What is the reason for this enthusiasm for the lupines? The lupine has been proved one of the worst weeds that has spread almost to the whole country of Finland. It strangles all the Finnish nature flowers.

Last weekend we were driving with my girlfriend to the beautiful open-air dance pavilion of Suukoski. At the Valajaskoski power plant we crossed the big river, Kemijoki. The rest of the way was most lovely Finnish countryside, and the roadsides were full of - not lupines – but beautiful blue harebells and red clovers. We had to slow down the speed and just a d m i r e the Finnish countryside landscape!

Oh, my goodness, are you ’lupine-people’ ready to drop the Finnish landscape? Don’t you understand what it means when you grow in your garden these lupines that are foreign plants in our countryside. They have no natural enemies here, and they spread like the plague to every place strangling all the sweet little Finnish field flowers.

And remember to dance, my people! Dancing takes all the stress and tiredness of you. It brings you great joy and happiness.

Enjoy your sweet summer time!
Marketta Myllari

Love of the mankind

What does it mean to be a human person, the unique miracle made by the Creator? How to treat my fellow people, near and far away? Is it my work to be a judge and feel that I am superior to any individual or nation, on one pretext or other, such as the skin colour, nationality, religion or any other insignificant thing.

I have also wondered how we people treat our politicians. When we here in Finland got the newest Prime Minister and his adminstration, the next day the opposition gladly panned it. No mercy, just go!

We do not understand how influential any thought is, not to speak of the power of the prayer. Is it for the mutual benefit to take the good away right in the start.

Jesus himself said that we should respect our authorities. What about if we had no politicians. Think of that. Some people are ready to work for us. And we have elected them, at least in the democracy.

We learn life after life through our doings and errors. How would there otherwise be any great artists or genius scientists in our world. And the Jewish people, they have won most of the Nobel prizes in the world, and they help the mankind with their genius talents. And what about Jesus, have we forgotten that Jesus was a Jew, too.

We have all reasons to pray for this created world, for all life on this earth. We are one family on this little globe flying in the wide space. If we are not able to live here in harmony, the Creator may throw us to some other planet to start all over again from the beginning. Is this what we want!

Marketta Myllari
Peace Minister / Beloved Community

Listen to the child

A little episode came to my mind from the time when I was studying at the Helsinki School of Economics. That was the time when I started smoking. Cigarettes were given free in most of our parties as the Students’ Association owned 25 % and that of the Economists the other 25 % of the Amer company (Boston, Marlboro, etc.)

The 5-year old niece of mine, Maarit, dear as my own child, said once: ”You smell bad.” The innocent words of the little child was like a dagger stabbing my heart. It influenced me so strongly that I stopped smoking right away. There was no desire for smoking in my life ever more.

The wisest people on the earth are small children. They come direct from the celestial regions. So there is much innocence and beauty in them, and also the wisdom of God. Unfortunately, however, the grownups often knock the children out with their brutality. Those people are often the closest people to them.

The children and the young people have now risen to take their leadership in this world. They realize that the world that the grownups have built, is no more for them. It is no more worth saving this kind of world.

The only hope for the mankind is to listen to the children and their messages so that we are able to live on this planet.

Strange reading glasses

I recently went to a well-known optical firm, here in my hometown, to have a doctor’s checkup for my eyes and probably get a new pair of reading glasses. I had cataract surgery for both of my eyes a few years ago. At that time deterioration in the bottom of the other eye was discovered. I wanted a check up to know that my eyes were okay. These past two years I have worked almost full time on my computer, for I have been translating two books: Anna, Grandmother of Jesus, and Anna, The Voice of the Magdalenes. Both have now been translated into Finnish. The doctor suggested that the reading glasses would need special (and powerful) lenses for working with the computer. New lenses were ordered and would be arriving in a couple of weeks from Helsinki. They were being put into an old pair of eyeglass frames that I liked, and that fit nicely.

In two weeks the new lenses arrived. They were framed without needing any adjustment whatsoever, so that I could read properly with them. The optician just checked to insure that the glasses fit well. Since the reading glasses are not worn all the time, at first I did not notice anything strange with my glasses. Little by little I started to realize that I hardly could read anything. Using the magnifying glass that my nephew Heikki (an optician) had given to my old aunt Lyyli ( a long, long time ago) I tried to read the ’obligatory’ texts. I thought possibly that the flu I had was to blame for my poor vision. My head, especially my eyes, were aching strongly. I took pain medication. Something that I very rarely do. Then I thought that perhaps I did not have enough light and needed a new lamp. While on the computer, I could only address emails. I never suspected a problem with the glasses at all. They were given to me by an eye specialist, and made by a well-known optical firm. Then I finally started to wonder about the dimness I was experiencing, and was terrified I might be getting blind. That’s when I decided to go back to the optician and have a new checkup. Hopefully to find out if there had been some kind of error with my new lenses.

And so it was! In the left eye they had put the lens for the right eye, and in the right eye the lens for the left eye. For two weeks I had been ’cross-eyed’ when trying to read anything. For two weeks I had not been able to do my work as a writer/translator/publisher. It was especially challenging as Christmas is always a very busy time for my business.

Later on, I realised that perhaps what had happened to me may have been a blessing. It gave me lots to think about. For instance, what kind of lenses do we look through to the world surrounding us? What about the people that we meet, or those we live with?

I share this now with the public. It’s important to let people know that something like this can happen in life. Ask yourself, what kind of lenses are you seeing the world with?

Marketta Mylläri

Cool is dull

I thank Siiri Magga-Miettunen for her wise writing ” When school is dull” /Lapin Kansa, Nov. 11^th.
If our life was continuously cool, it would be very dull, for both the grownups and the schoolchildren. Variety is essential to make our life meaningful.

