ÍANDA
UPDATE from 2013!
*** ÍANDA becomes Mother Earth Retreat ***
Please clikck HERE to read about Mother Earth Retreat's Body Mind Spirit Retreats, Sacred Nature Journeys and Energy Workshops as of July 2013
Read further to get to know the background story on Mother Earth Retreat from my point of view: how did it all begin and why ÍANDA?
ÍANDA bochure from 2010, Icelandic
What was Íanda? The Vision & Mission
Holistic Wellness Retreats for Women ~ Self-development and Spiritual Retreats in the beautiful natural setting Mother Iceland offers.
Enhanced well-being through relaxation, pampering, peace of mind, empowerment, expressive outlet and by connecting to the nature, to Mother Earth on a deep level. Retreats are held at differing locations around Iceland for variety. The length of each retreat varies from one day to one week. Core activities are movement and dance, art making and creation, meditation and varied nature activities, to be out in the vibrant, powerful and energizing Icelandic nature.
We are three women that form ÍANDA; My sister Þórey, my soulsister Sólveig
and I.
MISSION (from 2009)
ÍANDA exists to inspire individuals to realize their greatest potential. Through unique fusion of art making, yoga-dancing/Chakra dancing, and meditation practices we aim at motivating our customers to enrich their Bodies, Minds, and Spirits and live a fuller life.
VISION (from 2009)
In 5 years ÍANDA is actively partaking in promoting Iceland and reinforcing it's image as an attractive wellness destination by being the leading service provider of holistic wellness retreats in Iceland, dedicated to self development.
When and how did it all begin~ the story:
..from where it all began, for me at least, as there are other individual stories linked to mine, as this is not a solo project...
In 1997, my sister and I, then at 18 and 20 years of age, we had a dream* We dreamed of a place, somewhere out in the country, where people could come to rejuvenate and relax. We called it OASIS, and the main building was a big dome/igloo house. Maybe not a coincidence as our father built one of the first igloo houses in Iceland for the family when we were kids.
One main theme at the OASIS was that if you wanted it, you could 'undress' yourself of your 'ego' - there is, you could undress yourself of your Christened name, your societal status, and hence forth, and be called your Spiritual name, or what ever you would choose. By wearing clothes from the OASIS, you would also be closer to the feeling of oneness by not feeling separated by brands or the like. This probably sounds a bit 'cult' like, but if you connect deeper with the idea, you might realize how beneficial and healing it can be. But this would only be an option for each guest.
This is how it all began for me, with the dream of the OASIS ~ and still is the core of my ultimate vision ~ The Sanctuary of North*
A few years passed, and I have to admit that I don't remember exactly how our dreams got entwined, but together with our dear dear friend and soul sister Sólveig, we all three started dreaming and weaving a common dream of a creative healing and rejuvenating retreat center that would be in a beautiful natural setting out in the country.
In 2005 my mother 'gifted' me with the name In Spirit of Iceland, which I loved and went straight ahead and bought a .com domain. We started using it as the working title for the retreat center. Two other friends joined us, perhaps periodically... maybe not, perhaps they will rejoin later. Together we brain-stormed and meditated, as we were manifesting the vision using the power of our hearts and visualization.
The next few years of the dreaming/seed-planting were turbulent. We held on to the vision, but were at the same time walking our individual paths, trying out our individual wings. I moved to Denmark to study Marketing Management, always with the vision of the retreat center as my guiding light.
I chose my selective subjects, sales and entrepreneurship, based on what would be most supportive to the manifesting of the retreat center, even though it meant a windier road to a Bachelor degree. There I wrote a business plan for a 'preliminary project', and as stated in the executive summary of the report ... "a business plan for a preliminary project preceding the establishment of a concrete company. The concrete company, In Spirit of Iceland Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness Centre, will offer wellness retreat packages to Iceland all year round. End quote. My final semester I spent in Canada as an apprentice at a Wellness Retreat and Spa Center. It was a beautiful and deeply rewarding opportunity for me, where I got great insights into the running a business of that nature.
In 2009 everything 'kicked off' so to speak. Together with my sister I enrolled in a fast track, 3 semester's long entrepreneurial course. It provided both academic ECTS units, and the chance to work with the idea for the retreat center, with the help from teachers and mentors from the business world. On top of it all we gained access into the entrepreneurial environment in Iceland. It was great, I loved it, it was such fuel to the manifesting of our vision, pure genius. The only thing is that during those 12 months the idea changed from a retreat center, to retreats at various locations around Iceland. It was a great idea, to minimize fixed costs, and to be able to start right away. So God~Goddess moves in mysterious ways. I do miss not having a full blown business plan for the retreat center in front of me though, but it was a great learning experience, and the rough and raw idea went through marvelous brainstorming and necessary sanding.
During the 2009/ 2010 shift, ÍANDA was born.
ÍANDA was the shortened version for In Spirit of Iceland. We thought it was a name with an edge and the meaning beautiful, In Spirit.
2013 - ÍANDA evolves into its next phase of manifestation .. stay tuned! Things are in motion! See Mother Earth Retreat here
My involvement:
❤ ÍANDA is/was one extension of my heart dream, as is evident in the text above. I keep working with the dream, manifesting the vision, embracing each shape of it, until it will take its permanent form as a retreat center ~
a sanctuary in the North*
