Heartland - Centre for Spiritual Education, Retreat and Meditation

Bodhisattva School 2024-25

Teachings about and around the Core

Love and presence

In the midst of life

Living the truth every day

Mysteries made alive

Perspective on spiritual living

Transformation in everyday life

Connecting with the Joy of Life

Sharing and Caring

Dedication to Awareness and Compassion

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Education & courses

Bodhisattva School 2024-25

Teachings about and around the Core

Bodhisattva School sessions consist of guided meditations and meditative exercises, as well as supportive teaching that draws on the core teachings of various yogic, meditative and contemplative spiritual traditions, including the deeper meaning and purpose of life and humanity, awakening awareness and compassion, serving the world and embodying spirituality in daily life.

Psychology of Consciousness 2024-25

In November 2024, we will start a new meditation training in Heartland, focusing on the holistic understanding and healing of the human psyche from a spiritual perspective and methods of consciousness. Our goal is to support participants through a diverse, comprehensive and experientially acquired knowledge and safe, guided practices on their journey towards a spiritually mature conscious humanity, where a person rests firmly within themselves as both a spiritual and psycho-physical being.

Meditation course

Weekly Meditation Course in 2025

12 Wednesdays 12.3. - 28.5. 2025 in Sydänmaa or online

Meditation helps you to find the way back to the core of YOU and to become more centered and calm, also in your daily life. Through sitting and practicing peaceful being we practice to become more awake to our true nature. The meditation course will give you useful tools to focus and concentrate, to rest more in yourself, to gain more inner peace and clarity, and to learn more about your spiritual and human nature.

Retreats 2025-26

Luosto Nature Meditation Retreat 2025

28.6.-4.7. 2025 in Luosto

"Steps towards recognising Buddha Nature"

Sydänmaa is organising a nature meditation retreat at Luosto for almost a week, which will allow us to take an inner and outer step towards our inner self, as well as to listen to and caress our bodies in nature and with the elements of nature. Many of us experience a deep connection with nature, but do not realise that nature reflects back to us the Buddha nature of our own self, the part of us that is always natural, serene and in harmony with all life. At the same time, our inner being also bubbles with joy, creativity and unconditional love. To be able to descend into being natural requires accepting our humanity and becoming aware of anything "stuck on", such as conditions or beliefs imposed by the environment or ourselves.

28.6.-4.7. 2025

Meditation Retreat in Crete 2025

21.-27.9. 2025

The retreat consists of meditations, thematic teaching and discussion, silent periods, body opening, personal time, sunbathing, swimming and walking in beautiful landscapes. The nature of the retreat requires full participation, and people who are not participating in the retreat cannot be admitted to the retreat site.

21.-27.9. 2025

Christmas Meditation Retreat 2025

12.-14.12. 2025 in Sydänmaa

The Christmas season sensitises our hearts to the unique atmosphere that accompanies it. In countries of the Christian tradition, even where Christmas is not associated with religion, more than any other celebration, it has as its theme love and its various aspects. Love can be expressed in giving of oneself, in sharing, in generosity or in bringing light where it is especially needed. Genuine presence and resting in oneself are also important aspects of love.

12.-14.12. 2025

Silent Meditation Retreat 2026

3.-8.3. 2026 in Sydänmaa

Silence in the meditative sense does not mean a lack of sound. It means a state of consciousness in which we are not carried away by external phenomena or by the stories and emotional experiences of the mind, but are able to remain aware in the midst of all experience and not to identify or "drown" in our experiences. Silence is our own essence, which we can experience when the perceptions of our minds do not capture our attention, but allow us to remain "in the middle" of ourselves in a state of awareness.

3.-8.3. 2026

Easter Retreat of the Heart 2026

2.-5.4. 2026 in Sydänmaa

Easter comes at a time of year, when after the winter, the days are longer and the sun has risen again to nourish our bodies and minds. There is a lot of symbolism and archetypes associated with Easter. Its meaning involves an inner letting go and the birth of something new.

When we want to walk the path of love, to be open and honest with others and ourselves, we must and inevitably do let go of the many kinds of "own limits", self-centredness and self-interest that prevent us from experiencing our true Self as Spiritual Heart. Our natural state of consciousness is a flow of giving of ourselves.

2.-5.4. 2026

Conscious Presence with horses

There are two wonderful horses, West and Matti, living in Heartland. Part of the spiritual trainings is also to combine heart and body awareness with conscious presence with the horses. Horses are sensitive to sensing our spiritual presence. With them we can practice strengthening our own concentration and ability to be aware and mentally present, and in doing so also help horses to rest more deeply within themselves. Heartland has also organised courses related to horses and body awareness in collaboration with in-depth horse communication trainer Noora Ehnqvist. With Noora’s help we have found a warm and gentle way to communicate and live with horses.

In Heartland, there is also the opportunity to practice being present on horseback in the forest trails with nature riding. In Sydänmaa, horses are not seen as recreational tools, but are worked with with the aim of improving the well-being of both human and horse.

For more information, write to [email protected]