Methods Based on Embodied Knowledge
Here I gathered useful knowledge about my methods for your journey. Both my pedagogy, my book and other embodied practices and methods are presented. Embodied knowledge emerges when the person lives the truth of what they teach. Therefore while reading, feel the resonance in your body. Every theory that is a base for my work has been developed through embodied practice.
The base for everything is to first become aware of the relational space between ourselves, other people and the surroundings. Life is a relationship. Human beings are a relationship. I offer a safe, open, free space for others to get in contact with themselves and to practice expressing themselves truthfully. Inner listening is the key. We need another to see ourselves since we become ourselves in a relationship. The dialogues that emerge in an open free space are transforming and life-enhancing.
We will begin with the main components of self-awareness in my pedagogy followed by my book Letters to myself with love. Then the blob and doll will share their messages for you.
Next, we will explore Theory U, followed by several other approaches and pieces of literature that have been valuable in shaping this work. References can be found at the end of the page.
Pedagogy for Love, Reconciliation, and Conscious Co-creation
I have gathered the main components of self-awareness into a basic model. These components are integrated into the guided meditations and the Soul Story Creation process, as well as in my self-help book Letters to Myself with Love.
Basic Model of Self-awareness
1. Becoming Still
The first step to becoming aware and present is to still the mind. Listening to your inner being through meditation and contemplation is a necessary daily practice. When you reach stillness and presence in the moment, accepting whatever is emerging from your true self, your inner truth will reveal itself. This truth is aligned with the universal values of Love, Truth, and Peace. These values lie within every human being, often hidden from conscious awareness. They are our natural conscience. This journey takes time, as there is much to release and heal. When I trust that this is the truth and develop self-discipline, forgiveness, and determination, inner doors open.
2. Body Awareness
Body awareness is the ability to sense what the body communicates and to feel the resonance or dissonance with the environment. This often requires healing the nervous system from trauma. As our body awareness increases, we feel more at home in our bodies, our ability to be present deepens, and we are able to create healthier relationships since our bodies start to inform us in clearer ways. Our body has its innate wisdom, providing access to inner knowledge. We become more attuned to nature and the living world around us. We begin to receive messages and guidance from nature, and we start to feel that we are part of the whole—the breathing, living intelligence of life. Life is one, and we are all part of it.
3. Emotional Freedom
Emotional freedom involves trusting and following body sensations and our true feelings without suppressing emotions or holding ourselves back. Truthful expression means expressing these feelings and the needs and desires behind them freely, while taking responsibility for our contributions to our relationships. We become aware of the importance of everyone’s right to be themselves and express themselves truthfully. This leads to the right decisions for everyone involved. In other words, the highest good for all can unfold.
4. Transforming Negative Thought Patterns
Having negative thoughts about ourselves is like pouring poison into our being. Most of us have carried this poison since childhood and school years, where we constantly compared ourselves to others. Awareness of our thinking requires the will to transform the core beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world. This, in turn, requires identifying the root causes of these negative beliefs, removing them, and replacing them with loving, empowering beliefs. This inner work opens the door to self-love. Transforming your thoughts into loving ones is the greatest skill to learn. Your mindset will begin to orient itself toward listening to how love is guiding you, step by step. Choosing love is a choice that has the power to transform every situation into something new.
5. Full Acceptance as the Gateway
The real gateway lies in the simple expression of full acceptance. When we are ready to accept the truth of who we really are—divine beings with creative spirit and power, souls in physical bodies—things begin to shift, and we gain access to our inner truth, which mirrors the universal values of life. We become present to ourselves. When I am present with myself, I am also present with others. When we express ourselves from this place of presence, our impact on the whole is loving and harmonious. Truth sets us free. To fully accept ourselves and everything in life as it is—and as it was—opens the door for something new to emerge from our experiences. As long as we resist something, we are not fully free to be led by the creative power of conscious co-creation.
Conscious co-creation calls for individuals who are deeply embodied in their own truths, who know who they truly are, and who are free to follow their inner guidance in every moment. They are not attached to specific outcomes. Instead, life force energy flows organically, expanding consciousness and inviting the highest good for all.
