Sauna Talk

Saunatimes.com. Sauna Talk is a show about the authentic sauna experience. Recorded (often) on the sauna bench, we talk with interesting guests about sauna including such aspects as building sauna, enjoying sauna, and health and wellness benefits to sauna. The rising sauna tide is lifting many boats and we look forward to some left turns that we hope will keep listeners on and off the more enjoyable and less trampled authentic sauna trail. Sauna Talk: Let's explore the sauna journey together. Thanks for listening!

Vancouver Sauna Circuit + West Coast Sauna Summit | Valtteri Rantala | Sauna Talk #125 02/27/2026

New York City’s First Sauna Village | Culture of Bathing Gathering | Sauna Talk #124 02/20/2026

Mikkel Aaland: Sauna Aid, Sustainability & The Future of Bathing | Sauna Talk #123 02/03/2026

Sauna Ventilation Explained: The Lazy River & Deep Wave Heat with Keegan Kittock of Deep Wave Sauna | Sauna Talk #122 01/26/2026

Sauna Ventilation Explained: The Lazy River & Deep Wave Heat with Keegan Kittock of Deep Wave Sauna | Sauna Talk #122 Today on the bench, we sit together with Keegan Kittock, co-founder of Deep Wave Sauna. With the rising tide of sauna also comes marketing talk, pedantic chatter, and graphs and charts about how air supposedly moves in the hot room. So it’s extra special and refreshing to visit with someone like Keegan. In this episode, we start at the beginning—picturing Keegan after elementary school, dragging a magnet around a building site, earning bubble-gum money working for his father’s contracting company. And like many of us, catching the sauna bug at a young, impressionable age up north at the family cabin: long rounds, long dock time, and plunging in the lake, splashing around with neighbors, friends, and family. Love of sauna and love of construction are two powerful forces pointing toward building saunas for others. Add to that Aaron—Keegan’s lifelong friend, collaborator, and business partner—and you have Deep Wave Sauna. Ask them at Sauna Days or outside one of their builds how the company got its name and you’ll get right to the heart of it. Deep Wave. A nod to the nerdiness without the pedantic edge. Keegan can talk in great technical detail about different wavelengths of heat and steam, but he’s well past trying to impress. He’s relatable and genuinely fun to Sauna Talk with. Deep heat. That wave that feels so good on the bench. That’s enough. When we consider (heat, steam, ventilation), the first two we can get our arms around, but ventilation is oblique—impossible to see, harder to feel, and easy to misunderstand. But Keegan has earned the title of “thermal whisperer” among fellow sauna aficionados. He’s the one who taught me that air is a fluid and should be understood as such. So when we talk about good ventilation, we talk about the lazy river. Stay tuned for more in this episode—why this is what we aim for, and how many saunas can achieve it naturally and passively without the mechanical buzz-kill easy street. Keegan brings it down to earth. And I’m overjoyed to have made my way out to his prairie-style sauna on his property west of the Twin Cities. I love his sauna. Spiritual Patina rating: solid 9.0. Within this article on SaunaTimes are a few photos taken from Keegan's sauna. And you can check these out and it'll likely bring you right there with us, on the bench, where we recorded this episode for you. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/39874910

Chicago Sauna Circuit: Banyas, Bathhouses & Lake Michigan Plunges | Sauna Talk #121 12/31/2025

Chicago Sauna Circuit: Banyas, Bathhouses & Lake Michigan Plunges | Sauna Talk #121 Today on the virtual bench we visit with longtime thermal enthusiast, friend, and SaunaTimes contributor Kev who takes us through the public bathhouses in and around Chicago for this Sauna Circuit. As you’ll hear in this episode, Kev is no stranger to the saunas, banyas, and bathhouses in his hometown. What’s cool about Chicago is that the banya culture is well developed.. and also quite historic thanks to aptly entitled Chicago Bathhouse, a traditional bathhouse at 1914 W. Division Street in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, which has operated since 1906. Formerly Red Square, this Russian-style bathhouse has been in operation since 1906. Featured in a 2016 SaunaTimes blog post . And layered on top of that, you’ll hear about the Asian inspired King Spa, the deep heavy heat offered at Chicago Sweatlodge, the new Kiln floating sauna – a dream come true right there floating on Lake Michigan at Navy Pier, and a Kev fan favorite the Sauna Club, where its affirmed that “we can solve for heat, but sometimes solving for the cold is more of a challenge.” And in this case, the time to leave the hot room is when the idea of a fresh cold lake plunge in Lake Michigan, just steps away, is about the best idea you’ve ever heard. And each Sauna Circuit includes a few gems and “adjacencies.” These are special places shared with you by Kev, the Chicago Sauna Scout. These adjacencies are in the spirit of “people like us do things like this.” For example, the Navy Pier and Lakefront Path give Chicago visitors a real flavor of the city, and also a chance to get some exercise before round one. And there’s some extra special restaurants to check out – each conveniently adjacent to a Chicago bathhouse, like Smoke Daddy BBQ, Lou Malnattis Pizza, and SuperDawg Drive-In, just to name a few. So, whether you live in Chicago, or thinking of heading to Chicago for a vacation, or on the march to the Windy City for work or a trade show, this Sauna Circuit is right here for you. To access, simply go to SaunaTimes.com, click on the Sauna Circuit map, and then the Chicago Sauna Circuit.. and from there, you’re well on your way. Let’s visit with Kev, and bring you along to the Chicago Sauna Circuit. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/39580060

American-Made Sauna Stoves: Inside the Top U.S. Manufacturers | Sauna Talk #120 12/06/2025

International Sauna Builders Roundtable | Live from Sauna Days 2025 | Sauna Talk #119 12/01/2025

