In today’s episode, I sat down with Nell Waters, an expert in water, heat, and people. We explore why analog spaces like saunas and bathhouses matter more than ever, how design and etiquette create belonging, and where technology fits—or doesn’t—in the culture of bathing.
What you’ll hear in the episode:
What exactly is “bathing culture” and what “water + heat + people” have to do with it
Why analog, human-centered experiences still matter in a world obsessed with AI
Why bathing reveals something about place and community that museums never could
How cold plunges create community and connection
The subtle cues in design, etiquette, and atmosphere that create a true sense of belonging in a sauna and bathhouse
A behind-the-scenes look at SOAK and Sweat Temples—Nell’s own podcast and blog devoted to bathing culture
Nell Waters is a former award-winning Somatic bodyworker, workshop educator, startup entrepreneur, and part-time experience designer. Nell builds communities around next wave ideas.
She is best known for being an early pioneer in bringing back the urban bathhouse when she commissioned her long-time friends and landscape architects to design an ecological anti-spa that could be built out of shipping containers that she called SOAK. Today she is the founder of a communications studio called THIS NOT THAT where she also leads creative labs, and is the producer of Sweat Temples, a media platform dedicated to the rituals of water+heat+people found in corners all over the world.
Who Nell is Following:
-Tina Brown’s Newsletter on Substack
Get in touch with Nell:
-Sweat Temples - Instagram and Substack
-Find Nell on LinkedIn
-This Not That Communications & Creative Studio - tnt-creative.com
💧Badii Talk now has a Substack! Join us where wellness meets travel. We explore global bathing traditions, sauna rituals, and spa culture through the lens of place and community.
📍 Subscribe today for your free downloadable New England Spa & Sauna Road Trip Guide, packed with wellness destination recommendations, restaurants, hotels, and routes.
Edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Explore more bathing culture:
Website: www.badii.life
Blog: Badii Talk on Substack
Instagram: @badii.life