6. Free Expression
When you are able to express yourself from the truth in the present moment, whatever that truth looks and feels like, you are open to the unlimited possibilities that open up in the moment. In the most devastated moments of despair, grief and hopelessness a new path opens up as long as you are willing to endure the uncomfortable feelings, get their messages and be in the state of not knowing. You let go of control, you let go of the attachments to the outcome and you are willing to be guided and supported by Life, God, Universe. You choose the word that suits you the best. When you are able to express yourself freely with others miracles start to happen, since the power of love and reconciliation steps in to clear the space, and bring in something new that is from a higher order of consciousness. Free expression also means sharing your own creations, whether it is poetry, texts, paintings, songs or other creative forms with others. You become the vessel for the creative intelligence of life.
Guide for self-knowledge: Letters to myself with love
In my guide for self-knowledge, I invite you to practice self-awareness in your everyday life. The guide is called Letters to Myself with Love and can be purchased here.
The book takes you on a journey toward true love, which becomes possible when you first learn to accept yourself. Read and feel the resonance in your body, and you will discover your own truth.
The book is available in Swedish: Brev skrivna med kärlek till mig själv. Självkännedomsguide
Buy here
The book is also available in Finnish: Rakkaudella kirjoitettuja kirjeitä itselle. Itsetuntemusopas
Buy here
What others have said about the book:
Black Blob and Choose Love Doll
These are tools for exploring the inner and outer dynamics of fear and love within yourself, with your relationships and in your work communities. The blob and the doll support creating conscious thriving cultures at home and at work. The texts below reflect how the tools chose to present themselves to me. I received their messages through my inner being as a living transmission. I use the blob and the doll in my client work, in groups and on my own to explore my triggers and shadows. I developed several ways to use the blob and the doll and if you are ready to dive deeper into shadow work please let me be your guide and I will share more about how to use them. In my art performances the blob and the doll are crucial parts.
The Blob (Möykky/Klumpen) – Owning Our Shadow
I am here for you to own your hurt and vulnerability.
I am here for you to heal your heart.
I am here for you to liberate your creative power.
I am here for you to claim your True Self.
I am here so you can dare to be seen in your truth.
I am here so nobody or nothing can steal your joy.
Let me help you.
Accept me.
I have protected you.
But I also hinder you in your relationships and your creativity as a result of that protection.
You don’t have to like me.
You don’t have to accomplish anything with me.
Put me in a place where I am seen.
I wait patiently until you feel safe.
You need to take the first step.
You are free to use me in any way you like.
You can personalize me, decorate me, or give me a name.
You can play role games with me, alone or with partners, friends, family, or in your team at work if you want to create a culture of well-being and thriving together.
They call me shadow, dark, wound, sin, or even evil.
I can take anything.
You can hit me, throw me, kick me, push me, squeeze me, yell at me, or call me names.
A kind reminder though—if you destroy me completely, I will not disappear but remain in the invisible realm, and I will find a new shape to haunt you.
Therefore, I ask you to be curious about what I have to tell you.
I will answer your questions about past hurts, failures, imperfections, feelings of worthlessness, disappointments, shortcomings, ways you isolate and withdraw from others, bitterness, humiliations, emotional and physical pain, negative self-talk, self-condemnation, self-annihilation, and even self-destruction.
I am usually present in unresolved conflicts, projections, pride, manipulation, shaming, power-over games, criticism, cynicism, gossiping, abuse, violent aggression, neglect, denial, gaslighting, rejection, envy, jealousy, demands for fitting in and conforming, negative thinking, wishful thinking, complaining, blaming, lack of respect, being “nice,” indifference, scarcity, people-pleasing, and the silencing of trauma and abuse.
I contain many different suppressed and rejected feelings that result in unwanted behaviors, such as shame, unjustified guilt, unexpressed grief, sadness, frustration, loneliness, fear of life, anger, greed, envy, resentment, revenge, meanness, hatred, and many other types of fear.
I also hold a lot of stuff your ancestors created, but you took on as a child.
Remember, it is not your fault that I was created. You learned as a child from the people around you how to behave and relate to others. But as an adult, you have a choice: do you feed me or transform me?
Facing your fears is what opens up to what I hold.
I can grow as big as you want, but then most of your energy will go to keeping me at bay.
There won’t be much space for joy and happiness left.
I ask you, would you instead take me, hold me, and own me, piece by piece, until I lie softly in your arms, totally relaxed, accepted, and transformed by you?
I contain gifts.
