MysticMag chats with Elina Jaatinen, from Finland, who is an emotional alchemist and healing therapist renowned for her work with The Journey Method. With a background in international relations and sociology, Elina embarked on a transformative journey after discovering life coaching in 2009. This initial encounter led her to delve deeply into self-discovery, moving beyond mere tools for professional growth to profound inner exploration. Her journey is a testament to the power of personal transformation and the pursuit of profound change.
Elina, can you describe your journey into the field of emotional therapy and holistic well-being? What inspired you to pursue this path, and how have your experiences shaped your approach to emotional work and transformative inner experiences?
It all started somewhat accidentally when I found myself in a life coaching school in 2009. Before that, I had studied international relations and sociology in England. Upon returning, I was working for a small financial company and felt this nagging sense that this couldn’t be it for my life. There had to be more.
I joined the life coaching school hoping to acquire some new tools for my job, thinking it might bring a different feeling or perspective. Little did I know, it was the first time I had to truly turn the mirror on myself. While I had been in therapy before for depression during high school, this was different. It was the first time I genuinely started to explore and wonder about myself.
Instead of just gaining tools for work, I found myself on a path of self-discovery, albeit somewhat accidentally. Shortly after starting the life coaching school, I lost my job, which felt like being thrown into the deep end. So, I dove in headfirst, starting coaching and group coaching. Over the years, I realized that, while the tools were beautiful and helpful, focusing solely on mind-level tools, positive thinking and changing thoughts and beliefs wasn’t enough. Especially when dealing with trauma and significant life events, we need to go deeper, but I didn’t yet know what that entailed.
Then in 2015, I met someone who was running “The Journey” in Estonia. I had never heard of it before, but his words resonated with me. At that time, I was also going through a divorce, and everything felt like it was falling apart. It seemed like the perfect time to dive into something new. About a month later, I attended my first Journey Intensive in Tallinn and immediately knew this was the path I wanted to pursue. I enrolled in the entire practitioner program offered by The Journey.
For many years, I worked with clients and deeply immersed myself in this work. In 2019, I started presenting for The Journey in Finland, and I’ve been presenting ever since. When I reflect on these years, I realize that deep down, I knew I needed profound healing. This work also stemmed from my deep longing to create change in the world. Initially, I thought I’d achieve this by studying international relations and becoming a leader at the UN, making the world a better place. However, that was never my true calling.
Now, I feel like I’m making meaningful change, one person at a time. Each small step, each release of something that has been held onto for too long, brings about transformation. It’s a long answer to a big question, but it’s my journey of finding and creating profound change.
How do you facilitate deep encounters and transformative experiences for your clients? Can you share some techniques or methods you use to help individuals and groups release obstacles and find their own strength?
I have extensively studied life coaching and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), as well as various energy healing methods such as Reiki. I have attended numerous courses to experience and understand different methodologies. This exploration is driven by my desire to discern what resonates with me personally and professionally. My primary focus, thus far, has been on “The Journey” and it has had the biggest influence and impact on my own personal journey as well as my professional one.
In my one-on-one client work, I incorporate elements from my personal journey, although my approach predominantly utilizes techniques from “The Journey.” Now I only do very exclusive 1-1 one-day retreats and mentoring paths and work only with a few people at a time, most of my work is with groups. I have been presenting at conscious festivals and events for years. Through my extensive experience with individual and group sessions, I have developed a deep understanding of the processes required for genuine release and healing. Drawing from my own experiences, my own journey as well as working with hundreds and hundreds of people 1-1 and the myriad tools I have integrated, I have cultivated a unique method designed for large group settings at festivals and events. This method leverages the collective energy of the group, facilitating profound transformations within a few hours and it’s truly humbling what I witness happening.
For instance, this past weekend, I participated in the largest conscious festival in the Nordic countries, held in Finland, known as the Natural High Healing Festival. I conducted three workshops there once again, each attended by hundreds of individuals, possibly up to 500 participants. There is something very special happening when a huge group of people willing to do deep inner work comes together, also the collective impact can be tremendous.
This path feels like a true calling for me. Tomorrow, I am traveling to Estonia for a festival, and in August, I will be participating in four different festivals. Last year, I was in Poland at the Dreamersland festival, and my aspiration is to engage more extensively in international conscious festivals. These festivals attract individuals who are not only gathering together but are also deeply committed to engaging in intensive inner work and emotional healing techniques.
One of my central themes, explored in my book published in 2019 titled “The Authentic Inner Power,” is the deeper truth in each of us. Authentic inner power holds different meanings for different people, but for me, it involves transcending the limitations imposed by the egoic mind and embracing the expansive nature of our true selves. Another theme that I love to work with is Generational Chains, setting ourselves free from the passed down trauma of our ancestral line and alchemising the pain into something healthy and beautiful as well as a deeper wisdom within us. My passion lies in witnessing these profound transformations in others.
