Today’s episode is dedicated to Finnish folklore and the spirits of the sauna. I can think of no one better to have this conversation with than Dr. Victoria Stewart, Assistant Director of the Humanities Center at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. I learned so much talking to her and it’s really given me a renewed sense of respect and passion for both Finnish culture and sauna culture. If you’re listening to Badii Talk, I know you’ve gotta be a sauna nerd too, so I think you’re going to really enjoy this one! And if you’re a sauna enthusiast, folklore lover, or curious about the deeper cultural roots of wellness traditions, I hope this episode will spark your imagination and deepen your appreciation for sauna culture.
Dr. Stewart manages the day-to-day operations of the center's Detroit Humanities Hub, a public humanities initiative that connects the interests and talents of Wayne State's humanists with those of the people of Detroit. She holds a PhD in Folklore and Scandinavian Studies from the University of Wisconsin, which led to a 10-year career as a professor of Finnish and Nordic Studies at a small, private university founded by Finnish immigrants before her move to Detroit and public work. Stewart shares her knowledge of folklore and cultural traditions in a variety of ways, including public lectures and talks, exhibitions, documentary films, and more.
Learn more about Dr. Stewart’s work at her website.
What you’ll hear in the episode
What folklore is and why it matters. And what it reveals about culture, community, and our shared humanity.
How the Finnish sauna became a sacred, spiritual space for birth, healing, and even death.
The sauna spirits said to inhabit the heat and steam and the stories that honor them.
Ancient rituals, offerings, and taboos for showing respect (and avoiding angering) the sauna spirits.
How modern Finns and those with Finnish heritage continue to view these traditions today.
Whether sauna spirits still travel with global sauna culture or remain rooted in Finnish soil.
How Dr. Stewart’s work in public folklore and the humanities brings these stories to life in Detroit and beyond.
Experience the work of Dr. Stewart and the Detroit Humanities Hub:
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
💧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 access to our wellness travel guides, packed with wellness destination recommendations, restaurants, hotels, and routes.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture.
Explore more bathing culture:
Website: www.badii.life
Blog: Badii Talk on Substack
Instagram: @badii.life
Today we have a spooky season bonus episode for you! We’re back with another wellness road trip. In the summer, my friend Jordan and I travelled across New England visiting some of the best spas, saunas, and bathhouses in the region. With only four days to our itinerary, we felt like we had so much more to see. Now, with the leaves changing, it’s sauna season… and spooky season. What better way to celebrate the temps dropping with a spooky road trip through the Northeast, stopping to experience unique wellness experiences along the way?
Starting in Connecticut, we visit Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Perhaps the spookiest of the New England states.
So what do you say, witches, ready for the Spooky New England Wellness Tour?
What you’ll hear in the episode:
Energy Healing (Reiki) and Chinese Reflexology / Foot Massage: A brief history and cultural background to these two wellness practices.
Wellness Experiences in New England: Highlights from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, including our honest reviews.
Where to Eat & Stay: Our favorite restaurants, coffee shops, witchy shops, hotels, and “can’t miss” extras.
Spooky Attractions & Activities: The best places in New England to celebrate the Halloween season.
Featured in this episode:
Beijing Herbal Foot Spa (Salem, MA)
Ash Alchemy (Portsmouth, NH)
Sources for today’s topics:
Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy (PubMed)
💧Want the full itinerary? Badii Talk 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 access to our wellness travel guides, 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
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
It’s sauna season, and we’re back for Part 2 of our spa and sauna road trip across New England. My friend Jordan and I traveled nearly 1,000 miles, exploring some of the best spas, saunas, and bathhouses across the Northeast. Along the way, we share where to soak, where to sweat, and of course, what to eat.
What you’ll hear in Part 2 of our New England Spa & Sauna Road Trip:
Spas & Saunas in New England: Highlights from Maine and Vermont, including our honest reviews.
Where to Eat & Stay: Our favorite restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, and special extras just for Badii Talk listeners.
Thermal Bathing Culture in New England: How history, nature, and a growing wellness movement are shaping a new bathing scene.
Featured in this episode:
Washington Baths (Portland, Maine)
SAVU Sauna (Burlington, Vermont)
💧Want the full itinerary? 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
In this special bonus episode, we sit down with Ashley Baldwin, co-owner of Waterstruck Wellness in Maine, to explore the world of Nordic spas. Ashley shares what defines a Nordic spa, how Waterstruck integrates nature and the four seasons into its design, and why creating inclusive community spaces for rest and wellness is at the heart of their mission.
What you’ll learn in What is a Nordic Spa? Exploring Community, Nature, and Wellness in Maine:
The history and origins of Nordic spas in North America
Why rest, nature, and seasonal rituals are central to the Nordic spa experience
How Waterstruck Wellness is bringing the benefits of Nordic thermal bathing culture to Maine
The intentional design of Waterstruck that connects guests to nature and community through hydrotherapy and rest
Connect with Waterstruck on their website and on Instagram.
