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The Heat Rises

THE ELEMENTAL INSIDER: Issue No. 4


Hi friends,


There are moments in building something when you realize—you’ve crossed a threshold.


Not physically. But energetically.


What started as an idea… a sketch… a construction site…


Is now becoming something alive.


And if you’ve been following along, you can feel it too.


This Isn’t Just a Sauna


When we first broke ground, we were building a space.


Then came the challenges—the delays, the pivots, the moments where the dream hit the wall.


But now?


We’re stepping into something much bigger.


We’re not just opening a contrast therapy studio.


We are helping bring true sauna culture to Cleveland.


A Week That Changed Everything


This actually started in a completely different way.


I was building out our events calendar for the new space.


As I’ve been traveling the country—visiting bathhouses and contrast therapy studios—I kept seeing these experiences called Aufguss.


And I remember thinking:


I need to find this person and bring them to Elemental.


I had seen it at Sauna.day in Madison, Wisconsin.


So I went to their website, looked at their events calendar—and there it was again.


Same experience. Same sauna master.


Nate.


Then I remembered… I had seen it in Chicago too, at East End.


I looked it up.


Same guy. Same picture.


And I thought… Who is this guy?


So I started digging.


And what I found stopped me in my tracks.


Nate is fluent in German, deeply connected to the European sauna culture, and is helping bring sauna master training to the United States for the first time.


And in that moment, it hit me:


I don’t want to hire this. I need to learn this.


The Decision


This was the end of March.


The training was in Burlington, Vermont—April 13–17.


The week of my birthday.


And without hesitation… I booked it.


No overthinking.


No “let me figure this out first.”


I just knew.


I sent the money. Booked the flight. Figured out the rest later.


This is why I meditate every morning.


This is why I stay connected to my intuition.


Because when something pulls at you like that—you don’t question it.


You move.



I Thought I Was Learning About Sauna


I went there thinking I was going to learn more about sauna.


The physics. The benefits. The culture.


And I did.


But what I didn’t expect… was to fall into an entirely different world.


Aufguss


Aufguss is a German word that translates to steam infusion—you may also hear it called pour over.


But it’s so much more than that.


It’s a 10–12 minute sauna ritual where heat, steam, scent, and movement are orchestrated with precision.


The sauna master controls:


  • the temperature

  • the essential oil infusions

  • the timing

  • and the movement of heat through the room using towel work


There are different styles.


Classic (modern classic) Aufguss is rooted in tradition—focused on heat control, essential oil blends, and connection with the guests.


And then…


Where ritual, performance, and theater meet.


Music. Lighting. Storytelling. Choreography.


An emotional, sensory journey.



And Now I’m In It


Here’s what’s wild.


I had never experienced an Aufguss before I went to get trained to do one.


And now?


I’m completely immersed.


I’m talking to sauna masters regularly. I’m studying. Watching everything I can.


I’m testing essential oil blends—trying to create something that people can feel, not just smell.


I’m sourcing the highest-quality oils I can find—the same ones recommended by masters who have been doing this for decades.


And the towel work?


Let’s just say my arms are feeling it.



This Became Personal


What I thought would be something we offered… has become something I’m deeply passionate about.


And the most meaningful part?


The people.


There’s a small but growing community around this—globally and now here in the U.S.—and I feel incredibly grateful to be stepping into it.


Even more surreal…


I was trained by the same master who trained Nate—the person I originally set out to find.


And now?


We’re connected.


He’ll be coming to Elemental.


And this is just the beginning.



Sauna Is Having a Moment


If it feels like sauna is everywhere right now—you’re not wrong.

Spaces like Othership and Bathhouse Flatiron are bringing new awareness to what sauna can be.


And here locally, momentum is building with projects like Sauna Goose.


What’s happening right now isn’t new.


But it is being rediscovered.


The Way Sauna Was Meant to Be


At Elemental, we are building our saunas the traditional Finnish way.


  • Temperatures held at ~195°F

  • Proper air exchange (5–10 times per hour)

  • Thoughtful airflow and ventilation

  • Natural heat gradients from floor to ceiling


Because sauna isn’t one temperature—it’s an experience.


And when it’s done right, everything changes.


The Heat Is Rising


We’re about 5–6 weeks out.


  • The outdoor sauna is arriving soon.

  • The indoor sauna is built!

  • The details are being dialed in.


And behind the scenes…


I’m still learning. Still practicing. Still being pulled deeper into something I didn’t even know existed a few months ago.


Quote of the Week

“Follow what pulls you in—you don’t need to understand it yet.”


Reflection of the Week

Where in your life are you being pulled—and are you listening?


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