Sólheimar Ecovillage in Iceland: The Sunny Valley at the Edge of the Arctic, Part Two
Sólheimar has no tour bus stop and no bus service, and this is Iceland's only public transport. That day my travel companion and I, prepared to hike for a full day, set off on foot from the town of Selfoss 30 km away. As it turned out, the word "Sólheimar" worked like magic: 20 seconds after we set out, we used it to hitch a ride with a kind Icelander. We headed northeast along Route 35, passing the volcanic hills and vast pastures typical of the area. When we arrived at Sólheimar, the village was celebrating the 85th anniversary of its founding and the 30th anniversary of villager Reynir Pétur's walk around Iceland, with cutout standees of Reynir erected all over the village.
Although I only stayed in Sólheimar for three days, on the morning I left, the villagers still invited me to join their morning ritual. Every morning they gather on the lawn beside the Sun House, listening in meditation to the first church bell at nine o'clock. Then everyone softly sings the "Song of Sólheimar" to begin the day's routine. This beautiful short song carries Iceland's traditional Christian spirit, expressing everyone's gratitude for God's grace in the morning light.
As one of the world's longest-lived eco-villages, Sólheimar's survival for more than eighty years commands admiration. Blessings to these people seeking a way for humans and nature to coexist sustainably, that they may realize the Eden in their hearts.