Sauna, Science & Spiritual Health | Emory University Researchers on the Bench | Sauna Talk #118 11/02/2025

Sauna, Science & Spiritual Health | Emory University Researchers on the Bench | Sauna Talk #118 Today on Sauna Talk, we are joined by the dynamic duo of researcher from Emery University, Deanna Kaplan and Roman Palitsky. Deanna Kaplan Deanna Kaplan, PhD is a clinical psychologist with expertise in digital health technologies. She has more than a decade of experience using wearable and smartphone-based technologies to study the dynamics of health processes and clinical change during daily life. Her research is grounded in a whole-person (bio-psycho-social-spiritual) model of health, and much of her work focuses on investigating the dynamics of change of integrative interventions, such as psychedelic-assisted therapies and contemplative practices. Dr. Kaplan is the Director of the Human Experience and Ambulatory Technologies (HEAT) Lab, a multidisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Emory Spiritual Health. More information about the HEAT Lab is . Dr. Kaplan is the co-creator and Scientific Director of Fabla, an unlicensed Emory-hosted app for multimodal daily diary and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research. Fabla is an EMA app that can securely collect voice-recorded, video-recorded , and photographic responses from research participants. More information about Fabla is . Dr. Kaplan holds an adjunct appointment in Emory’s Department of Psychology and is appointed faculty for several Emory centers, including the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory Spiritual Health (ESH), the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality (ECPS), and the Advancement of Diagnostics for a Just Society (ADJUST) Center. She also holds an appointment as an adjunct Assistant Professor at Brown University in affiliation with the Center for Digital Health. Dr. Kaplan received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona, completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Brown University, where she received an F32 National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her research is funded by the NIH, the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, and the Vail Health Foundation among others. She was named as a 2025 Rising Star by Genomics Press for her work in mental health assessment innovation. Roman Palitsky Roman Palitsky, MDiv, Ph.D. is Director of Research Projects for Emory Spiritual Health and a Research Psychologist for Emory University School of Medicine. His research program investigates the pathways through which culture and health interact by examining the biological, psychological, and social processes that constitute these pathways. His areas of interest include biopsychosocial determinants in cardiovascular health, chronic pain, and grief. In collaboration with Emory Spiritual Health, his research addresses cultural and existential topics in healthcare such as religion, spirituality, and the way people find meaning in suffering, as they relate to health and illness. His work has also focused on the role of religious and existential worldviews in mindfulness-based interventions, as well as implementation and cultural responsiveness of these interventions. Dr. Palitsky’s academic training includes a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona with a concentration in Behavioral Medicine/Health Psychology, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard University. He completed clinical internship in the behavioral medicine track at Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Deanna and Roman were in town attending and speaking at the 2025 SSSR Conference, Society for the Scienific Study of Religion. And as you will hear, we get deep into the spirit of sauna, a spiritual connection we allow ourselves to have, presented to us through the wonderfulness of time on the bench and chilling out in the garden, all misty wet with rain. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/38884560

From Finland to Minnesota: Building a Backyard Sauna with Chris Heck | Sauna Talk #118 10/22/2025

Sauna Talk #116: Jerome, European Aufguss Professional 09/30/2025

Sauna Talk #116: Jerome, European Aufguss Professional Welcome to this episode of Sauna Talk, where we head back to , resort spa and wellness retreat South of Oslo, Norway. We get to sit with Jerome, who is a long standing steam master at the resort. Here he leads aufguss ceremony and assists two time Sauna Talk guest . 10,000 hours One thing I wish I had asked Jerome in this interview is to venture a guess at how many guests he’s “entertained” (if that’s the right word) over his 10-plus years leading aufguss sessions at this world-renowned facility. Some quick farmer’s math gets us close: a few sessions a day, five days a week, for 10 years… that adds up to well over 10,000 people. I’m one of those 10,000—a repeat guest for a couple of years, attending several of his aufguss ceremonies. An Aufgussmeister, in my view, is best to not be lead into temptation. For like a church paster, there could be that ego boost that comes from standing in front of an audience, performing. Controlling the movement of steam, and the administering of essences and microclimate manipulation could give one a feeling of power, dominance even. Aufguss master responsibilities Yet Lasse instills some deep and powerful education with his students. He gives them freedom to be creative with their art, yet he also instills true message that the sauna is the teacher. The stove and the heat and steam it creates is to be respected. The duty an aufgussmeister has to those sitting on the bench is an important one. Safety is critical. For the under educated, pushing steam and controlling time in the hot room is a noble and great responsibility. Each session is led with an important statement. You are welcome to leave the session, but once you leave, do not come back in. The door to the hot room opens in one direction during an aufguss ceremony. But back to Jerome. After producing over 100 Sauna Talk podcasts, I’ve learned what makes a guest unforgettable: someone who can take us right to the edge of the box. During my visits to Farris Bad, Jerome would casually share insights about aufguss—and every time, I’d think, people need to hear and feel this for themselves! Today, we get that chance, right now. Let’s step behind the scenes into the fascinating, ever-evolving world of aufguss. Please welcome Jerome to Sauna Talk! Podcast summary Jerome Farris, a sauna master at Farris Bad in Larvik, Norway, discusses his role and background. He has been at Farris Bad for eight years, having moved from Switzerland. Jerome speaks multiple languages and has a Montessori teaching background, which he applies to his sauna master role. He emphasizes the importance of sensory experiences and the therapeutic aspects of sauna rituals. Farris Bad has seven saunas and offers courses for aspiring steam masters. Jerome highlights the collaborative and non-prescriptive nature of the sauna experience, aiming to connect guests with their roots and elements. He also shares insights into the sauna’s cultural significance and its benefits for well-being. Key Moments 2:36-3:48 Jerome explains how his background with kids at Montessori and performance art helped him with his current job in sauna- so interesting! 8:44-9:03 Jerome talks about proposing to his wife! 30:12-31:00 Jerome discusses people pushing themselves/ MMA fighters- this was interesting /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/38416605

