Tuu, tuu tupakkarulla, mistäs tiesit tänne tulla…

In nature, you can sing everything that fits into human life. We approach singing through sensory and emotional experiences; the song reflects topics and things as we feel and experience them, here and now, at the moment the song is born. Through song, we can also be close to a person or a place, even if we are far away from them. The song rises from memories, images, and emotions, in the way they feel in the moment of the song. The key is the connection to our body, voice, and the sensations within.

When the words of the song are left out, what remains is the voice, the breath, and the sensations. While humming, cultural and linguistic pressures disappear, and we can experience the voice as a part of ourselves and our environment, connecting and opening new dimensions. Through wordless song, we can express our feelings directly as we experience them, without talking about them.

Simple melodies invite conversation. We can add words and create songs from melodies that relax, comfort, cheer, and empower us day after day.

Nature singing is a culture of presence born from the connection between nature and humanity, which everyone can bring into their everyday life. It is an open form of expression available to all, one that accompanies us from the moment we are born.

Any feeling or experience, whether positive or negative, can accumulate over time and weigh us down. Therefore, the ability to regulate emotions is essential for maintaining balance and well-being. Through singing, we can support our health and relieve personal burdens, while at the same time, song also supports the vitality of communities and cultures. Through singing, we experience our humanity and our connection to others and nature.

Find a tree that seems to invite you. Lean your weight against the tree’s trunk, resting your whole back with your legs slightly bent. Let the tree carry your thoughts. Feel how the trunk supports your back, and let your feet root into the earth. Place one hand on your chest, let the warmth of your hand calm and comfort you, as the tree supports you. Recall a song from your childhood that you feel particularly close to. It could be a children’s song, a lullaby, or any familiar melody. You don’t need words. For me, it has always been “Tuu, tuu tupakkarulla…” Breathe for a moment and then let the song come with the “u” sound. You can sing one verse over and over again or the whole song. Return to breathing between the verses, feeling the sensations the familiar melody evokes. Gradually, you can let the voice strengthen, shift to the “o” or “a” vowels, and if you wish, open your eyes. Strong back, wide gaze, northern lights in the heart.

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Inspiration from Nature

When we move through nature, different spaces affect us in different ways. As we dive into the forest path, it may feel like entering a protective tunnel, while at the top of a hill, the whole feeling expands and the space seems to continue from the heart to the edges of the world. Each place opens to us differently, and each place awakens different feelings in us. Let’s recall the “Nature Awakens Emotions” exercise, where we first sensed and touched, then linked the touch to a feeling or memory:

The next time you’re on a forest path, pay attention to how different spaces affect you. You can mentally divide the path into sections: here’s the spruce forest, then the birch grove, then the streamside, then the rocky climb, etc. Feel how your state of mind changes in different parts of the route and let each section inspire its own hum. Do you notice how the melody and atmosphere change from one part to the next? Then, walk back a little. Choose a part of the route that felt especially nice and continue to develop the hum a little further! What thoughts or memories does that space evoke? Gather words that come to mind:

• Summer
• Strawberry
• Path
• Warmth
• Mother
• Journey
• Coat
• Boat

Combine these words with your humming. The feeling turns into words, and the humming carries it. Is a song rising from this?

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Song of Life

In our country, songs have always been made about all aspects of life, from lullabies to mourning songs for the dead. During construction work, singing makes the task go by quickly, and on the forest path, your own song brings a sense of joy and security. As a child, you often created songs about whatever popped into your mind, but now, sometimes, you have to wait for them. But when the pace slows down, the mind quiets, and nature draws near, the songs arrive.

The song of life is as broad as the singer themselves. It’s childhood landscapes, youthful pain, lost loved ones, and joys that spring from everyday life. The song grows and changes along with the singer, with the years adding new verses, changing thoughts and attitudes, and the song shifting with them.

You can write your own life’s song to a melody you already know, or hum the melody first and then gradually add words, one after another. The song of life can be just how you want it. It can be an open story that you sing through, or it can be a collection of words. The main thing is that it’s yours.

Here is a suggestion for the path of your own life song:

1. The People of My Life – Family, loved ones, important or meaningful people…
2. The Phases of My Life – Birth, new home, work, marriage…
3. Turning Points in My Life – “I cried when…” “Since then I have…”
4. How It Feels Now, Where I Am Now – “Oh, if I only knew then what I know now…” “Today I am…”
5. Where I Would Like to Be – “One day, I will…”
6. My Own Themes

You can call up people and events in your mind, feel what they feel like, and let the song rise with those emotions. Or you can create a separate song for each. Your song can be different each time or find its shape and change with time. It is just what it feels like to you right now.