Imagine travelling to faraway lands without leaving the comfort of home. Embarking on a journey to wellness and self-discovery that leads you here. Stepping into a sauna and embracing sweat culture and its virtues. Unique and hypnotizing, our rituals transport you elsewhere. A marriage of worldly traditions and a true Nordik Spa-Nature experience. Discover our variety of Aufguss rituals and welcome the heat.
Once you enter the spa and begin the thermal experience, you will be invited to discover rituals—the Aufguss. This German ritual was designed to maximize the benefits of thermotherapy through an intensified thermal cycle guided by a Rituals Artisan. Based on an ancient practice, at its core, this ritual heightens the effects of traditional vaporization techniques by using water enriched with natural essential oils. When water and snow are poured onto the heated stones of a sauna, a burst of vapour with health-enhancing properties is released. The Rituals Artisan—using entrancing choreographed movements along with a towel—creates a breeze. No two Aufguss are the same. Scents, atmosphere, length, intensity, soundscape, and choreography can all vary greatly—an open-ended story.
The Aufguss ritual is announced with the ringing of a gong. When you hear it, head to the Finlandia or Banyä sauna. For the next 8 to 16 minutes, feel the heat rise and the air grow heavy with enriched vapour as you witness the artisans’ waltz. What better to follow hot than cold? Your next destination following the ritual: a cold plunge. Feel the release of adrenaline as you experience thermal shock. Complete the thermal cycle—hot, cold, rest—by allowing yourself to rest in one of our many respite areas.
As expertly as Rituals Artisans wave towels, they masterfully weave tales. Find yourself amongst the pages of a storybook as you embark on an aromatherapeutic journey. The Aufguss is steeped in essential oil and punctuated by light, sound, and movement. As the story unfolds in three rounds and enriched snowballs melt away on the hot stones, feel your senses awaken.
Slowly introduce your senses to the wonders of this ritual with the Discovery Aufguss. Shorter than the Meditative or Arboreal ritual, the Discovery Aufguss is perfect for beginners. Your Rituals Artisans will guide you through this experience and initiate you to sweat culture in two rounds. Witness a unique and choreographed demonstration of towel-waving techniques and meditate as snowballs melt on hot stones in the heat of the Finlandia sauna.
Allow our Rituals Artisan to create a traditional, yet unique, wellness experience for you. Find peace and tranquility in the silence of the Finlandia sauna. The first essential oil-infused snowball is set onto the hot stones. As it melts away, your Meditative Aufguss journey begins. For three rounds, you will be entranced by a dance of vapour and creativity.
Inspired by the Canadian boreal forest, this Aufguss ritual is a love letter to nature. Let yourself be entranced by the music and lights enveloping the sauna. Feel the intensity of the Arboreal as the temperature fluctuates—hot and cold. Witness a performance like no other as your Rituals Artisans expertly waves tree whisks dipped in cold water, showering you with relief from the Banyä sauna’s heat. Become one with nature. One with home.
The story of the Aufguss rituals’ arrival to Canada and Nordik Spa-Nature’s passion for wellness are intricately woven. It all began when two artisans chose to travel to faraway lands—Germany—to improve their knowledge of sauna rituals. There, they followed a prestigious five-week Sauna-Meister course and brought their newfound expertise home where they shared the joy of Aufguss.
Nordik Spa-Nature is a proud member of the German association “Sauna Bund” which has been regulating and supervising Aufguss rituals for its 900 members for over 50 years.
Head to the Finlandia sauna—Meditative and Discovery Aufguss—and the Banyä sauna—Arboreal Aufguss—to discover the world of sweat culture. You are invited to partake in the Aufguss rituals multiple times a day. Every ritual is unique and so is every day, to discover what your wellness journey has in store for you, consult the boards at Banyä’s and Finlandia’s entrance. Should you lose track of time, the sound of the gong will bring you back to reality and alert you that a ritual awaits.
