What is a sauna ritual?

There are many places that offer sauna rituals, and many bathhouses work with Aufguss and sauna rituals. In countries like Norway and Denmark, community saunas are quite common, since they don't have as many households with their own sauna, unlike Sweden and Finland. This has led to a variety of sauna rituals, each with its unique artistry.

All rituals become different, just like a yoga session varies depending on who is leading it. It can also be different types of effects that the person, the sauna master, wants to achieve. In our rituals, we work on giving guests a deeper experience. Through storytelling and guidance, we want guests to take away a feeling and an understanding that we are part of nature and must take care of ourselves as nature takes care of and heals us. You shouldn't push yourself, but you can get help to challenge yourself a little. It should also be an opportunity for you to be inspired and learn more about the sauna and different sauna cultures. We primarily teach about the Finnish/Tornedal sauna culture, which is part of the intangible cultural heritage, just like yoga and the Turkish coffee ritual, among others.

You may also have your sauna ritual without realizing it. Most people with a wood-burning heater chop the wood (unless the ritual started when the tree was felled), gather small sticks to light, use a match or sometimes several to start the fire, fetch water for the water heater, and so on. Then, when you sit down on the sauna bench, it feels like the most wonderful moment of them all! A ritual is the ceremony you make it to be!