All our life is meant to be our school. The purpose is to learn and become a wiser human being; not lazing and fiddling about in trivialities.

As a former teacher I know that teaching and learning are not always so hilariously funny. I loved
teaching but I disliked grading exams. But the feeling after all that work on many exam papers was blissfully ”cool”.

The schoolchilren today stay up late and text messages that can be like those in yesterday's newspaper. Few even remember them, except those very smart texts.

Our life is realized through the opposites. Only through them we realize the reality and see the wisdom of our life.

Marketta Myllari

Stopper for the humanity

A large crowd wades in the rain walking in the mud. Mothers with their babies try to protect themselves and their children.

Our politicians rub their hands smiling: there is now a stopper on the borderline in the north in the town of Tornio by the river Tornionjoki. We can breathe a sigh of relief.

Imagine this by youself: You are a person like this. Your only hope in this physical world is to get to the n o r t h. There is a country somewhere in the north that has enough room to resettle refugees; where there live humane people. A country where you can live without fear, where you can breathe free. A country where you have hope to live in the way that people are meant to live.

There is an old prediction by Nostradamus that the Light will come from the North when the time is bad. Would that time perhaps be now? Would it be that we here in Finland are now the last hope for the refugees in Europe. Let us remember this and do our best to help people.

With Blessings, Love and Peace
Margie
Lady Peace Minister

I have a Dream

It is a Vision that I have had in my heart since I returned to my dear hometown of Rovaniemi eight years ago. In this Vision Rovaniemi is a Spiritual Center. That adds to the image of the city something very valuable that is now lacking.

Rovaniemi is located in a very unique place. You need not but look down from an airplane or from the bridge of ”Timberman's Candle” and you will realize what it is about. The letter Y is dominating the scenery. The merging of the two big rivers, Kemijoki and Ounasjoki, capture one's attention. And also the surrounding arctic hills. Especially Ounasvaara in the heart of the city

The letter Y is very interesting. Jesus's Aramaic name is Yeshua/ Jeshua. There is that familiar beginning ”yesh” in His name. When one spreads their arms, they make a letter of Y and say ”yesh” for their own spirituality. This is quite well-known.

Land, trees, water and rocks are of living material. They have a spirituality of their own. You need not even go to Ounasvaara when you feel its energy. I cannot even imagine how it would feel to live in Rovaniemi without this powerful energy that radiates to our city and to its surroundings.

Rovaniemi has great potential to increase its tourism with the free gifts of our nature. Santa Claus as the emissary of Good Will has already made it big. But what is there missing to meet the challenges of today?

Real spirituality and its realization in everyday's life, also in the busines marketing. The open, loving attitude for all people in their different kinds of spiritual needs. All this is offered free by our nature, peaceful empowering scenery with its rocks, forests and big rivers.

Let us be wise and make use of the great gifs of our Nature, our Mother Hill of Ounasvaara and our great Rivers, Kemijoki and Ounasjoki.

With love and blessings
Marketta Myllari
Peace Minister

Praying is Important

Praying always has an immense effect. The positive Christ energy starts radiating to people's hearts and to the whole world. And always, when there are lots of people gathering, it is possible to activate more of this blessing energy.

When you see, for instance politicians on television, you can always send them love so that they are strong enough to carry their burdens in attending to our mutual affairs and make wise decisions for our mutual benefit. The most important thing is to love and bless them.

In the same way, if you feel that you are treated badly, teased or misunderstood, you can try the following: Any time when you meet this kind of person or he/she occurs to your mind, you can say in your thoughts or aloud ”God bless you”. You can first try this as an experiment.Very often this leads to some kind of miracle. It is important to remember that what you fear, you are drawing to yourself. Your own thoughts have a big influence.

For me praying is an essential part of my work as an International Peace Minister. What religion or ideology someone represents makes no difference. We all belong to one humanity.

At present, during the Winter Olympic Games when millions of people focus their attention to Sotshi in Russia, there is an excellent opportunity to pray for all involved in the Games, and the whole of mankind: Peace in their hearts and for the whole world. By praying we can always participate in the happenings of the world.

Margie
Lady Peace Minister

Ounasvaara Gives Strength

What gives people strength to live? Strength giving Nature. What is the dominant natural scenery in Rovaniemi? The two mighty long rivers, Kemijoki and Ounasjoki, and their coming together in the heart of the city. They make a big Y -letter. When a person stands upright with the arms to the sides, they make Y. The aramaic name of Yeshua includes the letters 'yesh'. People say 'Yes' to their own spirituality and ask for the help of the Christ Forces. This has admired many of my friends, also from abroad.

What is the second strength giving dominant scenery in Rovaniemi? The surrounding arctic hills. The city lies on their lap, in their protection. And what is the most influental of these rocky hills? Ounasvaara, of course, the Mother of the hills, in natural own beauty.

These two force giving elements are very important to Rovaniemi, our beautiful capital of Finnish Lapland. And not only today but also for future wellbeing and development. The Nature is still the same as before the town was grounded.

Why to endanger with shortsightedness and greed for money the own natural strength giving resources of the city. Only stupidity would do so.

I am an indigenous resident of this city. My family, from my mother's and father's side have for hundreds of years cultivated the fields along the great river of Kemijoki (the longest in Finland), and they are among the oldest families in this region.

I was born in the farmhouse of Myllari beside the river, on the other side of the river, opposite to the center. Our ten (10) children were able to make a peaceable decision so that our old farmhouse was given to our brother Arvi, the last farmer and the head of our big family. He has with his wife Tuula reconstructed the two main houses of our estate and made the farm yard and the garden a beautiful place. This old farmhouse is now one of the finest pearls of our city. Our grandmother, from our father's side came from Poykkola that is now the ethnographical museum. The mother of our grandmother came from Alaruokanen the house that is now owned by the city and kept for feasts and festivities.

