Sisu & Stillness:
A Finnish-Inspired Women’s Retreat
December 11-13, 2026 | Red Bird House, Bethel, NY
There is a Finnish concept that has no direct translation in English — Sisu. It is the quiet, unshakeable courage that carries you through difficulty. Not loudly, not dramatically — but steadily, persistently, and with grace.
We discovered it firsthand during our trip this past May — foraging in ancient Finnish forests, plunging into the cold Baltic Sea after a wood-fired sauna, tasting zero-waste Nordic cuisine, and sitting with storytellers, biologists, and sauna experts who live this philosophy every day. She went to Finland to understand Sisu. She came home knowing it belongs to all of us.
This December, we bring that wisdom — and a very special guest — to Red Bird House.
Joining us from Fiskars, Finland's legendary artists' village, is Reetta Ranta — folklorist, storyteller, and creator of the Nordic Forest Rituals Oracle Deck. Reetta's work lives at the intersection of ancient Finnish forest wisdom, mythology, and the healing power of nature. She is one of Finland's most gifted keepers of living tradition — and she is crossing the Atlantic to sit in circle with us.
In the heart of winter, when nature herself turns inward, we gather — a small circle of women — to explore what it means to carry Sisu within ourselves. We will move between the world outside and the world within, guided by the rhythms of the season, the wisdom of the Finnish forest, and the deep knowing that already lives in each of us.
This is not a retreat about doing more. It is about discovering what happens when you finally stop — when you let the stillness of the season hold you, restore you, and prepare you for everything that comes next.
You will leave not just rested, but ready.
Join us December 11-13, 2026 at the Red Bird House in Bethel, NY
What to Expect
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An intimate experience with the folklorist, storyteller, and creator of the Nordic Forest Rituals Oracle Deck, traveling from the legendary artists' village of Fiskars to co-facilitate our weekend. Her work weaves ancient Finnish mythology, forest wisdom, and living ritual into something genuinely transformative.
Nordic Forest Rituals Oracle — a guided journey through Reetta's deck, using the wisdom of the Finnish forest as a lens for reflection, intention, and new year preparation
The spirit of Sisu — an intimate exploration of Finnish grit, resilience, and inner fortitude, drawn from firsthand experience with Finland's most extraordinary teachers
Nature as teacher — time in the winter landscape at Red Bird House, because the season has something to say if we slow down enough to listen
Contrast & restoration — inspired by Finland's tradition of heat and cold, effort and ease, darkness and extraordinary light
Stillness & reflection — guided yoga, journaling, vision boarding and spacious unstructured time to simply be
Circle & connection — intimate sharing with a small group of women who understand the value of depth over noise
Nourishment — warming food inspired by the Nordic region, hot drinks, and the kind of care a winter gathering deserves
New year intention — leaving with a clear, grounded sense of what you are calling in and what you are releasing
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A guided journey through Reetta's deck, using the wisdom of the Finnish forest as a lens for reflection, intention, and new year preparation
-
An intimate exploration of Finnish grit, resilience, and inner fortitude, drawn from firsthand experience with Finland's most extraordinary teachers
-
Time in the winter landscape at Red Bird House, because the season has something to say if we slow down enough to listen
-
Inspired by Finland's tradition of heat and cold, effort and ease, darkness and extraordinary light
-
Guided yoga, journaling, vision boarding and spacious unstructured time to simply be
-
Intimate sharing with a small group of women who understand the value of depth over noise
-
Warming food inspired by the Nordic region, hot drinks, and the kind of care a winter gathering deserves
-
Leaving with a clear, grounded sense of what you are calling in and what you are releasing
Join us December 11-13, 2026 at the Red Bird House in Bethel, NY
Packages range from $1,495 - $1,795 depending on the room you prefer.