The Wolf Moon rises today under a heavy sky. In Finland, it coincides with deeply saddening news of renewed wolf hunts—decisions that feel painfully out of step with everything we know about ecological balance, kinship with nature, and our responsibility toward future generations. The wolf, a keystone species and the ancestor of our dog companions, once again becomes a symbol of humanity’s urge to control what is still wild and untamed.

And yet, the Wolf Moon also asks us to pause. To listen. To review the past before moving on. Before we step forward, we are invited to look back: at what tested us, what carried us through, and what truly matters.

From this place of reflection, I want to share what 2025 held for me and why, despite everything, gratitude and purpose remain stronger than ever.

The year 2025 was both good and heavy. I don’t want right now to dwell on the hard parts, but it’s worth saying that those experiences, too, reinforced a fundamental truth for me once again: the only right path for me is the one guided by my calling. It is by no means an easy road, even if it may sometimes look that way from the outside. The path is filled with obstacles, tests, and financial uncertainty, and my faith in myself is challenged almost daily. Our livelihood flows from small streams, and financially our life—especially in these times, in a family of two entrepreneurs—is fragile.

And yet, I am profoundly grateful to be able to live and work in alignment with my calling. I published two books, Sacred Trees (Pyhät puut) and Soulbirds (Sielulinnut) with SKS Kirjat, both of which were warmly received by readers and the media alike. I traveled far and wide for interviews and public events—and the journeys will continue this year as well—sharing stories of trees, birds, and the ritual traditions of our culture. The greatest gift has been meeting people and hearing their stories. At nearly every event, one or more participants came to me with tears in their eyes to share their own experiences of soulbirds or sacred trees. I know this work matters, and that knowledge carries me through even the hardest moments.

We also extended our reach beyond Finland. Die Magie nordischer Rituale (Rituaalikirja) was published in Germany by Goldmann / Penguin Random House, and we signed an international publishing deal for both the book and the Nordic Forest Rituals oracle cards. Both will be released in the United States and international markets this year. We made several trips to the U.S. and Canada in connection with the international distribution of the Back to Nature TV series and a children’s science animation film project. I also released two online courses, Autumn Path and Winter Path, inviting participants into magical rituals and calming practices.

We got to spend the spring on Ocracoke Island, enjoying sunny beach walks, fishing in the Atlantic, breathtaking sunsets, and sunrise yoga on the docks. Paju loved the company of grandparents, uncles and aunties and cousins, along with adventures to science and nature parks and homeschooling in the cool shade of the porch.

In the summer, we brought our one-year chapter in Helsinki to a close and settled into the quiet of Mäntymäki, surrounded by the magical nature of Fiskars Village. There, I also guided companies and travellers in forest bathing experiences. My installation Lucus Sacra / Sacred Grove was part of the Onoma’s Utopia exhibition in Fiskars. At the end of the summer, it was really moving to realize that hundreds of people had taken part in the work by tying colorful ribbons to the trees of the grove as symbols of their own utopian dreams.

And then—yes—I turned 50. Thatcher organized a small, intimate garden surprise party for me, which was incredibly sweet, even though I hadn’t wanted a party at all. The true highlight of this milestone year, however, was the realization of a long-held family dream: we bought an electric hippie bus—a VW ID. Buzz—which we named Porcini.

In the fall, we drove across Europe to Italy and back. Along the way, we visited Legoland in Denmark, friends in Berlin, the ancient Białowieża Forest, and Paju’s sixth-generation great-grandmother’s grave in Poland, and witnessed the most stunning fall colors as we crossed the Alps—to name just a few of the many meaningful stops.

In Italy, we rented a beautiful villa at the foot of the castle of Tresana, where I was able to celebrate my birthday once again amid the rolling Tuscan landscape, surrounded by my family and dear friends. Life on the road suited me incredibly well—at times it felt like I could keep going forever. Traveling and adventuring with Porcini is simply pure joy!

November was long, dark, and miserable, and we spent most of the Christmas holiday sick at home. My heart aches as I watch the political climate harden across the world, in the countries my family calls home—where shortsighted, selfish decisions are made at the expense of nature, animals, people and especially future generations. Precisely because of this, I feel an even stronger responsibility to carry ancient wisdom forward and help people rebuild a true kin relationship with nature—the living world we all are part of.

Still, looking back now, the year as a whole feels absolutely extraordinary. How wonderful it is that the difficult things fade so easily when we choose to focus on what is good in life. What you focus on grows. Let that be the guiding principle for the year ahead as well.

Under the light of the Wolf Moon, I release the year that was and step forward into the unknown—clear-eyed, grounded, and alert. Thank you, 2025. Welcome, 2026. I am rested, ready for new adventures, and like the wolf, I will not be tamed. I will remain wild and stand for my kin.

I hope you will too.
<3,
Reetta

P.S. Lisää tammikuun rituaaleista suomeksi täällä