Would you like to discover your Swedish roots and experience spectacular nature up close?
2HappyHearts arranges group retreats in Hälsingland, Sweden. Swedish nature is stunning, with its untouched islands, deep forests, and blue mountains. Participants will have the chance to discover their roots, learn about where their ancestors lived, and enjoy peaceful walks in a scenic region.
Malin Åhman, who runs the 2HappyHearts company, is a civil engineer. After many years as a director and manager in the real estate business, she decided to pursue her passion – travel. This interest developed during a difficult time in her life, which led her to go on various pilgrimages. Today, she offers group retreats with peaceful walks in the Swedish region of Hälsingland, where she shares what she has learned in life, and offers US visitors of Swedish descendance the chance to connect with their roots.
“I want to give people who feel rootless the chance to find connection, and to see and discover Sweden. I want to give them the opportunity to return to the Swedish atmosphere and culture. To be able to wander in peace and tranquillity here,” says Malin.
Pilgrimages in Sweden and Europe, as well as spiritual journeys to Hawaii inspired her to begin writing. It started as a process of rehabilitation after a period of fatigue and loss of memory. Writing was a way for her to recover her memory, and pilgrimages rejuvenated her. Her pilgrimages are more of a spiritual journey and less religiously structured. It is a search for something greater than ourselves, regardless of whether we choose to call it God, the universe, or energy of life. The journey is not about reaching a destination, but about being present in the here and now, listening to the sounds of nature, and enjoying its colours, shapes and scents along the way.
When Malin began sharing her memoirs, which inspired her readers to go out into the woods, she decided to write a book. Her book, Pilgrim, Puzzle of Symbols, was published in late 2021.
“I write to share what has made me stronger. If my broken heart and painful experiences could find healing, maybe I can inspire someone else to feel better too. If what I write encourages one single person to go out and experience nature, breathe the air and feel better, I will have done some good,” she says.
Some years ago, Malin decided to sell her real estate appraisal company. She travelled to Hawaii for a month to volunteer at a farm, and to have a chance to write in peace and quiet. Malin says that she encountered a lot of wonderful things on her journeys, and that many people were curious and wanted to learn more. On her travels, she met many proud Swedish descendants who yearned to learn more about their roots. This culminated in the decision to share her knowledge and culture by offering a retreat in Sweden.
“Many are aware of Scandinavian minimalistic design, Vikings, and ABBA, but they want to learn more about where their ancestors came from, and to find their roots. They will be welcomed here as guests and family, not as average tourists,” says Malin.
