RETREATS, COURSES & CONFERENCES
A SCANDINAVIAN CENTER FOR LEARNING, INSPIRING MEETINGS,
SILENCE, PEACE, HUMAN POTENTIAL AND SUSTAINABILITY
”There is a Native American saying to think seven generations ahead before any important decision. I have had this idea with me since we started, and I hope that this approach can prevail here for many generations to come."
- Peter Elmberg
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AWARD 2019
"Mundekulla Retreat Center has shown that it is possible to build a successful business at the same time as energy and climate issues are central. The retreat center is built with reclaimed and environmentally friendly materials, has solar panels on the roof and the restaurant uses local and seasonal produce in their vegan based menu. "
Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden, October 31st, 2019. CIRTOINNO, EU Interreg project to support Circular Economy in Tourism in the Baltic Region.
About us
Mundekulla, with its calm and peaceful surroundings, is a place for mindfulness, yoga, retreats and even festivals and events from 15 to 300 participants. Many people who have visited, describe Mundekulla as a little paradise where the only thing you hear is the sounds of nature. The creative atmosphere with music and art also makes it an inspiring and beautiful place for courses and events.
A Sustainable Foundation
Mundekulla is built on ecological principles, with warmth and care, uniting the past and the future. Mundekulla started with restoring a house from the 1820s and has slowly grown into the center it is today, using many traditional ways of building, as well as recycling, upcycling and reusing material.
The site offers a varied and beautiful landscape surrounded by old forests, creeks and freshwater ponds for swimming as well as with walking paths. The property rests on 60 hectares and the facilities include four beautiful meeting halls, the largest of which is 240 square meters, a wood-heated sauna, spa, hay/clay house (meditation room) with a total of 125 sleeping spaces in five different buildings on the site. The roof of our barn is clad with 120 square meters of solar panels and all of our rooms are insulated with sustainable materials.
"We wanted to create a place that shows that it is possible: to live in harmony with the environment. To build sustainably. To eat healthy and organic. We wish to bring people, learning, creativity and wisdom together. When we started we wanted to create a little piece of paradise and we continuously create from that inspiration. "
- Anne Solveig
Values
AT MUNDEKULLA WE WORK, WE ORGANIZE RETREATS AND ARE HOME TO MANY EDUCATORS AND ORGANIZATORS. WE FIND INSPIRATION BOTH LOCALLY AND FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING WE DO BREATHES SHARED VALUES THAT GIVE OUR WAY OF WORKING AND PROGRAM A SOLID FOUNDATION.
CONNECTION
When we truly meet other people, that's when the magic and learning happens! Mundekulla brings people together and aims to create special - or even transformational - meetings that will stick with us as great memories long time after the course or event. Meetings that bring us new insights, joy, tools and skills that enrich our lives.
MANY PATHS
We are inspired by many different viewpoints and directions. We love to bring science, culture, wisdom traditions and different perspectives together. We invite people to think for themselves and to ask new interesting questions. We give inspiration, we reflect, we share, we explore. In doing so, we collaborate with a great network of renowned teachers, organizations and speakers
CREATIVITY
Mundekulla is a place where creative projects blossom. Music, storytelling, dance, visual arts, poetry. We stimulate the senses with small surprises all over the terrain and in the programming. We love to give people the experience of beauty, nature and cultural history of Småland. Culture and creativity give color to Mundekulla.
SUSTAINABILITY
We want our activities to be in harmony with the environment. We aim to make this little piece of land a little more beautiful and balanced than when we first came here. We do this in many ways. From solar panels to climate smart buildings, from recycling to meals that are made with organic and local produce (80%). We have also planted more than 30 % leaftrees in the forest of 60 hectares.
“We want people to feel inspired and stimulated to evolve. To do something that might feel challenging at first, but that you feel proud and happy about afterwards. I feel it's fantastic to see people grow”.
- Peter Elmberg
FOUNDER'S STORY
In 1998 a father and a son - Berndt and Peter Elmberg - started restoring an old house in the tiny village of Mundekulla. The house had been standing empty for many years and rain was dripping through the ceiling in every room. Anne Solveig joined them in working on this 'dream' in the countryside, as she had a deep wish to bring to life a retreat center.
