This conversation with Karin from naturspirit is part of an interview series with women who, like me, feel a special connection to nature. I will be speaking with different women and learning more about them and their approach to nature.

I will then share these stories with you here, so that you too can discover the most diverse insights and approaches to nature.

The Crafter
Crafts, Recipes, Nature
Spirituality and Sustainability

Tell us a little about yourself

I am Karin and my married name is Mikota - a little exotic - but not Native American. But the North American Indians are indeed our great inspiration and love. I first saw basket weaving among the North American natives. So-called coiled baskets, which are crafted very artfully by them. They make these for special rituals - such as weddings. However, it took about 20 more years until I found a teacher who showed me that it was also common in Austria to make coiled baskets. Almost all peoples on this earth make or have made coiled baskets, and I gradually acquired this knowledge.

But that's not the only activity I pursue. I also love blogging and have worked as a ranger for many years at the Underwater Kingdom in Schrems.

Today, I make a living from basket weaving. I receive inquiries for workshops and markets all year round and can choose where I go and where I work. I also enjoy looking at the different techniques, as well as the colors and shapes of baskets from various cultures and reinterpreting them.

How does it work with the grasses and how are they "pre-treated"?

My entire garage serves as a storage and drying room for the grasses, which are then later processed into baskets.

However, before I can process them into baskets, they need to be well-dried. There are two reasons for this: on the one hand, baskets made with wet grasses can easily start to mold, and on the other hand, drying causes the grasses to lose volume. If a coiled basket is made while wet and then dries, it will loosen and can easily lose stability and fall apart.

Coiled baskets are essentially very durable and can easily last a hundred years. In the Mühlviertel region, there are still many examples that were used for baking bread. The grasses may lose their green color over the years, but their durability remains. Furthermore, the baskets are completely ecological; if you no longer need one, you can simply dispose of it in the compost.

I also only use natural dyed cotton, flax or nettle wool for my yarns, which ensures the complete sustainability of the baskets.

The baskets are made of 100% natural materials.

You are a real nature child now - has it always been like that?

Yes - I grew up very nature-conscious. I was born and raised in Mühlviertel and still live here today. My father was a mountain guide and ski instructor in addition to his job, and I learned to ski at the age of 3 - I spent most of my childhood outdoors.

I spent a lot of time in the forest, meeting and playing with my friends there. Through my grandmother, I also learned about herbs.

I always felt more comfortable outdoors, and even today we live in a "tiny house" of 45 m2. Our lives take place outdoors, summer and winter. I am a true Mühlviertel child; the cold has never stopped me from being outside. I enjoy snowshoeing against the cold. When it gets too warm in summer, I like to go into the forest, as it has much more pleasant temperatures there.

What are your favorite places in nature?

Many years ago, I bought the book "Forgotten Witnesses of Antiquity" by Otto Milfait, which describes many places in the Mühlviertel that are said to give us strength. I have searched for about 2/3 of these places, and most of them are concentrated in the area around St. Leonhardt.

I grew up in the district of Perg and as a small child, I went for a vacation in Unterweiterweißenbach, where I visited the Mühlviertler Alm for the first time. As a 5-year-old girl, it was clear to me then that I would like to live here someday, and today I live about 5 kilometers from there.

I love the forest and the hills and have little affinity for flatland, especially the forests have really captivated me.

Yes, he was my "Indian" teacher many years ago and has been connected with North American indigenous people even longer. Many years ago, I lived in Steyr for some time. Through self-experience sessions for my life and social counselor training, I met my current husband. He is a psychotherapist and supported me in this. His practice was already fully "Indian-themed" back then, and he immediately took me to a medicine wheel seminar. We stayed in touch afterward, and he taught me a lot, and we also visited the Indians together several times.

My husband is an initiated shaman, and I accompany and support him in his work. I accompany him with the drum and observe his work. I myself am more involved in ritual work. I perform nature weddings and bestow the blessing of Mother Earth at rituals such as naming ceremonies or funerals.

We are also happy to pass on our knowledge to other people, and I am very honored by that.

What is your current passion project?

My heartfelt concern is visiting the North American indigenous people. We have set ourselves the goal of visiting them every two years and supporting them with natural goods. Unfortunately, this is currently limited due to the pandemic, and we don't know when it will really be possible again. The reservations are also not allowing visitors into their villages now. As soon as all of this is over, I look forward to being able to go there again and visit them.

Do you also give workshops?

Yes, I give online basket weaving workshops as well as in-person courses. Either in my garden or at various companies like Sonnentor or Bergkräuter. But I also do some workshops, like with LFI or Naturpark Attersee, where we combine a grass walk before the basket weaving, collecting and identifying grasses. Since I have spent a lot of time identifying different types of grasses over the last 8 to 9 years, it is important to me to pass on this knowledge. These are day workshops or can also be booked for half a day.

If anyone is interested, I'd love to hear from you.

Many thanks, dear Karin, for this lovely interview and for giving me the opportunity to "drop by" and have this conversation about nature and your approach to it.

If you want to know more about Karin and her Naturspirit and what else she does, then check out her homepage or also her Instagram profile. 

You can find more interviews about amazing women and their connection to nature here:

Karin from Naturspirit
Stephanie from Atempause
Susanne from Naturzauberwerke
Tina from die Kräutermacherei
Melanie from Mint
Anja from Gänseblümchen & Sonnenschein
Andrea from Fermentista
Andrea from Yoga Cuisine
Marlies from Quendelgrün
Christine from Textpoterie
Doris from Mit Liebe gemacht
Alex from Die Kräutermadame
Bianca from Naturespiritauraspray
Gerda from Grüne Kraft
Judith from Seelenzauber