These three old farm houses were all saved by miracle in the Second World War, and they make a triangle beside the river Kemijoki. Our mother' s home farm Keskioja was situated a couple of kilometres down the river, and now there is an Organic 'Nature Institute' in those fields. Our mother's father was Alaruikka and he came from the big house of Ruikka, further down the river.

I feel that I have in my genes inherited great respect for Nature. They who cultivate land, fish, herd reindeer and and look after forests, have always progressed and advanced their homeland. Why? Because they have learnt to respect Nature, they know that human beings are only a little part of all this planetary life

I feel great humility and responsibility that I am a member of this kind of old family.
I love deeply my home town with its big rivers and surrounding arctic hills. Ounasvaara is for me HOLY. I hope that we all residents here in Rovaniemi will understand to preserve it in its natural beauty.

With gratitude and love,

Margie Marketta Myllari
Lady Peace Minister, M.Div.

Nils Aslak Valkeapaa's play ”The Frost Haired and The Dream Seer”

Last March I visited the festivities of St. Mary's Day at Hetta, northern Finland. It turned out an impressive journey to me. I learnt to know Nils-Aslak Valkeapaa (1943-2001), the famous Sámi multi-media artist, who would have had his 70^th birthday this year. His memory has been celebrated in many ways.

At the festivities of St. Mary's Day, I saw two films about Nils Aslak Valkeapaa, known as Áilu/ Áillohas in Sámi language. The films opened my eyes and my heart. I was amazed. How is it possible that I know so little about this great artist, I thought. Actually I knew only his name and his yoik music. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I have travelled a lot, around the world, studied different religions and cultured, I live in the north – and I actually know nothing about this great soul.

Nils Aslak Valkeapaa was possibly the greatest Sámi poet. He also worked as writer, composer, painter/sculptor and yoiker, and his works are known all over the world. He had an enormous impact on the development of modern Sámi culture and received The Nordic Council Literature Award in 1991 for his book Beaivi, áhčážan /The Sun, my father.

Áillohas was invited to perform in Japan several times, and there he became fascinated with the Noh theatre. He wrote The Frost Haired and Dream Seer using the structure of a typical Noh play; a lonely traveler reaches a place of special significance, meets a mysterious person who turns out to be a supernatural being. The play was put up as a concert in Sapporo, Japan in 1995 by Áillohas himself and a group of yoikers, but it was staged for the first time by Beaivvás in 2007. This is the only text that Valkeapaa wrote for theatre.

Arctic Europe meets Japanese theatre in this play, inspired by yoik, a form of chanting peculiar to the Sámi people indigenous to the Arctic region, and Noh, a Japanese form of musical drama. Duration of the play is 75 minutes. The play is simultaneuously being texted in Finnish/Swedish/English. The Sámi National Theatre Beaivvás has toured the northerns parts of the Nordic countiries; Norway, Sweden, Finland with the play, as well as Iceland, Greenland, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. In autumn 2013, Beaivvás will be touring Norway, Japan and Finland as a part of the Áillohas´s 70 year anniversary.

One month ago I went by bus to Inari (five hours's drive to the north) to see Áillohas´s play in its authentic region in Sajos that is the fine new Center of Sámi Culture in Inari. The building itself is worth seeing with its magnificent shape.

In the play a young reindeer herder is following his trekking herd. As he settles for the night and falls asleep, he is visited by an apparition of an old man with frosted white hair. The old man tells the young herdsman to open up his senses and gain strength and knowledge from nature. He then disappears. The young herdsman wakes up and realizes that the Frost Haired had some important message for him and he begs him to return.

The old wise man returns and in poetic terms and song opens up the young man's eyes to the necessity for us humans to continue our interaction with, dependency upon, and most importantly respected for nature, the environment, and each other for the longterm welfare and survival of the planet. Man must never forget that he is only a small part of nature, of life, of the universe. The Frost Haired brings the young man back to sleep, leaves his shamanic cane by his side and flies away in the shape of an owl. The young herdsman wakes up and seeing the cane, realizes that this was not just a dream. He rejoices in his new strength and wisdom given him by the Frost Haired.

I met at the theater my friend Maaritar and a Czech lady Zuzana, both studying at the Sami Institute. We were all very impressed by the play. It touched us into tears, and we all sensed the presense of Áilohas.

When we left we were amazed outdoors. There was nothing but stillness around us, peaceful beauty of wilderness, beautiful dark sky with its stars above us. We thanked Áilohas and the Sami National Theatre Beaivvás for this wonderful experience.

With gratitude and joy,
Margie
Lady Peace Minister

THE POPE'S RESIGNATION AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHURCH

Lapin Kansa (the most important newspaper in Lapland) Feb. 27, 2013

Since my youth, I have felt disgust at the distorted information that the Church has distributed. Jesus hanging on the cross is still repellent to me. I don't understand why the Church worships the suffering Jesus. It teaches little or nothing that after his crucifixion and suffering, the Resurrection of Jesus is rejoiced.

For Jesus/Jeshua the way of celebrating Easter in the Church, is one of continuous suffering. Year after year He is forced to suffer upon the cross, physically. It looks like being a masochistic need for the Christians. In the same way, His wife Maria Magdalena is crucified with forgetting and shame.

The matter is very serious, as it distorts the real message of the Easter season. Jeshua's message is Resurrection and the winning of life over death. It is enough. Otherwise, the Easter celebration is simply an old Jewish habit, and not one set by Jesus.

God created human beings in Her/His own image, woman and man. Jeshua could not have been able to fulfill His mission without His Beloved, Maria Magdalena. They formed a complete couple. They manifested together a Masculine and Feminine Divinity. These two Christ principles united in them into one Christ. They brought together this Christ consciousness into the physical world, for the first time in the human history, and it is intended to be available for everyone.