💧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
The temps are dropping in New England and the crisp fall air means one thing: sauna season. In this episode, my friend Jordan and I travel nearly 1,000 miles, exploring some of the best spas, saunas, and bathhouses across the Northeast. Along the way, we share where to soak, where to sweat, and of course, what to eat (including a lobster roll you don’t want to miss).
What you’ll hear in Part 1 of our New England Spa & Sauna Road Trip:
Spas & Saunas in New England: Highlights from Rhode Island and Maine, including our honest reviews.
Where to Eat & Stay: Our favorite restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, and special extras you won’t find in a guidebook.
Thermal Bathing Culture in New England: How history, nature, and a growing wellness movement are shaping a new bathing scene.
Featured in this episode:
The Bodhi Spa (Newport, Rhode Island)
Waterstruck Wellness Nordic Spa (Newcastle, Maine)
👉 Want the full itinerary? Subscribe to the Badii Talk newsletter for the free downloadable New England Spa & Sauna Road Trip Guide, packed with extra travel tips, restaurants, hotels, and routes: badii.life/subscribe
If you’re local to the Northeast — or planning a fall trip out here soon — this is the perfect episode to kick off your sauna season.
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
In this episode, we dive into the first-ever U.S. National Aufguss Championship, hosted at Bathhouse Williamsburg in New York City. I was lucky enough to attend this history-making sauna event, and I’m joined by my brother-in-law AJ, who shares his impressions of the competition and what it was like to spend six hours immersed in the world of Aufguss. We’ll also hear from Aufgussmaster and 2025 U.S. Solo Champion Alonzo Solórzano and Denver’s first sauna master, Alycia Wong.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
-What is Aufguss? Discover the German aromatherapy sauna ritual directly from professional Aufgussmasters.
-What is a theater Aufguss competition? Learn how competitors are judged and what it takes to perform at a championship level.
-What makes a theater Aufguss performance unique? Explore the multisensory mix of heat, music, movement, and essential oils that transform a sauna session into an immersive wellness experience.
Whether you’re a sauna enthusiast, wellness traveler, or simply curious about the growing Aufguss culture in America, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at a truly unforgettable event. We’re still sweating!
Mentioned in this episode:
- What is Dadaism? Source: https://thedali.org/dali-library-guide-1/dada-2/
Learn more about Bathhouse:
Instagram: @bathhouse
Connect with Alycia:
Website: www.thewayhom.com
Instagram: @alycia_wong and @youaretheway_
Connect with Alonzo:
Instagram: @aufgussmaster.alonzo
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Photo credit: @bathhouse and Aysia Marotta
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
We’re joined by Alycia Wong—Denver’s first certified Sauna Master and a trained Somatic Aufguss practitioner. Alycia shares how she blends traditional Aufguss rituals with somatic breathwork to create deeply healing sauna experiences.
Alycia left a 13-year corporate marketing career, moved to the mountains, and became Denver’s first Sauna Master. Alycia is a true pioneer in the somatic wellness space—and she’s here to talk all things healing, self-leadership, and rethinking self-care.
What is somatic breathwork, and how does it work inside a sauna? Alycia breaks it down in simple terms and even guides us through a live somatic breathwork session so you can experience it for yourself.
Worth a listen if you're interested in sauna culture or curious about the mind-body connection achieved through breath and heat.
Take a deep breath… and let’s begin.
Alycia’s recommendations for exploring breathwork:
-Insight Timer meditation app
-Open meditation and breathwork app
-https://www.breathworknearme.com/ to find in-person breathwork sessions
Who Alycia is following:
- Open
- Ally Maz
- Vex King
Connect with Alycia:
Website: www.thewayhom.com
Instagram: @alycia_wong and @youaretheway_
Offer for Badii listeners: 20% off The Daily Practice w/ code BADII
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Curious about Sojo Spa Club in Edgewater, NJ? In this episode, we give our listeners an honest review of one of the most popular day spas in the NYC area—known for its Korean-inspired bathing rituals, stunning skyline views, and unique treatments like the *scorching* hot Volcanic Sand Bath. Joining me are my sisters Angie and Michelle, who share their honest reactions to everything from the cedar Hinoki soaking pool to being buried in 130-degree sand (spoiler: it got intense).
We talk about:
What to expect at Sojo Spa Club: thermal baths, saunas, and global spa rituals
Is the Volcanic Sand Bath worth it—or way too much?
Tips for first-timers: pricing, transportation, food, and more
How Sojo is helping bring accessible bathing culture to the US
Whether you're planning a wellness weekend or just curious about modern bathhouses, this episode is your full Sojo Spa guide.
