I recently visited Latvia on a tour of the Baltics. While there, I had the good fortune of taking part in a traditional Latvian sauna ritual, and it was definitely one for the books!

Less than a year ago, I couldn’t have even identified Latvia on a map. But while at an Ayurvedic retreat in India, I became fast friends with a Latvian local. He invited me to come visit, and the trip was nothing short of magical. The Baltics far exceeded my expectations, and are an untapped gem for tourism in my opinion.

While there, I foraged for wild mushrooms, swam naked at sunrise in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Hiiumaa, had one of the top ten meals of my life at Max Cekot Kitchen in Riga, and visited ancient castles in Lithuania. But by far, the highlight of my trip was getting to experience a traditional Latvian sauna.

This captivating, centuries-old practice has been a cornerstone of Latvian culture and well-being. While saunas are cherished in many cultures, the Latvian sauna stands out as a distinct and profound experience. From the careful preparation of natural materials, to their incorporation of spiritual elements, to the role of the sauna master who leads you through the whole journey, it is truly an unforgettable experience.

UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF LATVIAN SAUNAS

The history of Latvian saunas, known as "pirts," is deeply intertwined with Latvian culture and holds significant importance in the country's history and heritage. The Latvian sauna ritual is distinctive for its reverence of natural materials, ritualistic preparations, the role of sauna masters, and its emphasis on spiritual elements. These aspects combine to create a special journey for those seeking both physical and spiritual purification.

Sauna-like practices have existed in the Baltic region for centuries. Saunas were not only places for cleansing, but also held social importance. They were a regular part of life, with people visiting at minimum once a week.

Saunas served as important gathering places for communities. It was where all the action happened. They were used for socializing, celebrating special occasions, and fostering a sense of togetherness.

The bathhouses were the cleanest place in the whole farmland. Women gave birth there, people gathered there when somebody passed away, and it was a sacred space to connect to yourself during important life moments.

Saunas helped people to create more mental, physical, and spiritual harmony within themselves. It is believed that these are all connected: once you clean your body, it affects you mentally, and then your spirit is also impacted.

Latvian saunas were also used for various health-related purposes. The use of birch branches for massage, and the combination of heat, aromatic herbs, and steam was believed to alleviate various ailments and promote overall well-being.

Darta, my incredible guide and translator for this experience, further explains that for Latvians, saunas are a temple for their deities, Mara and Laima. They allow visitors to break away from the daily grind, and to pause and remember their connection with the Divine and Mother Earth. They are places where the knowledge of ancestors is combined with modern science for maximum impact.

Sauna rituals were passed down through generations, preserving the tradition. Today, saunas continue to be an integral part of Latvian culture. They are enjoyed for their health benefits, cultural significance, and the sense of connection to nature that they provide.

Piertnieks: ABOUT THE latvian SAUNa masters

Becoming a sauna master in Latvia is an involved journey and is a highly-respected path. Aspiring sauna masters either start as apprentices under experienced mentors or pursue formal training programs to learn temperature control, herbal knowledge, sauna techniques, and sauna construction.

My sauna master, Iveta, is a warm, gentle woman. She radiates pure, nurturing, divine feminine energy, reminding me of the loving women who raised me. I instantly feel safe in her presence.

I ask her about the path to becoming a sauna master, and she explains that the training process is very intense and never stops because there are so many herbs to learn about and ways to perform the rituals (she is presently taking a class on how sauna impacts our fascia). She says the first 4 years are just mechanically doing the basics, and then the real learning begins with every individual client.

A sauna master must be able to read each client and understand their issues in order to determine how to best help them. She says:

“You will get what you need.”

She is a vessel to help you receive whatever that is. She has been doing this for 8 years, and has performed over 500 sauna rituals.

I ask her why she chose to become a sauna master, and she says she began studying to gain more harmony within herself, to feel accepted by nature, and to feel accepted by herself. Once she completed the training and started to do the ritual on herself, she had family members and friends join, then friends of friends, and it eventually got to the level where she is now with hundreds of clients.

She explains how sauna helped her to feel more energized, more alive, because the energy of aliveness is all around us, it just depends on how much we let in. And doing this ritual allows you to receive more and to feel as alive as you can possibly be.