Those in power in the Church created their own image of Jesus, after their own needs. Maria Magdalena was removed from all texts, except for two cases that were difficult to forge, as the truth had already spread. Maria Magdalena, at the foot of the Cross with Jesus's Mother and Apostle John. And Maria Magdalena being the first at the tomb of Jeshua and the first to witness His Resurrection. Women in those days were, however, not worthy of any witness; even a man without a name had more value than a woman with a name. And this continues today in many countries.

All this rude distortion of the historical facts has been depressive and sad. The Truth has finally high time to reveal itself. And it is here. All the time old lies crumble and collapse on those who present them. The latest evidence of these facts is the voluntary resignation of the Pope on the 28^th of February. The collapse of the masculine Church of Peter finally gives room for the Feminine Church of John. It is high time to happen!

Marketta Myllari
Lady Peace Minister

Happy "Being Society" for Everyone

Our new President Sauli Niinisto launched his New Year Speech with an exrtraordinary word. He probably meant with his term ”Being Society”something very different from what I present in my text below. (He most likely meant something like ”lazy people unwilling to do their duty to benefit the society”.)

We all should consider aiming our lives at implementing exactly this: that the purpose of life is Being, not doing. We are spiritual beings that come time after time to this physical level to study what it is to be a human being. Unnatural plodding along under different kinds of tyrannies may raise our character, but in many cases it puts us down, hardens us, and can make one very cruel. It is unpleasant, especially for the noblest and loveliest of persons that do not want to have anything to do with merciless global rulers. These are people who do not want to contribute to the humiliation of other people, for whom money will not replace God.

Margie's photo from her study window

How has our world improved more today than, let us say, one hundred years ago? Has the wisdom of our time really moved our humankind spiritually forward? Are people in general somehow more noble and spiritually advanced? Are they at the moment of their death, after studying carefully and objectively his/her life as if from a film, satisfied with themselves? Do people remember their leaders as gentle persons who loved and who were also loved? Are the developing countries now happier after they have been deprived of their natural ways of living, after their lands have been polluted and their self-esteems have been raped?

Let us allow those noble souls who really want to benefit our mankind and this beautiful planet of ours, make it in their silent beautiful way, with their loving prayers and blessings. Those who love, they will be loved. Those who serve, they will be served, by Angels of Light. This is a legacy worthy to be remembered for.

With Blessings and Love,
Margie
Lady Peace Minister

Spiritual Growth Instead of Economical Growth

”Spiritual growth replaces the ecomonical growth”. Really! This is what the 'heavyweight class' politican, Paavo Vayrynen, shared with us in his speech during the presidential election campaign here in Rovaniemi.

For the first time in my life, I publically support a politican. The entire speech was written and spoken with words that I completely align with. Here are some of his themes:

- Mankind cannot afford continuous economical growth. It will unavoidably lead to catastrophy.

- We must spare natural resources and get renewable natural resources to a sustainable level.

- A living countryside is important for all of us, and it is to our mutual benefit.

- A new set of values presupposes that economical growth will be substituted by spiritual growth. We must create a new world of values where spiritual values are given priority. A change of values and communal life are necessary for the survival of mankind.

- The President needs to be a value leader who pays special attention to justice and the providing for those who are less fortunate.

If our new, future President, is so broadminded, tolerant and compassionate for his fellow people, I believe Paavo Vayrynen is the best President that Finland can hope for in these times. Of course, keeping in mind as well, his extended experience and skill as a Statesman!

Marketta Myllari
Lady Peace Minister

Paavo Vayrynen and Margie, November 12, 2011

Learning all your life

When you get old, you may have to spend your last days or years confined to a bed, with limiting physical restrictions, or filled with prescription drugs. So Sirkka-Liisa Kivela, the professor of Geriatrics, shared frankly one day on morning TV. It was a frank discussion from a lady who is one of the few experts in this field, and who has talked about this for many years.

This concerns the majority, not a small minority. This concerns you and me, all ordinary people. Each of us gets old, and less active. But, good heavens, what if we are so old that most of our friends have passed away, or we have nobody to care for and/or protect to us?

If you have relatives in your family that care about you, your health concerns may be in good hands. If somebody visits you, and is concerned enough to ask your doctor about your prescriptions, you are receiving needed attention. If your friend or relative asks questions, and has genuine concerns about your health, even the doctor awakens to ponder your situation a little bit more than they might normally do. If your relative is a doctor, you are in pretty good hands, for a doctor will value another doctor’s opinion.

If you are such a patient that has no concerned family or friends to visit you, not even anyone from a “friends who need friends” service, you are hopefully left with “merciful grace”. If you then start to be a bit too noisy when insisting on your rights, you may receive medicine to force you to calm down. Or, if you are in a nursing home, you may get bound to your bed or sit bound on a chair in the corridor where you can “people watch” as your pass time.

What is most frank in Sirkka-Liisa Kivela’s talk, is that even the doctors are no experts in Geriatrics, not to mention the nurses and other staff members. However, modern medicine has made huge steps even in this field. It is no longer necessary to drug induce a person into bed because of their simply getting old. A person has the right to get fresh air, and even a little bit of outdoor exercise. The law says so for domesticated animals, why not for human beings?

There is plenty of knowledge on how to lovingly take care of (without drugs or binding) anyone whose ‘sickness’ the natural aging process. If a person is kept drugged up and in bed, the vital functions slow down, their stools become packed in the bowels and create tremendous pain. Then you most likely will get pain-relieving medicine for that too. Anyone might shout for help.