Mentioned in this episode:
Historical / Cultural Sources:
Learn more about Sojo Spa:
Website: sojospaclub.com
Instagram: @sojospaclub
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
In this special episode, the mic is turned around as our host and founder, Sarah Spoto, sits down to share the story behind Badii — a Swiss-inspired wellness brand on a mission to grow American thermal bathing culture. Sarah is interviewed by Kathryn Flaschner, the host of The Truth Is podcast.
Join us as we dive into where the idea for Badii came from, how the healing waters of Switzerland shaped the vision, and why bringing European bathing rituals like Aufguss to more people can help create deeper community and connection.
We explore what it really means to build a purpose-driven brand today, how "entrepreneurship" isn’t just investment and growth but also building community and a balanced lifestyle.
If you’ve ever wondered what sparked this project, how you can be part of it, or what’s next for the Badii thermal bathing community — this one’s for you.
Media that Sarah is following:
-Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
-The Grief Nurse and The Bone Diver by Angie Spoto
-Susanna Søberg for cold exposure science
-Alonzo Solórzano for American Aufguss
-THE CHAIR podcast
-The Truth Is podcast
Connect with Sarah and Badii:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram: @badii.life
This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
Alisa Cardenas, founder of Howl at the Moon Sauna Co. and Good Heat Retreats, joins us to talk all things sauna, community, and ritual. From mobile sauna sessions in the Michigan woods to a new retreat series launching in NYC, we explore how thermal bathing can transform travel as a way to deeply understand places, deepen connection, and inspire reflection. Alisa also shares her journey as a “saunapreneur”—the highs, the challenges, and what’s next.
Media that Alisa is following:
-The Sauna Sirens at @sauna.sirens
Connect with Alisa:
Instagram:
Websites:
Edited by Lila Woodbridge
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
In this episode, we’re joined by Samer Ghadry, a Brooklyn-based musician and sound meditation facilitator. We explore the practice of sound healing and sound bathing—what it entails and how you can use sound to invite stillness, calm, and clarity into your everyday life. Whether you're new to sound meditation (we were!) or curious about deepening your wellness rituals with sound, our conversation with Samer offers an introduction to the healing power of sound.
Media that Samer is following:
-Samer’s Lot Radio Show
-LSD: My Problem Child by Albert Hofmann
Connect with Samer:
Instagram: @samerghadry
Website: Tonecenter.org
Discover the sounds of today’s episode is our joint Spotify playlist
🎶 Badii Talk x Samer Ghadry Sound Meditation
Edited by Lila Woodbridge
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
We explore the intersection of spa culture, social media, and spa etiquette. Our guest, Olivier della Valle, Social Media Manager for Cadillac Europe and founder of the social media agency The Plot, joins us to unpack how phones and digital habits are reshaping the spa experience.
We dive into questions like:
-Should phones be allowed in wellness spaces?
-How can we stay present in a hyper-connected world?
-What does inclusive spa etiquette look like? How can bathing etiquette encourage more welcoming spaces for gender queer folks?
We reflect on how traditional spa norms might evolve to better support mindfulness, presence, and inclusivity in modern wellness spaces.
Whether you're a wellness lover, spa practitioner, or curious about how digital culture intersects with self-care, this episode is for you.
Spas mentioned in the episode:
Forty-Seven Thermal Spa in Baden, Switzerland (a Badii favorite)
QC Terme in Milan
QC Terme in San Pellegrino
Media that Oli is following:
Connect with Oli and The Plot:
Instagram: @hey.plot
Threads: @hey.plot
Email: hey.plot@gmail.com
Edited by Lila Woodbridge
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
In this special bonus episode, experience a guided meditation designed for the sauna or your daily relaxation practice. Let the soothing sounds of the River Limmat in Baden, Switzerland wash over you as you unwind, de-stress, and reconnect with calm. Whether you’re sitting in the sauna, at home, or on the go, this peaceful river meditation will help you slow down and reset.
We’d love to hear your feedback—did this meditation help you relax? Would you like more guided sauna meditations and sound journeys in future episodes? Share your thoughts and let us know!
Meditation created by Braxton and Jorge of Yoga Ganesh. Episode edited by Lila Woodbridge.
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
We’re joined by JerDrema Flynt, M.Ed, MBA. Dreme is an educator and the founder and CEO of THE CHAIR. THE CHAIR is a Black and Brown centered tech platform dedicated to supporting people on their hair journey by providing the opportunity to design hairboards, connect to hairstylists, and share hair care tips for a more joyful and efficient process and experience. We talk about Dreme’s experiences bathing all over the world, how she protects and treats her hair before and after bathing, and we discuss how to make bathing spaces welcoming to more folks. Let’s dive in!