As the Finnish country manager and trainer of The Journey, what are the key principles and practices of this method? How do you integrate these into your work with clients to promote sustainable change and deep spiritual growth?
The only way out is through, meaning that the only way to truly transform something is to confront and go through it. Emotions can guide us into what we need to confront and serve as a powerful means of exploring our inner world. This approach is particularly potent for addressing trauma.
Most of us tend to avoid our emotions to some extent, employing various methods to numb, control, or restrict them. However, through “The Journey,” we learn to healthily engage with whatever is happening within us, preventing it from becoming overwhelming and eliminating the need to escape from ourselves.
This process creates a supportive space where it is healthy to confront whatever needs to be addressed. By creating safe spaces to surrender to whatever lies beneath the surface of our conscious mind or is lodged into our cells as cell memories and letting it all come to the surface, that is where true change lies. “The Journey” involves several different processes, but they all ultimately lead to a much lighter place than where you started. This one-on-one work is deeply impactful for those who are willing to delve deeply into themselves.
In your experience working with individuals, groups, and organizations, what are some common challenges people face on their path to emotional and spiritual well-being?
The reluctance to take responsibility often manifests as projecting issues onto the external world instead of introspectively asking, “Why am I experiencing this?” This tendency to blame or play the victim rather than taking responsibility and being willing to change is a pervasive issue. For example, many companies claim to be innovative and to break all norms, but when working with them, it becomes evident that there is often a significant resistance to change.
This might sound overly negative, but the point is that a lack of willingness to embrace change is quite common. I have observed this resistance in myself over the years, where I clung to familiar yet detrimental patterns. We become so accustomed to our ways that we fail to realize our full potential. We prefer the comfort of the familiar, even if it means remaining in an unfavorable situation, rather than venturing into the unknown where true growth and flourishing might occur.
However, I also notice a growing number of people willing to stop, reflect, and let go of these unproductive patterns. The time we are living now is a time where more of us are waking up and turning the gaze inward. They are asking themselves what they need to feel and take responsibility for in order to genuinely change. They no longer wish to remain in unhealthy places and are ready to look inward for answers.
This shift from projecting issues onto the external world to a willingness to examine and take responsibility for one’s inner world is significant. It marks a movement towards genuine transformation and personal growth.
You mention that water has become a significant part of your work since 2022. Can you explain how you incorporate the element of water into your practice and the impact it has had on your approach to emotional therapy and personal growth?
Personally, I have been deeply interested in holistic health for many years, delving into nutrition, biohacking tools, and various wellness practices. Hailing from Finland, which is reputed to have the world’s cleanest water, I took the quality of water for granted for a long time. However, about three or four years ago, I began to truly understand the vast differences in the types of water we consume. It’s not just about whether the water is clean or not, but also its source—whether it is spring water, treated water, or water that has traveled through old, rusty pipes for miles. Water carries consciousness and memory and we are 70-90% water, it makes all the difference what water you nourish yourself with.
My perspective shifted significantly when I discovered hydrogen water. About two years ago, I purchased a Japanese ionizer, and this has brought profound changes to my health and well-being. Initially, I drank spring water, even going to actual springs to collect it, but this was not always feasible as I live in a suburban area. Then, I learned about medical-grade ionizers. After contemplating the purchase for about six months, I finally got the machine, and within a week, I felt a remarkable difference. I was convinced that everyone needed to hear about this transformation.
I participated in a Journey event a few weeks after getting the ionizer and starting to drink ionized water and experienced profound processes I had never felt before. It seemed that the ionized water could permeate cell membranes more effectively, delivering hydration directly to the cells. Despite my long history of inner work and healthy eating, switching to ionized water felt like the final piece of the puzzle, allowing everything to flow more smoothly.
I frequently discuss this topic because I believe it’s crucial to understand the importance of proper hydration. Many of us are chronically dehydrated, affecting our health on multiple levels. This is a topic rarely discussed, so I strive to raise awareness, especially among those interested in holistic health and inner work. Proper hydration can lead to significant shifts in well-being, and it has been beautiful to witness these changes.
Now, I am an affiliate with this Japanese company, a new venture for me. I have never been involved in product marketing before, as I have never felt that any product was worth promoting. However, I hold this company in high regard for its operations and the life-changing impact of its water ionizers. Based on my personal experience, I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and I am happy to work with people who feel called to work with water.
If you would like to find out more about Elina Jaatinen, please visit https://www.elinajaatinen.com/