I had an old friend who had been very temperamental most of her life. Unfortunately, she broke her limbs so badly that she was bed ridden in a hospital. She experienced first hand how you can really get sick in the hospital. When she asked for, and then protested for her rights (in a little bit ‘too loudly’ of a way), she was quickly separated into a private room and immediately from there to a “chronics” hospital.

Fortunately, this friend of mine had spent all her life very interested in spiritual matters. She knew that life is a learning experience up until the last days. She looked around the big room they had put her in, and after reviving from her astonishment, started to spiritually help others lying in the same room. She sent positive, compassionate thoughts and energy to these people lying in their beds. She died in tranquillity, thanking life for this experience as well.

Skiing downhill in springtime

Recently I found my old downhill skiing boots and I wondered if they would work on new types of skies. When I went to the ski shop to check them out on new skis I was greatly surprised to find that they would work fine. So I bought new downhill skies. In the shop I also learned that I could get help free of chare on our home slope of Ounasvaara.

What a big JOY it was to be with the children in the school of downhill skiing. I quickly caught on to the idea and became familiar with my new skies with the help of Ville, the teacher from City Sport Shop where I had bought the skies.

It developed that the boots felt a little bit tight so I returned to the shop and bought new boots, a helmet and whatever else I needed for downhill skiing with the help of Mikko, the other sales person at the sports shop. These two wonderful young sales people at the sports shop are an excellent example of how service mindedness and a sunny attitude attract many customers to their shop!

I quickly progressed to a bigger slope and when the Hiking/Skiing Club to which I belong in Rovaniemi rented a 10 person log house for a weekend in the Levi Mountains (about two hours' drive to the north of Rovaniemi), I signed up. It turned out that I was the only one who planned to downhill ski so I left early on Friday morning and drove while there myself, while the others traveled by bus later on.

Right away I went to the "Southern Slope" because it’s perfect for beginners. It’s 1,6 km long and isn’t too steep. It was quite cold out at -18 C and I was alone with no friend to encourage me. I took the lift and looked downwards and prayed: Oh, Mother Maria Magdalena, Archangel Mikael, I need your protection! Please help me! I need courage to do this and I don’t even know why I’m here. I need your help to ski down safely.

And IT WAS GREAT! I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE!

On Saturday I skied all afternoon and I was the last one on the slope before the lift was closed.

The others (who were much younger than I) were surprised that I was downhill skiing. Then I realized that starting to downhill ski again, after 15 years, is challenging me to overcome fear, develop courage, and be an example also for other people. Starting new hobbies and activities stimulates the brain and body.

I also discovered how much easier the new type skies are to use those old ones were. With the new skies I feel like I’m dancing on the slopes. All my life I’ve loved to dance and downhill skiing is like making a horizontal figure eight, which is very familiar in oriental dancing where your hip is moving in a very soft and gracious way.

In the evenings we went dancing and I enjoyed it so much all weekend. It was like starting a new life.

I returned to visit the shop where I had bought all my ski equipment and the sales people were delighted to hear that I had written about them in my article in the local paper. I told them that "a tourist priestess" needs to know how to ski downhill and we laughed. We might start working together some day!

Sunny downhill skier
Marketta Myllari
Lady Peace Minister

Important thing to remember

It would have been a miracle if the H1N1 pandemic had not landed here in Finland as well. According to the Laws of the Universe, it is so stated that where we focus our attention - there our energy goes. If we fear something, we attract that thing. If we love something, we attract love, and so on.

Our thoughts and emotions are powerful. This is very important to remember. It concerns people, their situations, and affects all our living conditions.

With blessings and love,
Marketta Myllari

The Prayer of the Big Pine on Isorakka/ Ounasvaara

I am that Big Pine on Isorakka that has been the landmark of Isorakka for generations. I do not remember my age, but I can tell you that numerous skiers and hikers have visited me and have written their names in the book that was enclosed within the box roped around my trunk.

I have given my strength and love to all of you. I have been happy with you, and have blessed you with the warmth of the sunbeams that have lit my big tree-covered, rocky hill.

I now feel sad and deserted when surrounded with electric wires and rubbish plants. How can I serve you, I ask myself? You do not even notice me, let alone come to caress me tenderly.

I am grateful that I have been able to serve the wanderers of our home hill. I continue to bless and love you. I only hope for a little more of an attentive attitude from you. The support wires stress my substrate, and all kinds of rubbish weeds cover my ground.

I have so much to give and to tell you about the history of our home district. I have seen and experienced so much. I have experienced the wars and the destruction of our town. Still, I have always had faith and believed that our town will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. I feel happy that I still live and stand upright.

With blessings and love,
Marketta Myllari

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AS A MEDITATION

Our leaders urge us to save our economy by shopping and consuming as much as possible in order to keep the wheels of our economy running strong. At the same time we, as the inhabitants of the globe, are urged to preserve our environments and our planet by our activities. Who do I listen to? Ultimately, I think it's best to listen to my own inner voice.

My beloved late husband Jussi refused to go shopping for many weeks before the Christmas holidays. He did only the obligatory shopping. I thought he was over reacting until, after closer consideration, I realized that he may, in fact, have been quite wise. Why are so many of us so eager to lose our peace of mind in this way?

When I was studying at the School of Economics and Business Administration one of my main subjects was marketing. Afterwards I applied for a job as a marketing teacher at one college and I was even elected for that post. But then I stopped to consider what I was going to teach because I had already started to question what I had studied and learned in marketing classes. Did I really believe that people could be manipulated and that they could be made to buy rubbish and anything else, including things they didn't really need or want AND with loans to cover the money they don't have? And, finally, did I think people could be manipulated into contributing to the ruin of their own cash flow by collecting firms after getting themselves deeper and deeper into debt?

As a peace minister I believe our outer peace comes only from the peace deep within and that we radiate our inner peace into the world. So I consider preserving one's peace of mind to be of utmost importance to everyone who wants to affect world peace.