Sauna Talk #115: Dr. Hans Hägglund 08/25/2025

Sauna Talk #115: Dr. Hans Hägglund Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome a very special guest. Dr. Hans Hägglund. Who is Dr. Hans Hägglund? Hans Hägglund MD, PhD, is a medical doctor and professor at Uppsala University, in Northern Sweden. Professor Hägglund has a strong research back ground in clinical research within medicine. He graduated from Karolinska institute, Sweden and did his post doc at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, USA. Between 2013 and 2018 he served as the director of the Cancer Center at Uppsala University Hospital. Professor Hägglund also had the position as the national cancer coordinator at The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) between 2019-2022. He currently holds a position as a senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, which is where we catch up with him for this episode of Sauna Talk. Hot facts On this episode of Sauna Talk, we recognize that Hans Hägglund is a man who wears many hats in the world of health, wellness, and sauna culture. Hans is an affiliated researcher at the Center for Resilient Health at the Stockholm School of Economics, and co-founder of Vision Zero Cancer in Sweden. Known by many as the “sauna doctor,” he serves at the Swedish Sauna Academy, sits on the board of the Sauna Research Institute and the International Sauna Association, and played a key role in organizing the XVII International Sauna Congress in Haparanda/Tornio back in 2018. His book The Sauna Book – Hot Facts on Sauna and Health, published in Swedish in 2020, has attracted wide attention for the way it bridges science and tradition. We explore why sauna and cold bathing are seeing a surge in global interest, and what challenges remain in researching their health benefits. Hans shares his thoughts on why sauna bathing should be considered alongside traditional medicine, gives us a glimpse into the new book he’s writing, and reflects on how prevention can be far more cost-effective than treatment. Along the way, we discuss his professional journey, the boards he serves on, and even his earliest sauna memories. And, of course, we’ll hear his take on one of my favorite questions: from a Swedish — and global — perspective, what’s the most misunderstood thing about sauna that he wishes more people knew? Let’s welcome Dr. Hans Hägglund to Sauna Talk. Here’s a short intro for social medializing: “In this episode of Sauna Talk, I sit down with Hans Hägglund — “the sauna doctor” — affiliated researcher, co-founder of Vision Zero Cancer, and board member of the International Sauna Association. We dive into the rising global interest in sauna and cold bathing, the challenges of sauna research, and why prevention may be the most powerful medicine. Hans also shares personal sauna memories, his upcoming book project, and what he believes is the most misunderstood thing about sauna.” Punchy one sentences: From Swedish sauna congresses to cold plunges, Hans Hägglund brings the heat — and the science — to Sauna Talk. What’s the most misunderstood thing about sauna? “The sauna doctor” Hans Hägglund has a prescription. Sauna, science, and a splash of cold water — Hans Hägglund joins Sauna Talk for a deep dive into the health of heat. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/37947180

Sauna Talk #114: Oslo Sauna Association 07/17/2025

Sauna Talk #114: Oslo Sauna Association Today on the sauna bench, we head to Oslo, Norway, and visit with the folks at , (Oslo Sauna Association). This is my second trip to Norway in as many years. They say that you never step into the same river twice, and I’ll contend that we never sit on the same sauna bench twice. For last year, I took many saunas in the Oslo Harbour, as well as published a Sauna Talk with the Oslo Sauna Association team – and you can listen to that episode which is #99. And this year, I get right back into the Oslo sauna spirit, yet with more focus on the “behind the scenes” history, construction, operation, and warm hearted people who make it all happen. Because frankly, I’m overwhelmed with the Badstu Boom, as it’s called. I really dig the Norwegians! The Norwegians They have sauna (badstu) deep in their Viking history. They approach it width depth and culture like the Finns, but with the open minded collaborative artful attention and appreciation of the Brits. AND without the capitalistic franchise money to be made CEO Instagramification land grab of many Americans. Take this Sauna Talk as example. Main guests on this show are Ragna, Secretary General, Oslo Badstuforening. And Aslak, who also has an official sounding title at Oslo Badstuforening, along the lines of “chief operations manager” which could mean loading firewood in the morning and replacing a burned out stove in the afternoon. A few different countries And we get to sauna serendipity also, as Hannah Mary Goodland joins us from Haar Sauna which is located way up north in the British Isles. Haar Sauna is the first mobile sauna in Scotland. Hannah Mary is also in Oslo and so what better than a bunch of sauna business folks from different a few different countries Sauna Talking it out on the bench, while over looking the fjord in Oslo. For those familiar, and for those who keep up with SaunaTimes and sauna travel, Oslo Sauna Association has an every expanding fleet of floating saunas. Each one unique, named after a particular bird, and pretty much guaranteed to have local Oslo residents with a few foreigners sprinkled in for contrast social therapy. For our Sauna Talk, Ragna chooses for us the Seagull Sauna. And you’ll soon get to hear why she chose this particular sauna, out of the 24 or so floating nearby. I think about the floating sauna revolution. I wrote about it over two years ago. And since then, I have written and reviewed several other floating saunas, such as my friends Nick and Jess at Löyly floating in BC Canada, who now have three more floating projects in development. David, of course, from in Seattle, who I met at Sauna Days aboard the . And has what many report to be incredibly great heat on Lake Washington. But the thing is, floating saunas are all over the place in Europe, and you can who takes us dockside in Amsterdam, for example. Catching the floating sauna bug Many of these floating saunapreneurs caught the bug and inspiration from their times in Oslo, including the just christened Alex and Gabe’s aptly titled Fjord Sauna, the first floating sauna in San Francisco Bay Area. And soon to be launched, we will visit with Kate Butchart, an American who lived in Oslo for seven years, who is introducing Kos Sauna, the first floating sauna to open on Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs, NY, scheduled to debut in September 2025. Kos “koos” translates from Norwegian as a concept meaning cozy joy—simplicity that fosters small delights and community. Sound familiar? Well, let’s get to it. From the floating sauna bench in Oslo Norway, I am pleased to bring you this episode of Sauna Talk! /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/37450180

