Eva Estlander, one of Finland’s leading yoga and sound bath instructors, shares her transformative journey from the tropical beaches of Mexico back to Finland, where sound healing became an integral part of her well-being
In a world that feels increasingly tumultuous and fragile, finding strength and solace through mindful practices becomes more important than ever. Mindfulness – a long-standing buzzword in the wellness sphere – has gained remarkable momentum over the past decades, with no signs of slowing down, according to experts.
One woman whose life was transformed by the restorative power of practices like yoga and sound healing is 38-year-old Eva Estlander, a yoga teacher, educator and sound bath facilitator, who has become one of Finland’s leading figures in the field.
It all started in Helsinki over a decade ago. Estlander was on track to enter the corporate world through her business school studies when she fell in love and moved with her then-boyfriend to the idyllic, sun-soaked beach town of Sayulita, Mexico. Surrounded by lush jungles, azure waters and the vibrant community and culture of the locals, she felt her spirituality – something she had harboured since a young age – blossom fully.
Eva Estlander in the vibrant beach town of Sayulita, which was her home for seven years. Photo: Jessica Leigh
“In Mexico, people have such a strong relationship with nature and this deep sense of community – living fully in the moment,” Estlander muses. “No one watched Netflix; in the evenings, we headed to the beach to marvel at the sunsets.” In a community that revelled in the magic of our environment and the cyclical nature of existence, Estlander’s spiritual awareness expanded, and she began to gravitate towards a lifestyle that aligned with her renewed worldview. Although yoga had been a cherished hobby for Estlander since her student years, the move transcended her practice to a whole new level. After completing her first yoga teacher training in Nicaragua in 2013, Estlander and her then-boyfriend began hosting yoga and surf retreats in Mexico, with her leading classes at luxurious hotels across Sayulita.
The quaint village was also where Estlander was introduced to sound healing for the very first time, which, as someone who’s “always been interested in energies and the ‘invisible world,’” she found instantly hooking. She even booked solo classes with the sound bath facilitator to fully immerse herself in the practice. “I noticed how you can influence your subconscious mind, and you can affect your nervous system through it [sound baths],” Estlander says. “The mind can be so restless, and sound baths help quiet it easily. And if the nervous system is overworked and stuck in fight-or-flight mode, you can quickly bring it down and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for rest and recovery.”
Photo: Jonna Monola
Estlander's experiences in Sayulita altered her view on life completely. Photo: Jessica Leigh
Sound healing is a practice that’s certainly nothing new, with roots tracing back to prehistoric times and ancient remedies. “Sound baths originate from Tibet, where, thousands of years ago, the monks used sounds and chords to heal themselves mentally and physically,” Estlander says. “After all, we’re made up of over 70 per cent water, and just as vibration affects regular water, we can influence the water within our bodies.”
According to Estlander, sound healing can be approached from two perspectives – the nervous system-related side and the energetic point of view. “It’s kind of like a guided meditation, but with sounds,” Estlander explains. “Instead of just focusing on your breathing, you have the sounds and the chords that your mind essentially focuses on.” The ultimate goal is to activate theta brain waves – the brain state that occurs when we’re about to fall asleep and just before we wake up – which, as Estlander notes, is a “very fruitful state where your parasympathetic nervous system activates, the body regenerates and cortisol levels decrease.” Today, these physical benefits of sound healing have been scientifically proven.
Related: How to combat winter burnout
Estlander began by organising yoga retreats and classes in Sayulita.
Estlander herself is particularly drawn to the energy-related aspects, which can be experienced differently – whether through falling into a meditative state and letting go of all thoughts or embarking on what monks refer to as a 'soul journey', a transformative experience of self-discovery and growth.
In 2019, after enduring heartbreak and subsequently meeting her current husband, Estlander returned to Finland, where she took on a corporate job as the event manager for a Swedish start-up. “The pace was absolutely crazy – one month we did 23 events, all of which I was in charge of. It drove me to a burnout,” she says. “I realised I had let the environment affect me and veered off my path, so I quit my job and decided to follow my heart.”
Today, Estlander is one of Finland's leading sound bath facilitators, yoga teachers and educators. Photo: Johanna Ketola
That’s when sound healing grew into an even more vital part of Estlander’s life. She dove back into the practice and completed her training to become a certified sound bath facilitator. Today, she offers sound healing training, workshops and classes in Helsinki, as well as retreats in far-flung corners of the world, combining the rejuvenating power of yoga and sound baths. Spearheading the mindful movement in Finland, Estlander has also partnered with brands like Chanel, organising an immersive sound bath that drew press and influencers across Europe to the Finnish capital.
“I do feel like my practice has opened a lot of new possibilities, and I believe that it can stem from the energy of the bowls, chords and vibrations,” Estlander says. “Because in the end, everything is made out of energy, so that’s really fascinating.”