We can easily test our peace of mind in the following way: Go to a big supermarket or mall when it's very busy and there are many people around. As cool as a cucumber, walk around and observe everything going on. Don't buy anything, just notice all the things that you do not need. Be positive and peaceful all the time and radiate your inner peace. If something disturbs you, that indicates an area in your life that needs thought and effort for you to keep and maintain your inner peace. Good luck. The test is great fun and easy to do.

With blessings and love,

Marketta Myllari
Lady Peace Minister

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VIVAT LYSKA!

Vivat Lyska! What a grand 100th Anniversary celebration we had and what a magnificent program our current students presented for us alumni of Lyska, our beloved old High School, for this special occasion. We alumni thoroughly enjoyed the celebration and were most enthusiastic about the program, which was high quality and splendid as well as filled with fun. We seldom have an opportunity to experience such a celebration and these words can't express the depth of our praise.

And what do I like best? I'm happy that Ounasvaara, the beloved 'Holy Mountain' of our city Rovaniemi, will be saved from crazy and destructive building and will be preserved. I believe this with all my heart and when the young students sang the Ode for Ounasvaara, a cold shiver went up my spine. I also hope that Mauri Gardin, our city's mayor, was blessed with a similar experience while he was there with us!

The Class I D in 1952-53. Margie in the front, the second on the left.

When we have young´green´ people like our current Lyska students, we don't have to experience even a moment's doubt that our city will be preserved and protected against any pompous building and other crazy plans. In our young people we genuinely and literally have our future and hope. The young will not just stand by and do nothing. I think they will work to influence their own lives as well as their surroundings. Yes! Thanks to our beloved young ones!

Our celebrations continued at our grand old Hotel/Restaurant Pohjanhovi where hundreds of alumni and current Lyska students danced and made merry well into the night. On Sunday morning we went to the church service and coffee. After that my closest girl friends came to my home, which is near by, and we were just like young girl friends, giggling and laughing and telling old funny stories. The years fell away and we were the same happy girls that we had been at school.

When these wonderful old friends left for their homes on the evening planes and trains, my home felt empty and I felt sad. But don't you worry for a second! In two years time we'll meet again to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Matriculation Exam at our beloved Lyska.

So see you then!

With blessings and love,

Marketta Myllari
A happy Lyska

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The Quickly Disappearing Art of Speech

Here in Rovaniemi where I live there are many wonderful programs, events, and festivities outdoors in the summertime. And what is more lovely than beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery, and smiling people who come to enjoy the summer, meet their friends and refresh their senses?

For me and many of my friends and acquaintances the highpoint of any festivity is the main speech, so I wonder what people expect to hear in a speech during a summer festivity. I consider a relaxed, easy atmosphere and at least one good roar of laughter as signs that a speech is making a positive impact. A good speaker can easily test the authenticity of his/her speech by noting how many times the audience bursts out laughing. Laughter is a good indication that the speaker is talking at a cheerful summer happening and not at a funeral.

What, then, is the most important quality of a splendid speaker? When I ask myself this question one person comes to my mind, the late writer and author Annikki Kariniemi who was a colorful gorgeous personality. Whenever she spoke peals of laughter rang out because she radiated a sparkling sense of humor and nourished her listeners' spirits with her words. She never read her speech and she definitely did NOT read from a paper in a monotone, nor did she speak like a 'situational analyst'.

So what is my opinion in this matter? I've come to the conclusion that the most important quality of a speaker is his/her personality. The speaker either dazzles and captures the attention of his/her audience or does not. To reach this conclusion it's not necessary to have any book learning or any title. On the contrary, book learning and titles often hinder the art of fluent speaking and create the tone of a 'civil servant's speech'.

I am deeply concerned that the art of speaking seems to have disappeared. I wonder what kind of speakers our current culture creates because I don't think staring at a computer screen all day long, sending short words via mobiles, and quickly doing business via e-mails contribute anything at all to the fine art of speaking. Unless, that is, one starts speaking to oneself. Well, maybe that's an art form, too.

Fortunately it's easy to escape an outdoor festivity that proves to be boring. Just find a tree to sit under and enjoy listening to any birds who also fled the boring event and started their own concert of birdsongs. In fact, bird songs continue to fascinate me.

With blessings and love,
Margie

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The Kemijarvi Crisis, Church, and Society

Thank you, Samuel Salmi, Bishop of Lapland, for your courageous words in the January 24th issue of Lapin Kansa. Your words indicate that Lutheran Church is doing what it can to protect the people of Lapland.

It's true that the people who live here year round keep Lapland alive and make it an exciting, beautiful, and inviting place that will continue to attract visitors for years to come.

I'm also happy that women have started to share their opinions more actively in this column of readers. I was wondering if this situation in Lapland interested women at all. I know in my heart that we have a huge unused reserve of women's wisdom among us and I think that we can do more to encourage women to be more active in their villages, work places, and communities. Businesswomen, both 'Marthas' and 'Marys', and all lovely ladies, could take courage and start working together to learn new ideas and to take on new challenges. It's by acting that we realize our dreams and women have the strength to start when they have good reason.

We all know how two years ago Paivi in Kemijarvi made it possible for the train to continue running between Helsinki and Kemijarvi. The railway company had threatened to stop the regular sleeper train connections between Helsinki and Kemijarvi and make travelers change trains in Rovaniemi early in the morning and late in the evening. That would have been catastrophic for all travelers, including business people, because the beautiful and popular Luosto/Pyha Mountains are located in that area.

I would like to present one more idea here because I think it's important. If we start working against a person or matter we give our energy and strength to that person or matter - at least in the short term. But if we support a wise idea it's quite a different thing and the results are much better in the long run.