Sauna Talk #113: Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna 07/03/2025

Sauna Talk #113: Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna This is a joint with Linda and Otto who also run the podcast from Finland as well as Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna, just outside Helsinki, Finland. Linda and Otto are business partners who share a common interest in preserving the cultural roots and history of smoke sauna, promoting the rituals and power behind, and help create a place and platform for education and retreats at their sauna facility in nature, just outside Helsinki, Finland. Sauna Talk: Sipoonjoki heritage sauna Sipoonjoki’s heritage sauna offers a unique experience in a country sauna, where bathing leaves you feeling especially cleansed and refreshed. I’d call Sipoonjoki a “smoke sauna haven.” For guests traveling to Finland or within Finland, the top features include: – their flagship smoke sauna, built traditionally, within the hill mound with stone walls. – saunotus ceremonies and treatments – using plants and herbs, growing on sight and in the shadows nearby. – education and retreats. The day of my visit, as I was departing after my session, a half dozen Finnish ladies were arriving for their private smoke sauna ritual. That’s the beauty of smoke sauna – and maybe I should describe smoke sauna for listeners who may not be familiar. Journey to Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna Otto offers to come pick me up in downtown Helsinki. But learning about he and Linda’s busy schedule (as owners, operators, parents to each having their own children, etc.) I will have none of it. I love taking public transport in Europe, and Finland is no exception. I take the metro to the central train station and with train stop on my phone. It doesn’t take me long to find a younger, sharper, more localized Helsinki -ite at the station to direct me to platform 7. From there, I board the commuter train. From there, I confirm that once the train pushes off, i’m the third stop north of town. I disembark, and there’s Otto waiting for me with a big smile, standing in front of the photo wrapped passenger van. Hugs and hello, and off we go to Sipoonjoki. The drive is just long enough for us to help orient myself to where we are. And we find the common english word, The tool we’re thinking of is called a compass (or drafting compass). You remember from elementary school. It has one pointed leg and one leg that holds a pencil or lead, allowing you to draw precise circles or arcs. It’s commonly used in geometry, drafting, woodworking, and metalworking. Well, this is part of the magic of Linda and Otto’s sauna retreat center. The compass point being Helsinki central, and within the drawn circle is Sipoonkorpi National Park. We are heading for smoke sauna. As Nature is such a critically wonderful component to good sauna. And, here we are, as if transformed to hundreds of kilometers away, yet just close to Helsinki. I ask: for visitors, car is the best option. But if a tourist were visiting without, what is the best way to get close to you, is it the train that I took, or the bus? “There is a bus stop relatively close and during summer weekends there is a bus that comes directly to the sauna.” Gotta love Finland. Beyond the obvious My latest Europe trip – 40 saunas in 12 days carried with it a general theme: beyond the obvious. For example, all sauna tourists will hit Löyly in Helsinki, yet few venture on the path less taken to Sipoonjoki. And stepping out of the van with Otto and meeting Linda, on this end of May early afternoon, I’m met with the sound of birds and soft breeze blowing through the tall spruce trees, take sight of the grounds and smoke sauna awaiting me, and i’m filled with joy and calm for what exists beyond the obvious. We settle into one of their outbuildings, get mic’ed up, and off we go. A joint podcast, The Spirit of Sauna meets SaunaTimes Sauna Talk… and welcome to this episode with Linda and Otto, where we get right into the spirit together with you alongside. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/37275520

Sauna Talk #112: Norway’s Badstuprat from London 06/10/2025

Sauna Talk #112: Norway’s Badstuprat from London It was the morning after the recent British Sauna Summit in London. Stig Arild Pettersen Secretary General of the Norwegian Sauna Association and I meet up at London’s Hackney Baths, which is a perfect backdrop for us to discuss the “Badstu Boom” taking place in Norway and the US. As part of his Secretary General role, Stig heads up the Norweigen version of Sauna Talk – Badstuprat, a title gently borrowed from yours truly and this program. From Britain and beyond Britain, having their own “brilliant” bathing renaissance, drew both Stig from the East and me from the West for the Sauna Summit. Our Sauna Talk podcast on the bench dives into the comparing and contrasting of sauna culture in each of our countries. And within hours of this recording, I flung my backpack over my shoulder to fly from London to Oslo to experience the Badstu boom myself. And, there’s something wonderful about talking about a countries sauna boom, then touching down within hours and hitting the bench with some fellow sauna nuts in their native land. Stig and I are kindred spirits on several levels. Proponents of good heat, and positive vibrations of a culture reinventing and rediscovering itself. As example, there are pockets in North America where sauna has been woven into the tapestry for generations – places like the Upper Peninsula Michigan, Northern Minnesota, Thunder Bay Ontario – all places where “the big three” 1. ethnic migration, four distinct seasons, natural cold water elements abound. Norwegian Sauna Association But back to Norway. Stig and I discuss how sauna, badstu is in the DNA of all Norweigens. Like in Finland, a hop skip and jump over Sweden to the East, sauna action can be anthropologically documented back thousands of years. One look at the photos of – young smiling healthy faces – and you get a flavor of who is helping bolster the Badstu boom. And for me, these are the kind of people I am very comfortable with sharing the sauna bench, and beyond. n, with a full page sauna resume and two time guest to Sauna Talk, Ragna Marie Fjeld, Secretary General Oslo Sauna Association, Knut Lerhol – if beers weren’t $12 a piece in Norway, and a rental car the equivalent of a monthly salary, well, Norway would be a place to spend a month between 180f. and cold water fjord cold plunges. The Sauna Talk Global series continues.. Good heat knows no borders. And on the bench from London, let’s welcome Stig from Norway, special guest hello with Mark from Great Britain, and yours truly from the United States. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/36943265

Sauna Talk #111: British Sauna Summit 2025 06/09/2025

Sauna Talk #111: British Sauna Summit 2025 A Sauna Talk from the , Tuesday, 20 May 2025 Hilton London Canary Wharf. Last year, Sauna Summit 2024 and 1.0, about 120 of us gathered rooftop at in Hackney. The spirit was both well organized like a conference, and yet intimate like a family gathering. This year, as attendance swelled to well north of 300, the Hilton Hotel ballroom provided a backdrop and familiarity of a “proper” (to use the British word) organized meeting. This is the evolution of sauna. What started as a somewhat jest and jovial organisation, like the growth of many things sauna, the British Sauna Society has ballooned into a of several hundred, representing the “saunapreneurs” of public saunas that dot the map of the UK’s shoreline, streams, and urban communities. Yours truly was given the honour of announcing the winners of the second annual Sauna Summit Awards, which showcases outstanding saunas (Best Urban, Best Community, Best New, etc.). All of the contest participants are winners. And though there’s surely pride and competition behind the curtain, yet what is displayed in the UK sauna scene is more collaboration and support. The Brits seem to recognize that the rising sauna tide lifts all public sauna boats. London Calling I am reminded of my time living in London. It was decades ago, and I had the dream job of music listings editor at Time Out magazine, where i’d have one on one relationship with the music venues (Dingwalls, Brixton Academy, etc.) and what stood out was the pricing structure of concert tickets. General admission at the top, then the list of discounted tickets (senior, student, unemployed, single parent, counsel estate resident, library card holder, etc.). It’s ingrained in British culture to proudly support those underserved. And sauna culture today shares that “community support” ethos. America may face headwinds in this regard, being more capitalistic centric, yet Britain waves the flag of “serving their community” as evidence by the hundreds of saunas dotting their shoreline and beyond. Anyhow, in this episode we get to hear one on one conversations with folks from Harvia, from Finnmark, kindred spirit author , key Summit organizer Mark Lamb, his wife and author , Sauna from Finland Carita, Rob De Bank, and other folks “behind the scenes” and “between the action.” Notes from presentations at the British Sauna Summit: Carita 1. Take as long as you like in sauna. Listen to your body. 2. Nudity is common in private saunas. Often ladies and men’s sides. 3. Most Finn’s prefer 70-80c and we make löyly. 4. Sauna is a safe and relaxing activity for all ages. Sauna at the lake helps make family memories. 5. Everyone sweats differently. More sweat doesn’t mean better 6. Sauna stones wear out. Replace them regularly. She changes stones twice a year. 6. Clean the sauna – deep clean under the benches. Dry the sauna after every use. 8. Whisking is gentle and relaxing. Good for your skin and circulation. Every sauna has its own soul. Löyly is the main thing. Dr emelia Vuitisalmi “Sauna is the one single place where we truly feel safe and we can relax.” Finns don’t count minutes or measure temperature. Sauna stimulates three hormones 1. Dopamine. Direction Motivation and reward. Walk your true path. Sauna is the place to answer these questions 2. Serotonin. Safety Sauna is the place where we feel safe. 3. Oxytocin. Connection. Sauna is an amazing place to connect with ourself. What is behind our own thoughts. Deep healing power of sauna takes us to a state of love. Sweat. Let go. Belong. The deep power of sauna. — Rob Da Bank Slo Mo Drew parallels of organizing festivals to the sauna space in UK. Dom Bridges Running his sauna for 12 years on the beach in Margate. Free. Significant part of the town. More like a skatepark, its own ecosystem. No one owns it, a spirit of togetherness. Sara Higgins Seaside Sauna Haus Dorset. “It’s about connection with yourself, and it’s also about connection with who you share the bench with. “ “Focus on your thing and shout about others. “ Wild Scottish Sauna Jayne McGie & Jamie Craig-Gentles Met each other in the water. Started as a swim group. “We go into the sea to release. “ They run 5 saunas and are very active in their community. 1,000 people. 5 pounds each. Brought communities together. Staffing is also part of the community. 18 sauna hosts. Work for one day a week. Extra money for them as a second job. Zack Avery &Soul Community. The heart of the project is to give people a space to belong. Share spaces together. West London Dundbar theory. Societies thrive in communities of about 100-150 people. Egalitarian space. Not wearing their title. Shared humanity in sauna. Heart of the community space. The sauna is the center of the community space. Need for nurturing spaces. A thirst for better ways of being in the city. Dr Martha : an expert in ritual and belonging. Move our way from the normal to the secret. Physically taken away from the normal… liminality. Neither here nor there. Sauna creates an intense lininal space. Research with extreme groups. Extreme experience bond us together. Expert in ritual and belonging. —- The holy trinity : fire, ice, and löyly Lasse spoke about the three methods of heat transfer plus condensation (moisture forming on the body). If you follow the “Instagram sauna” and replicate it, you may run into problems that you cannot even power up the heater.” Daryl Bosomworth Brass Monkey Spoke about ice. And the cold. The important factors of why and how to bring cold as a best practice for saunas. Cold : “you are micro dosing with a potent stressor. “ Alex Lembke, Finnish Sauna Master of the year. Aufguss means pouring hot water on a tea bag. Technical aspects of löyly. Self Nature – spirit protecting the human. Löyly – your life force. The functions of your body. Your life form. Life force of every being. “If a sauna has no löyly , it doesn’t live. It doesn’t breathe. “ You should experience good löyly. Odorless. Long lasting. Pour löyly. Lasts a long time. “Everyone deserves good löyly. “ —- Nick Cassenbaum: Jewish schmeisting culture. Bubble Schmeises. Rosanna Cooney At one time, there’s were 75 Turkish style baths in Ireland. The remembering happened when the nature connection came back Mikkel. The three Pilar’s Social Physical Spiritual – sense of connection with something larger than ourselves. —- Cosmin Cîrîc. Therme Bucuresti Erin Lee. Koru Wellness Ltd. Aufguss is a sensory experience. You can bring in natural elements close to your sauna. Plants. Sand and oils. Basic elements. Show aufguss can present the story. They can put their soul on the table. It’s a beautiful art. Emma O’Kelly. Started with 80 saunas for the book. Then within the year, Feb 2025 – 189 saunas in the book. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/36926885

Sauna Talk #110: Culture of Bathing Panel 04/05/2025

Sauna Talk #109: Mika and Wendy 2.0 03/14/2025

Sauna Talk #107: Jon Sabes 2.0 03/05/2025

Sauna Talk #107: Jon Sabes 2.0 Today on Sauna Talk we re-welcome Jon Sabes. Jon is a returning Sauna Talk guest, first being , and we rejoin together again, on the same bench for this second episode. Jon spends most of his time with his wife and family in Los Angeles and also in Baja Mexico. He was back to Minneapolis for a winter weekend, and we met for a cross country ski at his Lake Minnetonka house as the sauna was idling its way up to serving temperature. I love interviewing authors. And for a handful of reasons. One is that I know how much dedication, ambition, and focus it takes to write a book. From start to finish. Another reason why I like interviewing authors is that when it’s a compelling subject, the interview process is easy for me! Our conversation flows like good steam in the hot room. And this is how I felt, sitting on the bench with my good friend Jon Sabes. Healthy Wealthy Longevity We discuss his new book, ““ And in his book, you will learn some practical strategies to help you live a fulfilling, happy life. On the bench, we discuss a few key takeaways including: Intentional Living: how small, consistent actions can lead to significant improvements over time. Compounding Effects: how minor daily habits, whether positive or negative, accumulate, profoundly impacting your overall well-being. Holistic Approach: how to recognize the synergy between physical health, financial stability, and emotional happiness, Through practical advice and insights, “Healthy Wealthy Longevity” serves as a guide for readers aiming to intentionally design a life rich in health, prosperity, and joy. There are several nuggets in his new book that stay with me, and you’ll get to hear some of them right now.. Oh, before I forget. I have been using Jon’s daily journal for about a month now. It’s insanely good and if, like me, you’re looking to get your train back on the track, I recommend you order his pocket journal and make it a part of your morning routine. The journal helps me organize my goals and tasks. It helps ground me with gratitude and appreciation, helping me on my journey towards living a happier life. And PS.. Jon is a fellow board member of the Sauna Research Institute. There are some great things brewing in the area of sauna research. And those of us interested in sauna will be hearing more from Jon Sabes and SRI. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/35540135

Sauna Talk #106: Building Saunas at the West Coast Sauna Summit 02/13/2025

Sauna Talk #105: West Coast Sauna Summit Fireside Chat 02/08/2025

Sauna Talk #105: West Coast Sauna Summit Fireside Chat It was impromptu, and it was fun. It was completely unrehearsed, and it rambled in places (when I was unable to hold the microphone). This episode holds some wonderful gems of free thinking. This is Sauna Talk, and this is what I love about . Like good sauna, Sauna Talk has . This was the spirit at this fireside chat at the While some sauna’ed and others slept, most of the attendees, 25-30 of us came together for fireside chat Sauna Talk. It was later in the evening on night #2. Imagine seven or so mobile saunas deployed lakeside, just outside the high ceiling gathering room at the Loon Lake retreat centre, nested in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. And Co-producer Valterri calling the session together in his Finnish accent: “ok, everybody, let’s gather our chairs around in a circle. Let’s Sauna Talk.” Oh, man, this is my kind of conference. These are my kind of people, and we get into my kind of thinking and conversing. By this time in the gathering, we had become quite comfortable with each other. A lot of the formal presentations were behind us. Many of the formalities of reading name tags and polite introductions well in the rear view mirrors. The Fireside chat Some sat with their sauna sandals on, some sat barefoot. Others in bathrobes or a towel wrapped around them. We gather for Sauna Talk, after all. New connections and new friendships were alchemized at the West Coast Sauna Summit, and I hope, as you listen along, that this episode brings some of that goodness and spirit, wherever you may be tuning in. One final note before I turn this over. A huge thank you to Valterri and Linda for not only putting together a great event, and bringing together a wonderful group of thermal enthusiasts, but for helping to create a vibe of “oneness.” Like a resonating, penetrating, satisfying wave of löyly, their relaxed demeanor, positive energy, and spirit of inclusion for all of us in attendance enveloped all of us, equally, together. I really enjoy the West Coast Sauna Culture. No gatekeeping. Beautiful nature. Cold lakes, open, collaborative thinking. The rising sauna tide lifts all boats. This is how sauna culture can exist, and I’ll do all I can to help share the spirit created by Linda and Valterri, wherever good sauna may take me. So, without further ado, let’s welcome many of the attendees from the West Coast Sauna Summit to .. Sauna Talk. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/35204235