I hold keys to your liberation and True Self.
I open up to your healing and authenticity, allowing you to be yourself.
My worst enemies are self-compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, reconciliation, self-determination, and love from your side.
I will melt in your arms when confronted by these powers.
I know it is enough that you choose to heal.
I know it is enough that you choose love and truth, again and again.
I know it is enough that you choose to forgive, again and again.
Therefore, I offer you the way to inner freedom and peace.
You are forgiven.
Joy is your birthright.
Claim your Divine sovereignty.
Says the Great Mother, the Holder of Everything.
Choose Love Doll – I Know the Truth of Who We Are
I see me/you with the heart.
I know I am/you are worthy and equal.
I accept me/you as I am/you are.
I see my/your contribution to us all. Without us, we wouldn’t be whole.
I belong, you belong. We all belong to life.
I want the best for us both.
I love seeing me/you grow.
I love seeing me/you happy.
I want me/you to succeed.
I see my/your gifts.
I see my/your light.
I love me/you.
I love life.
Art as a method of knowing yourself
To know our unique way of expressing ourselves through different art forms is an important way for getting to know ourselves as souls. The soul communicates through symbols, forms, colors, body movements, and sound through direct intuitive knowledge. To trust the ways our soul communicates we need to practice our listening skills and how we interpret our expressions. Artistic expressions are part of the Soul Story Creation Process as a way of receiving data.
Theory U
Theory U is a methodology for deep change, developed by Otto Scharmer, who is active at the Presencing Institute at MIT.
Moving down the left side of the U is about opening up, letting go, and dealing with the resistance of thought, emotion, and will. At the bottom and the core of the U is presencing, which means “the capacity to connect to the deepest source of self—to go to the inner place of stillness where knowing comes to the surface.” Moving up the right side is about bringing forth the new into the world by intentionally reintegrating the intelligence of the head, heart, and hand.
In the programs, we learn and practice presencing. Guided meditations connect us to the inner place of stillness, and the journaling exercises often provide direct messages from the inner source. We learn to recognize the old patterns that block us and cause resistance. Presencing activates our true will, enabling us to receive new visions and intentions for our life and work. Kirsi Hakio applies Theory U in her doctoral thesis on Transformative Co-design and describes well the need for different ways of knowing, as applied in the Soul Story Creation process.
Dialogue and Relational Space
An intimate relationship between two people is a two-way process of response and recognition in the body, which is sensitive to the relational field between you. Thomas Hübl uses the phrase “I feel you feeling me.” This is what happens in real dialogue. Both of us, in turn, give and share, receive in an active way, listen, and sense what happens within ourselves, sharing that in the process. We practice both written and oral dialogue with a partner, as well as in small groups.
Creative Writing
The articles by Johanna Sandbäck Forsell, Linda Nyholm, and Camilla Koskinen from Åbo Academy of Caring Sciences show impressive results on how creative writing positively affects personal well-being. It has a cleansing effect and influences identity creation, offers control in challenging life situations, supports self-discovery, and creates meaning.
Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care
According to Peter Levine from the Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute, trauma may begin as acute stress from a perceived life threat or as the end product of cumulative stress. Both types of stress can seriously impair a person’s ability to function with resilience and ease. Trauma may result from a wide variety of stressors, such as accidents, invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, or the corrosive stress of ongoing fear and conflict. Trauma creates fragmentation of the self and continues to live inside us until we integrate it.
Both Gabor Maté and Pete Walker present trauma-informed work on a practical level and inspire healing from trauma by sharing their own processes of healing. Maté explains that we need emotional competence—which we practice in the programs—to protect ourselves from the hidden stresses that create a risk to health. This competence is what we need to regain in order to heal. According to Walker, relational healing of complex PTSD requires empathy, authentic vulnerability, dialogicality, and collaborative relationship repair, which are embedded in the Joy of Being You culture.
This work is not therapy, nor a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment (see the full disclosure at the Joy of Being You or Purifying Grief page). However, traumas may surface during the process, and therefore, I aim to approach this work in a trauma-informed way, acknowledging the need for sensitivity and providing ways to express if trauma responses are activated. In a gentle way, I invite you to reconnect with yourself and find accurate support.