I ask her if she has a favorite ceremony that she’s led in all her years, and she explains that there have been too many beautiful stories to choose one. She finds joy in hearing about people’s experiences after their sauna ritual.

When they share how much harmony and love they feel inside themselves, she knows this is a result of her touch or the branches and herbs she chose for them. This is where she finds the gratitude in being able to do this work.

HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF MY MAGICAL LATVIAN SAUNA EXPERIENCE:

Before beginning the sauna ritual, we begin with an hour-long session of getting to know one another. Iveta asks me questions about my health history, and I ask her questions about what to expect. She also has me drink herbal tea to warm me up from the inside in preparation for the sauna.

I am informed that my sauna experience will utilize the ancient black sauna technique. This means that the sauna does not have a chimney. Instead, smoke from the sauna is removed through the door during the heating process.

It took several hours to prepare the sauna for the ritual. Water will need to be brought in in buckets during the ceremony. Smoke works as an excellent disinfectant, and will amplify the entire experience.

I can already start to see how this ritual is deeply connected to nature. The sauna is right next to a pond which will serve as my cold plunge throughout the process, which is the same as in the old days when they built saunas next to rivers or bodies of water. There are also flowers and leaves everywhere which are integral to the entire process.

Iveta explains to me that, in addition to connecting with nature, the sauna will help me go inwards and connect with myself. I realize that I am not very connected to myself at all in this moment, and completely in my head worrying about everything I need to do after this - pack, catch an early morning bus, etc.

She encourages me to set an intention for the ceremony, so I set the following intention:

My intention is to release anything that is weighing me down or not serving me, so that I can feel fresh, reborn, and return to a state of childlike innocence and open-heartedness.

I mention to Iveta that it’s my birthday this week, and she tells me that I can have as many birthdays as I want with this bathhouse ritual. She explains that it is a powerful tool if you wish to change something in your life, and that Latvian bathhouses are used as rebirthing rituals for people who are going through a hard time or want to start anew. How perfect given where I’m at in my life right now.

Finally, Iveta has me change into my robe and tells me now my only job is to relax and trust, and she will guide me from here. We walk over to the bathhouse and my sauna ritual begins.

The beautiful countryside setting

Iveta and Darta

Having tea and snacks before the sauna

Heading to the pirt

round 1: FOOT SOAK, POUNDING MASSAGE WITH HERBS & cool down

First, I soak my feet in warm water and flowers outside of the sauna. The sun is beaming down and the beautiful natural surroundings soothe and calm me.

I take off my robe and enter the sauna completely naked. It is just me and the sauna master. There is a wooden table covered with bunches of leaves that form makeshift pillows.

I lay down on the table stomach down and close my eyes. She begins rhythmically hitting the back of my body with herbs, starting at the legs and slowly working her way up. Then I turn around and she does it all over again on my front side.

Afterwards, I am told that when the body is rhythmically hit in this way, the brain understands that is has to send fresh goodness everywhere in the body. This is how the transformation and rebirthing happens.

The heat and rhythm are only part of the ritual. The other key component is the herbs. They are medicinal and were handpicked by Iveta specifically for me.

She says that from the moment I signed up for the sauna, we became energetically connected, and she was able to intuitively tune into me and select the right herbs for my healing.

Herbs have their own energy, and the ones used in my sauna ritual include:

Birch - This plant is good for cleansing.
Linden - This plant symbolizes feminine energy and healing, and is also where the honey that she will use later in the ceremony comes from.
Maple - This plant channels sweet warmth, money, and playfulness.

After completing the pounding massage, I feel very hot. She gently guides me outside, lays me down on the deck, and covers me with a towel. I enter a trance-like state and eventually she comes and gets me to begin the next round.

Foot soak

A bed made of leaves in the sauna

round 2: more vigorous hitting with herbs & cold plunge

This time, she does the same pounding massage, but with way more intensity. At one point, I start panting loudly because my body feels like it is completely overheating.

Finally, she stops and takes me outside. This time, she guides me into the cool pond and I completely submerge myself. I feel so relieved to be saved from the heat.

Darta explains that during the bathhouse ritual, our blood circulation improves. Exposing yourself to the contrasts of hot and cold regulates blood pressure, regardless of if you have high or (in my case) low blood pressure.