There is much energy and strength in the idea of our autonomous state of Lapland that our lady governor, Hannele Pokka, presented in her New Year's speech. This has started us off in a positive way and Lapin Kansa and its editors have supported it from the beginning.

When people think they cannot influence their own lives in any way, they often experience great frustration and become unwilling or unable to do anything. The frustration can then become like a snowball that starts to slide down a slope taking their place and self-esteem with it. This must be stopped.

The snowball effect can also work in the opposite direction. When people feel they are important they become interested in their activities, learn new ideas, and share these new ideas with their families, friends, and colleagues. Soon there's a group of friends and colleagues building something together. A friend or relative in the south hears, "Oh, there's something happening in that remote village and we could visit there and check it out!" And so it goes. Children and grandchildren, cousins and others will wonder about what they're hearing and come to see for themselves. They may like it so much that they'll then stay for longer than they had expected and become fond of their old home village. Soon they will return with their mobiles, portable computers, brushes and hammers and so on, and start working independently. And what's most important is the strengthened self-esteem that leads to their success.

In people's opinion what's most important is the need for transparency and openness. We are asking our leaders to show more of these qualities of transparency and openness in your dealings with people. People want open discussions and meetings with you before decisions are made at the governmental level. Otherwise, there is no purpose or need for us to elect delegates. This is most frustrating for everyone. When there is no leader there are no people to lead because those who elected the leader know how to drop that person very quickly, no matter who the leader is -even if it be the prime minister.

Utopia? Not at all. When there's no vision, nothing will happen. Vision, like the snowball, starts sliding and picks up speed and size as it goes along. In this situation wisdom and self-sustenance matter for everyone concerned.

With blessings and love,

Marketta Myllari

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Let's Protect Lapland

Magnificent thanks to Hannele, our dear Lady Governor; Heikki, our Editor-in-Chief; other editors of our large daily newspaper, Lapin Kansa; and everyone who works here and supports this corner of Finland! I also like to offer my ideas concerning this topic.

I think creating an autonomous Finnish Lapland that is similar to Ahvenanmaa (Aland, the big island between Finland and Sweden) is a brilliant idea that needs to be considered and questioned. For example, why would the original people of Lapland have no right to protect its culture, languages, customs, and environments? Why should we submit to holiday dreams of people living in the south and abroad who occasionally drop in for one week and then leave, taking the "cream of our crop" for themselves?

And what do we get? We get the pollution left by hundreds of extra flights that probably adds to global warming that could soon deplete the very snow these visitors desire to see and experience when they visit. I say it could be tragic, maybe even comic, if the matter were not so serious to Mother Earth whose nature, animals, and people that live here year round are affected by global warming.

Tourism in Lapland is now taking on strong elements of mass tourism and I question this. What about the local people? More and more huge hotels are being constructed on our mountain slopes and many people think that Lapland is going to become a tourist reservation.

Stora Enso's decision to close down the pulp mill started a mass movement in Kemijarvi. The local people do not accept the closure of the mill and they are planning to build their own mill. Now the mass movement is growing in support of an autonomous Lapland, and even the prime minister is getting worried about his position as the movement gets stronger and stronger.

(Kemijarvi Pulp Mill is owned by the multinational company, Stora Enso, which was originally a Finnish pulp/paper company. The Finnish government still owns about 35% of Stora Enso and this mill is very profitable and important for Lapland's economy. Now it seems that Stora Enso wants to take timber from Lapland to the south for purposes other than it was originally intended.)

The closure of the Kemijarvi Pulp Mill is just the peak of an iceberg. Anyone who looks can see how we, the Lappish people, are treated by the government; and this treatment can best be expressed by one word: INDIFFERENCE. Could this really happen in Ahvenanmaa?

As an citizen of the city of Rovaniemi, whose maternal and paternal ancestors cultivated the banks of the river Kemijoki for centuries, I feel a need to do what I can to protect my home district and our beautiful home city of Rovaniemi. Why should we give sites on the slopes of our dear Ounasvaara, the rocky hill right in the heart of the city, for holiday huts for a few tourists? Why couldn't the travelers stay comfortably in the local hotels and drive the short, five minutes' ride by a taxi or shuttle to the peak of Ounasvaara? Good heavens! What are we doing to our beloved Ounasvaara?

When traveling the world I wasn't interested in seeing the usual tourist sites. I wanted to meet the local people and experience their customs and culture. Why would anyone travel around the world to gape at the same types of tourist "traps" everywhere they went?

May people who don't value their home district and culture remember that they have no right to criticize. And may these people blush with shame when explaining to their offspring why they didn't do anything to protect their values.

I now suggest that we women of Lapland take the reins and start working together to build our Lapland with peace and love, so that every village and every slope of our hills and mountains is treated with sensitivity and every citizen of and traveler in Lapland is treated with respect. We are all aboard the same boat and if Mother Earth decides not to tolerate our silly acts we will feel the consequences and have to take responsibility for our foolishness. Let's be sensible and take tender care of those things that are close to our hearts.

The people in Lapland have always bee known for their honesty, genuineness, and spontaneity. Let's continue to live this way: our way.

With blessings and love,

Marketta Myllari

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Beautiful Illusions

Lapin Kansa, January 4, 2008

What do we experience through beautiful illusions. That is something that we should think t ristmas days and all the festivities during this holiday time. The reality of the everyday routine make many of us sigh with relief: finally we are in the routine and real life. What is real life? Work and routine, I guess. And between some celebrating, of course. Otherwise we would not stand this all. When we wait for something, everything seems much easier. We wait for next weekend, summer holiday, Christmas, winter holiday and so on. We are living in a continuous state of waiting. And when the long waited something finally arrives, there is a little running moment that stops the routine. And what then, what after that?

