kaarina Kailo, Ph.D.
Dr. Kailo is a docent in North American Studies, a non-fiction author, and a specialist in matriarchal studies and the Gift economy. She has served as a professor of Women’s Studies at the University of Oulu after years of working in Canada (Simone de Beauvoir Institute). Recently, she authored "Bear Mythology and the Great Mother: From Cave Religion to Sauna Sanctuary" (2023, Basam Books) and co-authored a book on the myths of women and bears as well as the spirituality of ancestral mothers with Barbara Alice Mann. Her forthcoming books in English are: Sauna Culture, Sweat and Spirituality. The Architectonics and Cosmology of Sacred Space (Springer 2025) and The Naked Truth about the Sauna. Magic, Spirits and Ancient Sweating Rituals.

Helena Karhu
Helena is a shamanic teacher and a specialist in northern wisdom traditions and folklore from North Karelia, Finland, where she lives in her ancestral lands. She leads courses and retreats inspired by Nordic animistic-shamanistic and wisdom keeper practices. Bear stones and caves are sacred places where her heart finds peace in the embrace of nature. As her name suggests (her family name Karhu means “a bear” in Finnish), she considers the bear to be her ancestral totem. Both sides of her family hail from Karelia. Her life’s work is realized through her company, Karhun Talo (The House of the Bear), dedicated to remembering our deep connection to nature as a source of awareness, well-being, and community. Helena holds a background in cultural geography and anthropology and is currently completing a Ph.D. on shamanism in Finland.

Feedback from past events:

  • “The evening was absolutely incredible, what an experience!”

  • “A truly fantastic lecture and journey!”

  • “It was a wonderful presentation and a profound and meaningful journey to the heart. I may revisit the journey again. Thank you for creating safety and support throughout.”

  • “Amazing evening, heartfelt thanks!”

 

Time Zone:

The event is 18.00-20.00 at Finnish time, which is EEST time.

The event is in Denmark time 17.00-19.00.

London time: 16.00-18.00

New York time: 10-12 am.

Tokyo time at midnight: 11 pm – 1 am.

 

How to participate?

The participation fee for the evening is €20 (incl. 25.5% VAT) and can be reserved here (note that you can switch the language to English in the top-right corner of the web shop):

Once you reserve your spot, you will receive a personal link to the event. The event takes place in Zoom. The webinar and journey will be recorded, if you would like to see it on another time.

The event is open to everyone interested.

If you have any questions, please email: info@karhuntalo.com