But the real magic is its affect on our brain. Due to the heat, the rhythmic hitting of the branches, and increased blood flow, our brain waves change. Practitioners claim that this allows you to access your subconscious mind more easily, to connect with your spirit, and to activate a feeling of unadulterated bliss.

The bathing ritual stimulates the release of serotonin, which travels to the frontal lobes in increased amounts, helping to alleviate depression and stress. Endorphins are also released, giving a palpable feeling of well-being. These effects can last up to a week.

I don’t claim to understand the science behind how it all works, but I can say with 100% certainty that I have completely forgotten about packing and my early morning bus at this point.

round 3: Salt scrub & cold plunge

Now we re-enter the sauna, and she begins scrubbing my entire body with a coarse salt scrub. It doesn’t hurt at all, but instead feels really wonderful and therapeutic.

This round is called the “peeling” round, and is done to clean the body by sloughing off all the dead skin cells. This is another crucial component to letting go of the past and facilitating the rebirthing process.

After my entire body has been scrubbed from head to toe, she guides me to the cold pond. Instead of dunking, this time she has me float for some time while she holds me up. Then I lay on the deck again until it’s time to go again.

cold plunge after sauna in pond — Being floated in the pond

round 4: massage with honey & cold plunge

This was my favorite round. Iveta gives me a full body massage using honey.

She begins at my feet and covers every inch all the way up to my face in the sweet smelling nectar, and it feels so luxurious. I am in and out of consciousness and don’t have full awareness of what’s going on, but I have not a care in the world. My brain is a marshmallow by now.

The use of honey is to nurture the body after having cleansed it. This honey comes from flowers, so the idea is to nourish the body with the absolute best that nature has provided.

When she finishes, she takes me to the pond for my final dip before returning for the last round.

ROUND 5: GENTLE POUNDING MASSAGE WITH HERBS & FINAL RELAXATION

For the last round, I am basically passed out, but she performs gentle pounding all over with the herbs, and gently glides them up and down my body so as to let any lingering medicinal value be extracted and absorbed into my skin. I love the feel and smell of the fresh herbs against my body. It feels so wild, natural, and pure. I start to realize that this is the type of connection we are meant to have with nature.

When this final round ends, I have no concept of space or time. I barely recall her taking me to the deck, and I completely pass out for I don’t know how long. I am totally blissed out and floating on the clouds.

Finally, she wakes me up and informs me that the ritual is complete. I feel pangs of sadness that it is over. Even though I’ve already been there for 4 hours, I feel like I could keep doing this for several more hours.

We go back to the house and I am met with plentiful tea and food (thanks to Darta and the glorious spread that she made for me). I am famished and don’t want to talk much so as to not break the spell.

I look over and notice that Iveta is glowing and looks angelic. I wonder if I am too, and assume I am, but don’t care enough to find out. All is well in my world.

final relaxation by the pond — My final relaxation with a pillow of herbs

*******

Taking part in a traditional Latvian sauna ritual was the highlight of my Baltic vacation. The word “magical” doesn’t really do it justice. It was unlike any other massage or sauna experience I’ve ever had in my life and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Unlike in Finnish, Russian, or Korean spas where saunas are filled with other people, this was a deeply intimate, individual, and spiritual practice. And although there are saunas closer to the cities, I believe set and setting is critical to having the best experience. For this reason, a location in the countryside with a natural pond is ideal.

Gifting yourself this experience is an incredible act of self-love, and if you are visiting Latvia, it’s a must-do to truly immerse yourself in the culture. I can’t think of a better way to feel reborn and to create a lifelong memory. After my experience, I felt like my vacation was complete and the remainder of my trip was just icing on the cake.

I left the sauna ritual feeling lighter, refreshed, and transformed, and having a profound understanding of the power of nature to heal.

If you are visiting Latvia and interested in booking your own Latvian sauna experience, I can’t recommend my guide Darta from the Latvian Element highly enough. She arranges the entire sauna ritual, translates the whole way through, and will make you feel like you’re visiting an old friend. And be sure to book as far ahead as possible as sauna masters get booked weeks in advance.

Are you inspired to try the Latvian sauna? I’d love to hear in the comments!