Media that Dreme is following:
-Maya Lê @maistorybooklibrary
-Alexis Nikole @blackforager
Connect with Dreme and THE CHAIR:
Instagram: @dremephotographer
Website: growinghands.wpengine.com
Podcast: THE CHAIR on Spotify | THE CHAIR
Edited by Lila Woodbridge
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
No doubt you’ve seen more and more mobile saunas popping these days. Today we meet one of the entrepreneurs behind one of the hottest (pun in intended) bathing businesses. Katie Moore is the founder of Sisu Mobile Sauna in Livonia, MI. The idea for Sisu came to Katie in 2023 when she realized she craved community and wanted to find a way to intentionally create something bigger than herself. Katie’s 50% Finnish heritage and interest in wellness lead her to the idea of a sauna that would go to people's homes and to retreats.
We discuss such topics as:
-Why she started a mobile sauna business and the inspiration behind it
-How her Finnish heritage informed her sauna passion
-Sauna culture in Michigan and America
-Sisu Mobile Sauna’s build process - how and why she chose the sauna she did
-The benefits of sauna
Bathing media and brands that Katie is following:
-Finlandia Foundation’s Sauna Week
Connect with Katie and Sisu Mobile Sauna:
Instagram: @sisumobilesauna
Website: www.sisumobilesauna.com
Edited by Lila Woodbridge
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
We’re joined by Sierra Blake, the founder and CEO of Saint Lucie sauna serum. Despite the benefits of sauna, Sierra noticed the practice taking a toll on something unexpected — her hair. After trying many different oils and conditioners (and always forgetting that dang hat), she started figuring out what didn’t work and what did. And thus, sauna serum was born! Sierra is also pursuing her master’s degree in mental health and studying the psychological effects of sauna and cold water immersion.
We discuss such topics as:
- Why she launched Saint Lucie and her vision
- Sauna culture in Minnesota
- Joy and connection in the sauna
- Building community through her serum
- Her metal healthy and psychology research
- Researchers and studies she’s paying attention to on the effects of sauna and cold exposure
- Tips for interpreting studies on sauna and hot and cold exposure
Researchers mentioned in today’s episode:
-Dr Susanna Søberg: @susanna_soeberg
Bathing media that Sierra is following:
Connect with Sierra and Saint Lucie:
Instagram: @shopsaintlucie
Website: www.shopsaintlucie.com
Music credit: Adobe Podcast
Featured water sounds: Water on the sauna stones in Suffield, Connecticut
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
We welcome back Alonzo Solórzano, Head Aufgussmaster at Bathhouse for Part 2 of our conversation on the European sauna ceremony, Aufguss. Alonzo dives deep into the categories Aufguss (theater, Aufguss, anyone?) and discusses why he considers the practice a ceremony versus ritual. He describes how he designs his Aufguss ceremonies, shares his tips for first time sauna and Aufguss-goers, and discusses importance of Aufguss in America, including here to experience Aufguss in the States
We discuss such topics as:
-Categories of Aufguss
-“Ritual” versus “ceremony”
-Designing an Aufguss ceremony
-Tips for first time sauna and Aufguss-goers
-Aufguss in America, including where to experience Aufguss in the States
Connect with Alonzo:
Instagram: aufgussmaster.alonzo
Substack: aufgussmasteralonzo
Music credit: Adobe Podcast
Featured water sounds: Water on the sauna stones in Suffield, Connecticut
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
Welcome to Badii Talk Shorts! Short, bite-sized episodes focused on bathing culture education. Today we’re talking Finnish saunas. What exactly makes a sauna a Finnish sauna?
Materials and Sources Listed in this episode, include:
-unesco.org
-https://finlandnaturally.com/about-us/
-Nordic Magic by Meri Mort
-The Book of Nordic Self Care by Elisabeth Carlsson
-Sauna by from Cozy Publishing
Music credit: Adobe Podcast
Featured water sounds: Water on the sauna stones in Suffield, Connecticut
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram: @badii.life
We’re joined by Head Aufgussmaster at Bathhouse, Alonzo Solórzano, who delves deep into Aufguss--that wacky European towel waving sauna ceremony we love so much. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Alonzo demystifies Aufguss, goes deep on the craft of towel waving, shares the cultural and historical origins of Aufguss, and tells us how he first got into the Aufguss practice.
We discuss such topics as:
-What is Aufguss?
-The craft of towel waving
-The cultural and historical origins of Aufguss
-American Aufguss culture
-Alonzo’s path to Aufgussmaster at Bathhouse
Connect with Alonzo:
Instagram: aufgussmaster.alonzo
Substack: aufgussmasteralonzo
Music credit: Adobe Podcast
Featured water sounds: Water on the sauna stones in Suffield, Connecticut
Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. We share all this across many platforms, including:
Website: www.badii.life
Instagram @badii.life