Together they wanted to build a place that shows that it is possible: we can live in harmony with nature and each other. A place that lifts the region and shows its beauty and brings people together. A place filled with music, peace, nature, community, creativity, personal development and sustainability.
Over the years Mundekulla grew bigger than the house with the traditional red walls and characteristic double doors. Now, more than 20 years later, Mundekulla is a retreat and course center, visited by many people from all over the world.
The Daily Runnings of Mundekulla
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD AND A TEAM TO CREATE MAGIC
Stephanie Verstift
General Manager
Stephanie Verstift works with organizational development, EU projects, marketing and circular gastronomy. Stephanie loves working with people and general organization, and applying her background in organizational change, support and Service Design.
Pernilla Franzén
Guest Experience
For many, Pernilla is a familiar face who stands at the reception and works in the office with a practical touch. She has lived in Mundekulla's neighboring village for 20 years and has an ability to meet people where they are.
Elin Nordenberg
Gardener
Elin has a background in organic farming, volunteer projects and regenerative agriculture. She has a great passion for nature, the forest and our relationship with everything that lives, grows and flourishes. At Mundekulla, Elin works with landscape architecture, vegetable growing and supporting the organization of events.
Sandra Geitz
Volunteer Coordinator & Education
Sandra works as a volunteer coordinator for the European Solidarity Corps program (ESC) and wider volunteering at Mundekulla. She brings celebration, connection and creativity to both the program and Mundekulla events, from her background in zen coaching, dance and creative writing.
Alfonso Calabria
Head of Kitchen
Alfonso rocks the kitchen with beautiful flavors, smiles, patience and a cool head in the busiest of moments. Alfonso has great passion for beautiful produce, seasonal cooking and wonderful flavor makers from all over the world.
Victor Karlsson
Property Caretaker
Victor is Mundekulla's new caretaker who lives just 5 km from Mundekulla with great knowledge and not least a friendly soul. After 15 years in the forest, he now becomes an all-round hero in our small Mundekulla village. Wonderfull! In addition, Victor's three children were in Mundekulla's musical Hemstannarna.
Peter Elmberg
Founder & musician
Peter is a trained musician and behavioral scientist with a background in project management and entrepreneurship. For nearly 25 years, he has been running Mundekulla and organizing events such as the annual Mundekulla Festival, Man in Mission, etc.
Martin & Galina Studer-Maloshenko
Owners
Through Mundekulla Martin and Galina Studer-Maloshenko bring a passionate contribution to sustainable development and balance between nature, people and organisations. Their focus is on exciting collaborations internationally and within the region with a focus on health, well-being, biodiversity & education.
Björn Lundblad
Caretaker and photographer
Björn's two hands handle all maintenance challenges. With a smile and an eye for detail, he makes sure everything works as it should. But above all, Björn is a skilled photographer and a music lover.
Mundekulla Association
Beside the Mundekulla Retreat Center, there is also an idealistic association called Mundekulla Friends (Mundekulla Vänner). The association consists of people who love to support Mundekulla through cultural events, volunteering, pearls of wisdom and more. The association has been the organizer of different musicals about the history of Småland (Hemstannarna) and today (Hitkommarna), as well as the annual Jazz Festival (until 2020).
The association manages different funds, like Irene´s Fund (for people with less financial means), Berndt´s Fund (for sustainable building, forestry and countryside development) and Björn Natthiko´s Fund (to support Mundekulla in challenging times of Covid and for supporting events that bring mindfulness and community.
Read more here on the association's website.
Mundekulla's music
From Mundekulla's beginnings, music has been an important element of courses, events and concerts. Some of these songs are now available on Spotify and more will be added later. We have also created movements for selected songs, called "Mundekulladanser". They have been a valued feature at Mundekulla Festival's morning gatherings and other events. The dances have been partly arranged for choir by Anders Nyberg and he writes the following introductory text in the choir booklet:"These songs have grown at the course and retreat farm Mundekulla in the brightest Småland. Peter Elmberg and Anne Solveig have together manifested a place that sings, or perhaps it is rather the songs that have created a room where people long to come and come back. A place where we can practice in peace. A place where we can rehearse in peace and quiet, until the simple and obvious sit without us thinking about it. Where the word and the action become one and the dance is threaded in community and joy".
Listen to Mundekulla's music
Order the Choir booklet