Emotional Dynamics
Emotional Dynamics is a method developed by Antti Pietiäinen in Finland. It guides you to connect with your authentic emotions, to understand your emotional heredity, and how emotions affect the way we behave in relationships. The unconscious dynamics of fear, anger, guilt, and shame often create drama and stressful situations. When emotional patterns learned in childhood are made visible, new opportunities open up, and you gain the freedom to listen to the messages of your emotions, without belittling or feeling ashamed of them. Our pure emotions fuel our actions. If feelings are suppressed, we are not guided from within. Instead, unconscious patterns lead us astray, creating deep states of self-denial, blaming others, negative self-sacrifice, bitterness, escapism, egoistic behaviors, and victimhood.
Co-Creative Process Inquiry
Co-Creative Process Inquiry (CCPI) is an emerging developmental approach for cultural transformation in individuals, groups, and organizations, developed by Terhi Takanen. It transforms the way people work together, shifting from ego-centric actions to genuine co-creation. Its phases combine self-reflection, sharing, and mirroring with others. I have successfully used the CCPI methodology with individual clients, small groups, and work communities for a decade.
Global Awakening
The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle offer a deep understanding of our true selves and the new paradigm we are embracing as a collective. Tolle discusses the awakening that is taking place all over the world. Awakening means having an awareness of the dynamics of how the inside creates the outside. In other words, what we see in the world is a reflection of our level of consciousness and inner awareness. Everything is co-creation, and the question is whether you are aware of what is being created.
In the Joy of Being You culture, we are consciously creating a new way of being and doing, reflecting a genuine will to support awareness and awakening to our highest potential as individuals and communities.
References and literature:
Fagerholm, Harriet. Letters to Myself with Love: A Guide for Self-Knowledge. Adlibris: widget.publit.com/albinoforlaget_27/letters-to-myself-with-love/9789526835785
Fagerholm, Harriet. Brev skrivna till mig själv med kärlek: Självkännedomsguide. Adlibris: widget.publit.com/albinoforlaget_27/letters-to-myself-with-love/9789526835785
Fagerholm, Harriet. Rakkaudella kirjoitettuja kirjeitä itselle: Itsetuntemusopas. Adlibris: widget.publit.com/albinoforlaget_27/letters-to-myself-with-love/9789526835785
Harriet Fagerholm & Matti Helelä. Handbook for Transforming a BBA Program in International Business into a Problem-based Learning Curriculum. Helia Publication A:8
Harriet Fagerholm & Matti Helelä. Tracing the Roles of the PBL Tutor: A Journey of Learning. Haaga-Helia Discussion 10/2008
This book shares years of experience and insights from facilitating small group learning processes in an international business curriculum.
Harriet Fagerholm. Collaborative Branding. Haaga-Helia R&D Reports 2/2007
This publication is about collaboration in internal branding, researched from the multi-disciplinary perspectives of branding, leadership, and knowledge creation in the Multi-Client Project. It involves a learning community of managers from four Finnish companies, learning process facilitators, and students.
Buy here: https://www.adlibris.com/fi/kirja/collaborative-branding-9789525685053
Hakio, Kirsi. 2023. Turning Inwards in Transformative Co-design. Aalto University.
Hübl, Thomas. 2020. Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Sounds True.
Maté, Gabor. 2011. When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection. Wiley.
Pietiäinen, Antti. 2019. Tunne, antitunne, perimä. Natura Medicina.
Presencing Institute. https://www.presencing.org/
Sandbäck Forsell, Johanna; Nyholm, Linda; & Koskinen, Camilla. 2019. Caring in Creative Writing – A Case Study. International Journal for Human Caring, 23: 91-100.
Sandbäck Forsell, Johanna; Nyholm, Linda; & Koskinen, Camilla. 2020. A Caring Science Study of Creative Writing and Human Becoming: Creative Writing and Human Becoming. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 35: 10.
Scharmer, C. Otto. 2016. Theory U: Learning from the Future As It Emerges (2nd edition). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Scharmer, Otto. 2018. The Essentials of Theory U: Core Principles and Applications. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute. https://traumahealing.org/
Takanen, Terhi. 2013. The Power of Being Present at Work: Co-Creative Process Inquiry as a Developmental Approach. Aalto University.
Tolle, Eckhart. 2004. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. New World Library.
Tolle, Eckhart. 2008. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Penguin.
Walker, Pete. 2013. Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma.