Session Replays

“Women have always been the keepers of sauna, and they will be the ones to lead the culture forward.” Across generations, sauna has been a place of community care and healing, with women at its centre. From midwives guiding childbirth in the warm, clean heat, to families preparing loved ones for burial, to healers practicing folk medicine and ritual, women have long tended the fires, prepared the löyly, and carried sauna knowledge across lifetimes. Sauna has always been a sha

This session brings a rare, cross-cultural perspective on sauna and sweat-bathing traditions, led by a scholar and author deeply embedded in the Canadian, American, and European sauna movements and comparative studies. Drawing from more than five books on sauna and sweat rituals—including award-winning work and current research on sauna, spirituality, and sacred practice—the talk explores the shared spiritual foundations of Finnish saunas, Native North American sweat lodges,

What the heck is Aufguss, and why is this ritual becoming so popular around the world as part of sauna culture? For this National Sauna Week 2026 webinar, we bring together a dynamic panel of distinct perspectives—including a Finnish sauna purist, a seasoned Aufguss master, sauna-loving world citizen, and a world-traveling sauna devotee—to discuss, argue, explore, and analyze what is happening to contemporary sauna culture. The conversation ranges from Germany and the Nordic

This session explores the deep and often overlooked connection between sauna culture and textiles, featuring key voices from two renowned textile companies: Lapuan Kankurit (Finland) and Saunamekko (North America). Led by a Finnish sauna devotee and textile crafter, teacher, and writer Lisa Steinmann, the talk traces how woven textiles—towels, mats, robes, hats, and sauna wear—have evolved alongside sauna’s ancient rituals to enhance comfort, beauty, and cultural meaning. The

Bathing connoisseur Mikkel Aaland invites us to explore the global renaissance of sauna and sweat-bathing cultures through decades of observation, personal insights, and his evocative, diverse photography. Throughout his explorations, Aaland uncovers a myriad of bathing rituals, each rich in cultural significance and therapeutic benefits. His narrative is both informative and inspiring, offering readers practical insights and pathways to a more enriched, health-focused lifes

Saija Silen , Cultural Heritage Specialist, and Head of Jämsä Sauna Village, who runs a sauna village in Jämsä, Finland, introduces the Sauna Route, a new initiative connecting European sauna culture. Starting in Jämsä and expanding to Sweden, Estonia, Norway, and beyond, the Sauna Route allows travelers to experience saunas across Europe, from historical sites to modern facilities. The route showcases sauna heritage through public saunas, local traditions, museums, arts, and

Sauna Stories from the Copper Country explores the rich and enduring sauna culture of Michigan’s Copper Country (Kuparisaari) through personal narratives and historical insights. Moderated by Honorary Consul Jim Kurtti , the panel features Barbara Männinen , Haley Goodreau , and Daena and Amanda Mäkelä , each bringing a unique perspective on the region’s deep-rooted Finnish sauna traditions.   Kurtti will provide historical context on Finnish settlement, public saunas, and t