Sauna Talk #104: Culture of Bathing Gathering 01/24/2025

Sauna Talk #103: Parade Of Saunas 12/19/2024

Sauna Talk #103: Parade Of Saunas “What a great event” proclaimed Gayle Myers who, with her partner Gary, partook in the recent backyard sauna tour through 10 saunas built by homeowners in backyards in Minneapolis for the Parade of Saunas event. Parade of Saunas 2024 raised $1,500 for charity. “I had a constant stream through my space of curious folk, ranging from seasoned sauna pros to those just starting to daydream about their own backyard sauna retreat.” Let’s check in with a few of the saunas as part of Parade of Saunas 2024: Ryan’s Fulton Sauna A serene backyard retreat in the Fulton neighborhood of Minneapolis, complete with . “I put on my extravert hat and gabbed the whole 4 hours on my sauna spiel;).” Steve Hawkins Good fun. I think I spoke with 60 + people today. Good vibes. People really were appreciative of the sauna and willingness to share. “Loved talking with all the different hosts and learning about how they made their saunas” – paraphrase of many of the visitors today. Darin’s NorthUP Darin from Urban Wing was proud to display his ultralight NorthUp Minne, this is the one they collaborated with Paddle North to float on one of their floating docks in Oct ’23 Joe Sauna “Such a great experience to meet so many people as enthusiastic about the sauna experience as I am. Everyone that came to check out my set up felt like a member of the tribe. So glad to be a part of something that will hopefully become an annual tradition.” SaunaTimes sauna “The first guests started streaming in just after noon.” Glenn said. “I didn’t think I’d have it in me to show my sauna to people for four hours, but their kindness and good vibes fueled me. Then, hosting five people for sauna at 4pm, well, that took things to a higher level. Max brought veniks. And the 6 of sauna’d well into the night. It was a great sauna day, and warm on all levels” Tom’s LightWave sauna “That was a fun day talking saunas! Everyone seemed to enjoy the chance to see others saunas.” /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/34522940

Sauna Talk #102: Ashley Mason 10/12/2024

Sauna Talk #101: Earric Lee 09/08/2024

Sauna Talk: 100 Episodes! 08/16/2024

Sauna Talk: 100 Episodes! This is episode #100 of Sauna Talk. Do you want to know the Sauna Talk origin story? Well, when I started this podcast in 2016, 8 years ago, the idea was to help capture a bit of what felt like on the sauna bench. That’s a place where deep, collaborative conversations can happen. It’s often a place of untangling the wires in our heads, where our minds can open up to creative thinking, and problem solving. It’s a fun place. Sauna Talk is described as: Sauna talk is a different kind of talk. It is casual talk between a father and his teenage son, and reconnection talk with a friend you wish you could see more frequently, or collaborative talk amongst NHL hockey players or business partners working through a strategy. This happens because we have no distractions and we are relaxed in mind, body, and spirit. As we know, sitting on the sauna bench creates an interesting environment. Our bodies are being stressed, yet we are feeling very relaxed. For many of us, talking and thinking is difficult. Yet for others, it’s an environment where thoughts and ideas start flowing like in a kaleidoscope of colors. In this episode, you will hear some excerpts from a few of the 99 episodes: Tom Rolando The Sauna Talk origin. Tom and I are still very close buds. He and I are working on the book Sauna Life, and it’s a slow process. Daryl Lamppa Daryl Lamppa 22:46 – the old style stoves in the area. Scott Olson 17:48 peddling to hockey stores. 18:15 Finding the hockey player entrepreneurs in their own towns. Wim Hof 17:03 Sauna & Cold. 19:03 Dr. Jari Laukkenen 30:10-30-55 goals for further sauna research #063 Alex Blyashuk 29:35-32:06, explaining veniks. #072 Bruce Oreck 33:20-35:21. Finland happiest country. Explains his reasoning. #097 Lasse Erikson Bring the owners into the sauna. 35:20 – 37:18. That feeling that you have contributed to something good in life. I hope you enjoy any one or number of these 100 episodes! It has been a pleasure hearing and sharing the motivations and passions of so many remarkable people! Putting these episodes together has been a privilege. Sharing them with you continues to be a joy. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/32615822

