By Melinda E. Bardin, founder of Energy Positive Stockholm and Castle Key Weddings.
My time at Her Berg during a 10 days water fasting was pure happiness. Her Berg allows for full inner and outer work that a retreat allows to experience. The charm and design of the house give a sense of travel back in time. The natural materials used to build and renovate the house support the connection to nature, and to ourselves as an organic being.
About me
French from a wide family deeply rooted in the Loire Valley, I am also Swedish since 2013. 47 years (feeling 30), serial entrepreneur, wife, mother, sister, daughter, mentor, coach, and manager.
I lived 20 years of my early life in France, then 6 years in Ireland, and now in Sweden since 2008. I commute regularly between France and Sweden for my work, and I never stop discovering the planet. Together with my amazing husband and wonderful son, I have travelled and deeply experienced more than 65 countries.
Why doing a water fasting retreat?
As part of my private and professional life, I must (and enjoy a lot!) stay up to date with the latest researches in human functioning in general and techniques of self care, being mental and physical wellbeing with the help of neuroscience, biochemistry, psychology as well as ancestral and new-age natural disciplines of self care borrowed from all around the world.
When I started researching about the pros and cons of a long fasting, my motivations for entering a ten days water-fasting became crystal clear. Health, mental, spiritual, and an overall bio-chemical rewarding process in my whole body and brain triggered all the necessary motivations. I also knew that I would like the self-tap-on-my-back for completing such a challenge for the first time.
In this view, water fasting became a must-try meet-your-body experience. I felt compelled by a water fasting as I was in the lookout for a way to increase my efficiency and productivity at work, and since my curiosity is pretty developed it did not get long before I felt ready to take on the new adventure.
My 10 days water fasting experience at Her Berg
Because it was the first time for me to enter a long fasting furthermore in a secluded property, I felt the urge to be surrounded by a forest in order to feel supported by the strength of “mother nature”. And as the saying goes: “once your intentions are clearly set, the universe makes it happen”.
Then Her Berg appeared to me as evidence, available, welcoming and including every piece of my requirements; Friendly, charming, natural clean water from the well (the cherry on the cake!), surrounded by a forest, calm and isolated. I became Her Berg’s very first guest having a retreat and the first guest who stayed at Her Berg alone.
The water from the well became the highlight of my water fasting retreat. A treasure indeed as my aim was to reach homeostasis, so having access to untreated clear pure water became such a luxury.
Why is Her Berg a good place for a retreat?
Thanks to my 10 days water fasting, Her Berg and Sankt Anna joined my load of soft spots. A 100% success at all level! Here’s why.
“Her Berg is a heaven for charging up our energy level and contemplating beauty. With a forest surrounding the property at 360 degrees.”
Location
Her Berg is located two hours away South of Stockholm by train, then a short bus and taxi ride. When it comes to the location, Sankt Anna, the archipelago is considered by many as one of the most beautiful archipelagos of the world! Sankt Anna’s Archipelago is a renown Swedish location, Her Berg has its own deck and rowboat to paddle away whenever it suits our mood. An island with a red house with red beams is right in front of the house; a beautiful view from the main bedroom’s bed. Her Berg is located at the very beginning of the archipelago, yet the house is well isolated hence perfect to shift our mind and focus to nature and the present moment rather than the human business. It is a heaven for charging up our energy level and contemplating beauty. With a forest surrounding the property at 360 degrees.
Venue
This secluded, wooden house was built in 1876 by a duke and has a special history. The owners bought it in the summer of 2019 with the purpose of creating a place for nature conservation, sustainable living and community building. The venue itself is a travel-back-in-time experience and a feel of movies and books from Ingmar Bergman and Astrid Lindgren. The plot is very secluded and private. The traditional charming design and natural materials are chosen for their respect to the original building of the property back 150 years ago. The house is well equipped to keep you warm and cool, making it a four seasons retreat venue.
The house is spacious and heated and provides Wi-fi which comes at handy for our members who want to capitalise right away on their huge boost of productivity and clarity of mind, that the retreat produces in the mind and body. The main house provides 3 sleeping rooms comfortable and spacious and an extra bedroom in a guest house.
Retreats
Her Berg location is a heaven for any retreat and the perfect location for water fasting retreats in particular. Isolated, away from any temptation and human business, it also provides limitless access to clear water from the well which ensures 100% homeostasis state. The 360 degrees forest supports any member of a retreat as it provides for beautiful walks and hikes as well as plants benefits. Perfect for the meditation sessions sitting at the feet of a tree, breathing into its phytoncides, it is also perfect for practicing the present moment in listening to the wild life, feeling the sensation in our body, observing the textures and the colours, a perfect mind reset.
I am beyond happy to have found “Her Berg” <3