The Spirit of Ancient Scandinavia awaits you
Escape the modern world on a retreat with Alvi Gunilla and Primal Nordic in Älvdalen, the heart of Viking culture
☼ Everything that is, sprung from what was
☼ Everything that is, sprung from what was
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We will also embark on expeditions into the wild with Primal Nordic. Within the silent, ancient mountains and crystal clear lakes we will learn how to survive on what nature offers us. We will be fishing with tools crafted by us from what we can find and make fires and shelters in the towering primeval forest untouched by human civilisation.
Out of the world, into the wild
Our retreat aims to reawaken something Ancient within you. Alvi Gunilla and Primal Nordic have worked together to offer you a chance to enter an unknown world hidden in the secluded mountains of Älvdalen, Dalarna. The place where the runes survived and was used as late as the 20th century. For four nights and five days you will join us here. A limited group will join us to learn and uncover the secrets of the runes, discovering the magic within them and learning how to use them.
See the Elfdalian runes on barns and houses on the way to the retreat
Opening ceremony with live music and mead
Feast with wild Swedish meat such as bear and moose
Day 1 - Arrival
Primitive fire building in the forest with Primal Nordic
Wild grilled lunch over fire
Learn to understand and use the power of the runes with Alvi & Joar
Dinner and Sauna
Day 2 - Runes and Fire
Using the power of the breath for deep morning meditation
Expedition into the untouched Swedish wilderness
Build a shelter and spend the night under the starry nordic sky with a chance of experiencing the northern lights.
Day 3 - Into the Wild
Rewild yourself. Wild swim, use the sauna, canoe and explore solo to reconnect with the earth and yourself.
Arrive back to a hearty lunch in the warmth of the hearth
Work together on making a wood-burned rune stone that will remain here and immortalize our time together.
Use clay from Scandinavian soil to create a memory to join you home
Day 4 - Creation
Make your own ancient fishing rod to catch wild trout
Grill and enjoy the trout over the fire with hot mead or your beverage of choice
Push yourself to swim in the cold november waters and relax in the sauna after to reward yourself
Arrive back to a hearty feast and a live theatrical retelling of a saga from Norse Mythology
Day 5 - From the Depths
Enjoy a final breakfast by the lake
Closing ceremony to integrate the journey we have been on
Departures home
Day 6 - Integration
We think that most retreats and experiences lack the joy of good food and drink in abundance.
Therefore we want to be able to offer you the best traditionally Nordic food and drinks throughout the week.
Right next to us is Navardalen lake, brimming with trout. Trout is a salmon fish and is considered a delicacy in many restaurants.
Authentic Viking-age Meals
We will eat moose, bear and wild boar during the week, hunted from the wild forests around
Many meals will be cooked over the fire where we will also spend a lot of time talking and maybe enjoy some mead while leaning in to the stillness around
We will also have the opportunity to drink mead made from a Nordic heritage breed of bees, historically accurate to the bees used in the Viking Age
Where the runes survived
The retreat takes place in Navardalen, a valley deep within the Ancient mountains of the Scandinavian mountain chain. The Scandinavian mountain chain is the oldest in Europe.
Navardalen is the western part of Älvdalen, a mysterious place were runes where used as late as in the 1930’s. Älvdalen has been exceptionally isolated as part of the inaccessible highlands of western Sweden. The mountains and rough terrain along with it’s distance from major towns like Stockholm and the borders of the country led to an usual level of preservation of customs and traditions.
Älvdalen is not only a region where runes were recently used but also home to the now protected language of Elfdalian. It is the closest language to Old Norse, even closer than Icelandic. Here’s how it sounds like:
- Månin lyser yvir skogär, winden bär gamblå orð, og jårdi minnäs allär som gått fyri oss.
- The moon shines over the woods, the wind bears old words, and the earth remembers all that has gone before us.
