Hello,

My name is Jakob and I recently moved to an island on the south coast of Finland which has been part of my mothers family since many generations. There is no running water or electricity, just two solar panels, two small cabins and a sauna. But there is fish in the sea and a very lovely forest with mushrooms and wild animals which makes it an ideal place to create an off-grid healing sanctuary where you can come to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect to the natural world and your true authentic self.

At the moment I have run out of money and I am asking for financial support to be able to continue with this project full time and with all my heart.

The mission of the Deer Island is to bridge the gap between modern society and a natural, indigenous-based way of life. We recognise that in the last few generations an enormous amount of life skills, healing modalities and spiritual wisdom has been drastically forgotten and reduced to a consumerist ”buy it and throw it” system which leaves us feeling unfulfilled and confused.

The foundation of our approach towards healing is that it’s not something we do, it’s something that naturally happens when we stop resisting and give space for it. When the nervous system feels safe, it naturally heals. In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be such a big need of healing as the people would already be healthy. Sadly, that is not the case today. The task of our generation is therefore to heal and restore the natural order. To return to a balanced way of living.

The way we do that here is primarily through cleansing and resting. At the core our work lies the sauna combined with nature immersions. We see nature as the great healer and do our best to get ourselves out of the way so that nature can do its thing. The Deer Island is situated in the middle of the ocean which naturally teaches you to let go and embrace the present moment.

What is the purpose of the Deer Island project?

Humanity is facing a crossroad: a broken dream of confusion, fear and anxiety leaving us hollow and empty searching for meaning. Or, a life of true connection, filled with meaning and joy that we can feel deep down inside our bones as we know our place in the world and why we are here. We feel deeply safe in our body and have the courage to show our true authentic selves and be met accordingly. We live in a way that meets our psychological and spiritual needs and is in harmony and balance with the natural world.

So, this is where the Deer Island comes into the picture. To form a bridge between these two realities. I want to believe that it’s not about running away from the darkness, but rather to find the light within. So the purpose of this project is to create a gateway from the darkness to the light. As the old reality of fear and confusion is slowly being revealed for what it is, I see this project as a silent revolution of simplicity and truth. A return to the natural world, a return to the earth.

I spent several years travelling around the world learning from elders and indigenous peoples ways of life. While I did learn a lot, there was also a part of me that deep down just wanted to feel safe and at home. Deep down I was simply searching for a home. It was during a long bicycle pilgrimage through South America that I, in the hills of Uruguay, received a vision: you already have a home, and it is the most beautiful home you could ever ask for. So I realised that the little summer cottage where me and my family spent a few weeks every summer when I was younger, was the place where I come from. The place that I could call my home. So it was in this moment in Uruguay that I knew that this is what I need to do next. I needed to return home and grow my roots.

So, sounds all nice and cool but what does it mean practically?

It means that I am slowly building up a life here that I can truly stand behind, and that I want to share with others. I am almost finished with a little guesthouse that will be able to host people visiting the island for a night or two and want to enjoy a nice home-cooked meal and sauna. I have also built a little forest temple, and I plan on building a few more small cabins in the woods, from natural materials and in a very simple way. These cabins will be for people who want to really immerse themselves in the forest and do a digital detox retreat. I have also built a chicken house which is just waiting for chickens. Additionally, I also want to build a greenhouse and set up a wind-powered music studio where people can come and record healing music that can serve to uplift and empower our spirits in these times.

What can one expect to experience on the island?

Since returning to Finland I have started studying sauna healing within the Baltic Finnish tradition and this is one of the main ways I will be of service on the island. Besides sauna healing, I have also studied yoga and will be offering yoga classes as well. I am deeply inspired by the native traditions of South, Central and North America, so all these three perspectives from Finland, India and the Americas form the essence of my work. The guitar is a dear friend of mine and I would love to invite other musicians and host concerts and singing circles. I would also like to organise workshops and events centered around edible wild plant foraging, natural bio-construction and wilderness survival. Cultural subjects that are relevant to our times, such as men’s and women’s work are also within my interests as well as indigenous rights issues. I would like to collaborate with other people working in these fields by, for example, hosting a retreat or workshop together.

So far, I have already had several volunteers visting the island via a Workaway exchange where travellers can exchange a few hours of work for food and accommodation. I had people from France, Croatia, Swizerland and the US coming over in the months of October and November last year. I am grateful for their help and this also taught me a lot about hosting people and gave valuable experience moving forward.

So, I thank you very much if you made it this far, and I am holding a prayer that my message will reach the right ears and that I will receive the support that I need to continue with this project. It is a slow process, but considering all the things that have already happened on the island I am positive and confident that when nurtured with love and devotion this will bloom into something truly meaningful.

you can follow the project on instagram: @thedeerisland