I experienced this kind of odd awaking moment a long time ago as a student in a foreign country. I as a working as an exchange student as a salesgirl in a big department store In Manhattan, New York. For many months a huge fuss. Even on the eve before the Christmas Day the stores were open until 6. After the work I travelled by subway standing among the crowd holding on the belt until I got out in Brooklyn. Then I tried to find some Christmas flower. When I didn't find any I explained the florist to make a bunch of pine twigs and some red flowers. I lived with the relatives of my aunt's husband. (We simply called ourselves uncle and niece.) We celebrated Christmas one day and night, as all the others. (In Finland we celebrate Christmas almost three days.)

The miracle of Christmas happened at night. We went with Harriet and John outdoors for a midnight walk in the neighbourhood. There had been a real snowstorm and the streets were all white and the houses with colourful lights looked beautiful. The surroundings looked like in a Christmas postcard. But the most miraculous thing was deep silence. It felt like a big cat animal would hold its breath for a while.

The Christmas Day we spent quietly together. The Boxing Day was not celebrated at all (as in Finland we do.) Then the big sales started. And it was as crazy as before the Christmas Day.

I did not understand then and I do not understand today, what makes people behave in such a hysterical way for Christmas. Is it a big illusion that we look for. Do we search for something that simply is not so easily found. But the longing is enormous. And the disappointment often of the same amount. But not always, fortunately. Otherwise we would not stand this daily routine.

Fantastic experiences are the advertising slogans in these days. We are supposed to experience these things. And through them to get substance (meaning?) to our lives. Well, why not. A big experience really can change our lives at one moment. But I have a feeling that this experience won't come just like that suddenly but when least expect it to happen. ristmas experience in a foreign country. Against all expectations I found that moment of silence in the night of the big city. Perhaps because there were so big contrasts of a big city.

For me this Christmas was the first for a long time in my home town. One of the most wonderful experiences was the Christmas Fantasy in the woods in the little village of Sonka. I went there with my little sister and we both enjoyed that experience with the whole heart. How was it possible that the little village and its some hundred people had with the help with Lilja, the former actor/priest had created such a fascinating fantasy. I wondered how the young tourist in his jogging shoes would manage in the snow. Later on I noticed him when we sat around he long table (about one hundred people) and ate the delicious Christmas porridge with the traditional fruit soup and looked at the children Cristmas gnomes dancing under the snowy trees. The young man's eyes were twinkling and he looked very happy.

Like these experiences we should give more to the travellers coming to Lapland. Small authentic (real) moments in nature with authentic local people. Without too much fuss and artificial 'experience making'.

When I write this on the New Year Eve I can hear the noise of fireworks outdoors. I wonder why is New Year celebrated in this way, with a terrible noise, as if we had war going on. As a person who has had a dog I have always suffered of this time of the year. And I have wondered why celebrate the new year in this way. Shouldn't we have silent moment and pray for peace to the world, to people, animals, the whole world. The power of the prayer is huge, much bigger that we ever can imagine. Every single thought of ours flies to the world and finds its target. Let us focus our thoughts on blessings and peace for all of us. Blessed New year 2008 for each of us.

Margie

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MY WAY LEADS NORTHWARDS

(written on the 25th of August 2007, and published on the 15th of September 2007 in the local newspaper, "Lapin Kansa")

I am sitting on a little rock and looking towards the wide, open moor with its small pines and bluish rocky hills in the background. The wind feels like the touch of an angel on my skin and the golden sun plays on the blueberry shoots. I drink some coffee and eat a slice of bread (the original, unleavened barley bread that my mother used to bake) and a piece of cheesecake for dessert. The bottom of the berry bucket is filled with blueberries already and it feels lovely to sit in the lap of the Mother Earth, in the homeland of my foremothers and fathers. It is here that I belong and every cell of my being knows it. My body feels blissful, the way a human being surely is meant to feel - joyful, breathing freely, and relaxed with the eternal Presence in and around me.

When I was young I left my home in Rovaniemi to study in Helsinki, returning only occasionally during the summer months. Later, I stayed longer in Rovaniemi during the summers with my husband Jussi until we moved and settled down here and I started teaching at the local Commercial College. When I moved with Jussi to our new home (that was built beside the smaller, older one), I felt that our move was permanent. But then, after Jussi's death and after some years as a teacher, I decided to leave for the open world again. This lasted one year during which time I traveled around the world. When I returned, like a free bird, a regular job did not attract me at all, so I left everything, except my dear collie dog, Lady, and headed to Tampere to experience new challenging insights and experiences.

For 16 years I lived in Tampere working as a suggestopedian teacher and running "know yourself" workshops. At the same time I was studying new ideas, and that includedmy most recent training as a Peace Minister.

Peace is a matter of heart. It always starts in the heart and spreads like spirals out and up, everywhere.

Mother Earth brought me home and it is here that I want to be and work. I do peace work daily at my home altar, presenting the Peace Prayers of 12 great religions and the "Prayer of St. Francis".

Just now, in the blueberry picking terrain of Poylionvaara's rocky hill, I feel the perfect peace that it is possible in nature. It is in the mild murmur of the trees that the message has come home.

Once when I was feeling homesick in my home in Tampere I wrote this little poem. (In English I just translate the idea.)

Keinuvuopaja

Swing my swing
In Keinuvuopaja
Within my soul
Whisper the wind
Take my message
Embrace my heart
The fairy land of my dreams.

My birch, my fairy
Related to angels,
Tenderly I touch
The sparkling of the stars.
The soft cheek
Of the birch and the fairy.
The white trunk
Of the sun boat -
Of the heaven and magic.

Where is my swing?
Here and now,
Inside my soul.
Time and place -
There is no limit.
Love opens everything
Love is within me.

Margie

Sivut perustettu 9.9.1999