Svelme Sauna is a sauna ritual and gathering space initiated by artists Gundega Strauberga and Ieva Jakusa.
Rooted in Latvian sauna (pirts) culture and folklore, the project approaches the sauna as living heritage: a space of embodied knowledge, collective care, and shared presence.
Rather than preserving tradition in its fixed and inherited form, we treat the sauna as a living practice that shifts in format and context. Fire heats the stones, water becomes steam, and the body is cleansed in the space between.
We travel with our own sauna tent. A wood-fired stove and, at the centre of it all, the whisks.
WHISKS
Bundles of birch or oak that bring nature into the heat, a wilderness carried into the city.
THE TENT
Our mobile sauna goes up wherever the ritual takes us, from rooftops to festival grounds.
FIRE
A wood-fired stove heats the stones. Herbal water poured on them becomes steam.
The Svelme Ritual
Three slow hours with the whisks, the heat and each other at our location.* Come on your own and share the ritual with up to three others, or book the whole session for your group.
| DURATION | 3 hours |
| GROUP | Up to 4 people |
| ONE SPOT | From 100 EUR per person |
| WHOLE SESSION | 400 EUR + VAT |
WHAT HAPPENS
- 01Tea and welcomeWe begin with our own herbal tea and an introduction to the ritual, the whisks and the herbs.
- 02Guided meditationInside the sauna, a guided meditation helps you arrive in the heat.
- 03Three rounds of whiskingHeat and whisks, then cooling down with a cold bucket or a plunge, depending on the place.
- 04RestTea, a snack and honey, and a long, quiet rest to settle back into yourself.
→ No experience needed. We guide you through every step.
04 /Included
in the ritual
everything is prepared by us, you only need to bring yourself
- Whisks we bind ourselves from birch and oak
- Honey from a small farm near our home in the Latvian countryside
- Herbal tea from plants we harvest ourselves
- Felt sauna hats, towels and linen sauna skirts to wear during the ritual
Sauna Sit-in
Last places where we've been
- ZOMERTANK10-11/10/26, Werktank, Leuven, BE
- STILL BEST14-16/08/26, Palangaradio festival, Skvotiskes, LT
- HABITS15/06/26, Mediamatic, Amsterdam, NL
- SAUNA RITUALS01-28/02/26, Energiekas, Den Haag, NL
A sauna ritual for festivals, art institutions or team building events. We arrive with the tent, the stove and the whisks, set up, and run the sauna through the day. Free for your guests, hosted by you.
| SESSION | Per 1 hour |
| GROUP | Up to 6 people |
| CAPACITY | Up to 5 sessions, around 30 people a day |
| DURATION | 1 or 2 days |
| FEE | On request |
ZOMERTANK
DOCUMENTATION
We are Gundega Strauberga and Ieva Jakusa, two Latvian artists who bring sauna (pirts) to new places.
In Latvian tradition, the sauna marked the turning points of the year and of life. Rituals “render time habitable”¹, and in the sauna the seasons do much of that work: the whisks are bound when the leaves are ready, and the herbs are gathered around midsummer, when they are said to carry the most magic and strength.
We keep every ritual small, up to six people, so we can pay attention to each person, to how much heat they want and the pace that suits them.
¹ Byung-Chul Han, The Disappearance of Rituals, Polity, 2020.
Tap into cycles
of nature
Book a Ritual
Questions
Do I need sauna experience?
No. We guide you through the whole ritual, and you can step out or rest whenever you need.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. Book a spot and share the ritual with up to three others, or book the whole session for your group.
What should I bring?
Wear swimwear, and bring a towel to dry yourself. You can also bring slippers, and a robe if you have one. For inside the sauna, we provide felt hats, towels and linen sauna skirts.
Is it safe for everyone?
Sauna heat is not right for everyone. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition or other health concerns, check with your doctor first and tell us when you book.
Can you come to our space?
Yes. We travel with the whole sauna, in the Netherlands and beyond. Tell us about the place and we will work out what is possible.
What languages do you speak?
English and Latvian.
Tell us what you have in mind
Book a spot, the whole session, or invite us to your home or event. Tell us what you have in mind and we reply by email.
| SVELME RITUAL | 3 hours, up to 4 people |
| SAUNA SIT-IN | 1 hour per session, 1-2 days |
| TRAVEL | The Netherlands and beyond |
We reply by email within 3 work days
Or write to us directly: book@svelme.nl
Where
next?
Our public sauna moves from place to place. Leave your email to hear where and when we set up next.