In Norway, a Retreat Where Fragrance Meets Transformation

Niamh Moran
5 Min Read

On a quiet stretch of Norway’s southwest coast, where pine forests edge into farmland and the sea is never far away, a farmhouse has been reimagined as something altogether different. Visitors arriving at Bakkeland find not only a home but a sanctuary and a place that calls itself the House of Bothania, and where transformation is woven through art, fragrance and storytelling.

The project is the vision of Silje Engelstrand Natland, an artist and therapist who describes herself as a “modern-day alchemist.” In her work, she combines craniosacral therapy, hypnotherapy, energy practices and what she calls resonance medicine. At Bakkeland, those ideas are given physical form in a retreat designed to help people step back from the noise of daily life and reconnect with themselves.

“I deeply believe we are on a hero’s journey of remembrance,” Natland said in an interview at the main house. “The purpose is to reclaim lost parts of ourselves and transcend fears and limitations. My role is to provide the space and the tools so that people can unlock their highest potential.”

At the heart of her philosophy is fragrance. The Alchemist Series, a collection of perfumes and oils created in Stavanger, is built on the idea that scent is not only sensual but transformative. Each bottle, she explained, is crafted with “bioenergetic frequencies” designed to evoke grounding, clarity or expansion. For her, fragrance is not an accessory but a key  way of opening the door to memory, emotion and, perhaps, deeper self-awareness.

The property itself reflects that ethos. The Alchemist Garden, divided into seven symbolic zones, is meant as a map of transformation, a place for meditation or small gatherings. A converted stable offers space for yoga and sound healing, while a light-filled studio invites writers into solitude. Even the Butterfly House is dedicated to metamorphosis and carries symbolic weight, reminding visitors of nature’s most familiar transformation.

Since acquiring Bakkeland in 2018 with her husband, Aage, Natland has steadily expanded Bothania’s reach. The launch of the Alchemist Set in 2022 introduced her vision to a wider audience: seven perfumes paired with a deck of guided cards, designed as “keys to consciousness.” A year later, the project reintroduced itself under its current name and began cultivating partnerships abroad. Retreats have since been announced in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and this year will include programs at Elaisa Wellness in Belgium.

Underlying it all is a commitment to sustainability. The perfumes are produced locally with ethanol sourced from Norwegian forests, using vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. Natland insists this is not just a marketing choice but an ethical one. “We can’t speak about transformation without also speaking about how we live on the earth,” she said.

Bothania’s offerings extend beyond fragrance. Workshops, retreats and collaborative projects have become part of a growing network that Natland calls a “global movement.” Guests are encouraged not only to visit but to take part as affiliates, practitioners or ambassadors  in what she hopes will be a community dedicated to healing and creative exploration.

The milestones are already notable: the transformation of Bakkeland in 2018, the Alchemist Set in 2022, rebranding in 2023, and new launches across Europe in 2024 and 2025. Upcoming projects include Luminessence, a new series of products, and the release of the Womb Weaver Card Deck this fall.

For those who visit, however, the legacy may not be in the product launches or partnerships but in the quieter experience of being on the land itself of walking through a garden designed as a map of the psyche, or sitting in a writing studio overlooking Norwegian woods.

Natland describes it simply: “Transformation is not a luxury. It is the work of our time.”

For more information. Visit: House Of Bothania

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