Sauna Talk #099: Ragna Marie Fjeld 07/27/2024

Sauna Talk #098: Alan Jalasjaa 06/26/2024

Sauna Talk #097: Lasse Eriksen 2.0 06/15/2024

Sauna Talk #096: Homecraft Family 05/18/2024

Sauna Talk #096: Homecraft Family Today on the sauna talk bench we are joined by Stew and his sons David and Kyle Wilson, from the Homecraft sauna heater family. Who is ? Homecraft is one of Canada’s longest running sauna manufacturers, this multigenerational, family-owned business has steadily grown in the shadows of towering old-growth cedar trees outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We gather on my sauna bench, the three of them lined up for interrogation as I manage the steam and the microphone from down low. Yes, those in the sauna industry from Canada are well aware that the Wilson’s are polite straight shooters from Canada, but these virtues come forth loud and clear during this episode on the sauna bench. As I throw water and make steam, there is little room for anything but clarity and transparency. So, we are the beneficiaries. We learn about sauna culture in Canada, the history of this family company, and what good sauna means to Stew, David, and Kyle. No matter what the product, it could be a couch, or a pen, or a bar of soap, more and more of us are interested in learning more about the people behind the product. And this is true also for electric sauna heaters. How a sauna heater preforms is critically important. How is the steam? Is there someone in North America to support the product after the sale? Are the elements going to fail? And if so, will I be pulling apart 300 rocks to replace an element in six months? These are the kind of questions we are asking ourselves. And yet, there’s another line of thought that goes into our electric sauna heater purchase decision. Who are these people? Some may be influenced by authoritarian foreign accents. But, beyond the , we may not be fully sure who is making our sauna heater. Is it Jens assembling the sauna heater, or Xinchong’s young teenage daughter assembling the sauna heater? And how far did this box have to travel before coming to our front steps? Well, in the case of Homecraft electric saunas, you’ll be hearing directly from the people behind the product. And what’s cool is that Kyle, the younger son, like David from Superior Saunas, has a pastoral background. Who better to sit on the sauna bench with than someone who has a spiritual connection to sauna? Stew’s younger son, another David, is a licensed electrician, having run his own company for 10 years. Who better to have your electrician call with a screwdriver in their hands than David at Homecraft? So, this is what we get with the guys at Homecraft. Practically designed and manufactured by and for electricians. And spiritually designed and manufactured for spiritualists. We get into the weeds about the mechanics of electric sauna heaters. And I think you’ll find as we listen through, I am the one to get nerdy. And the Wilson guys are the ones to keep it light. Those that know me, know my dedication towards good sauna. I’ve had a rocky road the last couple of years navigating towards both good products AND good people in this space. Like Lamppa Manufacturing in Tower, Minnesota, I am pleased to introduce you to Homecraft from BC Canada. Again, it’s the people AND the product.. and when it comes to Homecraft, you’ve found both. So, please welcome, David, Stew, and Kyle Wilson to Sauna Talk. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/31367222

Sauna Talk #095: Sauna Days 2024 05/16/2024

Sauna Talk #095: Sauna Days 2024 As we look back upon Sauna Days 2024, walking from one sauna to the next, pretty much all of us were comfortably numb. About 200 guest converged for the fourth Sauna Days event at Larsmont Cottages, North of Duluth, Minnesota, this past weekend. Some came from near, and many came from far. All were able to enjoy the multitude of saunas, speakers, nature, and locally crafted food, beverages, and live entertainment.\ The recipe for a comfortably numb sauna gathering is much like a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. We don’t need too many ingredients to make something scrumptious. The foundation for Sauna Days 2024 was 12 mobile saunas and one enriched brick and mortar sauna. Then, sprinkle in various food tents, strategically located hydration stations. Add a pinch of LMNT hydration packets (flavors of choice) and a curation of interesting speakers. Finally, as icing on the cake, infinity cold plunge access into the world’s largest freshwater lake. Familiar faces A good number of the 200 plus Sauna Days 2024 attendees were repeat vendors and offenders. Familiar faces helped foster countless spontaneous re-connections either on the bench, by one of fire pits, at the bar, on the rocks, or in the lake. “So great to see you again!” And they meant it. “Is this your second or third Sauna Days?” The spontaneous gatherings were akin to traveling from stage to stage at an outdoor music festival. Then, bumping into familar faces from year’s past. And, like attending a music festival with great bands and few yahoos, at Sauna Days, everyone knew the lyrics. Songs include: keep sandals outside the saunas, help fill up the löyly buckets, ask who is ready for steam before throwing water on the rocks, and by all means, close the sauna door. Far and wide As sauna becomes more popular, Sauna Days continues to draw people from places beyond the Great Lakes sauna belt region. I found myself on the bench with a couple who came all the way from the Yukon Territory. Other Canadians included Kyle Wilson, , and his wife from Vancouver BC. We had guests from Salt Lake City, Oregon, Northern and Southern California, Florida. And yet none of these participants received the Furthest Traveled Award. That accolade was awarded to . A close second went to . The three represented the UK well, proucly wearing their signature British Blue robes as sauna uniforms. Speaker’s corner The Brits added some great flavor to the Sauna Days speaker series. Jake Newport shared a slide of a map of Great Britain, showing 100 dots around the British coastline, representing the number of mobile sauna activations there. “Pretty much every beach around the coastline now has a public sauna.” We breathed along with , Learned about , gleaned insight into the future and scale of wellbeing oasis’s (bigger than Yankee Stadium!) with President Robbie Hammond. The Steam Masters Many were quietly sharing that a highlight experience for Sauna Days 2024 was getting wacked around by one of the three Steam Masters. The three administered venik treatments in either or Deep Wave Sauna’s Black Night sauna. We were blessed to have three steam masters lead rounds of venik treatments. Dan from , California Alex, and B Alex from . In addition to Sauna Days being the first weekend of May, the Steam Masters introduced us to a sister event first weekend of October: at a stately church camp just outside Minneapolis/St. Paul. A highlight of the weekend was learning more about the ancient practice of Eastern European banya and venik treatments, documented as a Sauna Days presentation and a soon to be released Sauna Talk podcast. Sauna in nature As wonderful as it was to experience multiple saunas scattered throughout the grounds at Larsmont Cottages, once again, nature seems to provide us with the best amenity. Larsmont Cottages is set along the shores of Lake Superior. Sauna Days guests were treated to rosy red skyline sunsets, night skies bursting with stars, and even a Hawaii-esque rainbow, as we celebrated a passing shower in the later afternoon sun. Northern Minnesota sauna is always enjoyed in nature. And no bigger than within Sauna Days 2024 at Larsmont Cottages, Two Harbors, Minnesota. /episode/index/show/saunatimes/id/31344827

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