How to be.
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party to introduce some friends or attending a new social gathering, the kindest offering a host can make is the simple act of sharing instructions for ‘how to be”.
It sets everyone up for success in answering one question - What is my role in making this moment meaningful?
Where to be? When to be? How to be?
So, let’s talk about your role while in the River Sauna.
The sauna is not a thing to pop in and out of without preparation. It’s not an amenity in a gym that casually bookends your workout.
It’s intentional. It’s deliberate. It’s tradition.
It’s also a cultural and physiological ritual that bridges the gap between body, mind, & community. And up here, it’s got a flow that helps bring it all to life.
THE RITUAL
PREPARE with a towel for the bench, sandals or shoes to be left at the stairs, a water bottle, and an extra towel or robe for afterwards.
SWEAT for a 15 min session. Even better is a 15 min group experience started and ended together. Please wait around the fire pit to enter until someone exits or a current session concludes.
CONTRIBUTE to the social atmosphere. Read the room and seek consensus on conversation, silence, ladles of steam, seating, increased heat & more. Sexualized behavior & conversation is wildly inappropriate.
ENDURE, hydrate, meditate, converse, & tolerate during the 15 min sweat. Change positions as needed, seat higher for increased temp yet refrain from touching, loading, or adjusting the stove. Exit the Sauna at any time if you feel uncomfortable, dizzy, etc… If you exit Sauna, do not re-enter until a new session starts.
PLUNGE in the river or rinse in the waterfall. Take a slow cooling walk before a cold plunge and gradually re-heat after. Laying flat is recommended. Always rinse before entering a pool.
REST in a pool, around the fire pit, or while laying / sitting down. Let the shivers run through you. Hydrate well and re-adjust for 15 min.
REPEAT the 15 minute sweat, plunge, & 15 min rest circuit. 3 circuits is a good balance.
And everything in between? Well, that’s where you come in. Explore our calendar for upcoming Sauna Afternoons.
THE REMINDERS
Sauna passes are required and all guests must be 18 yrs or older.
Glass, alcohol, & drug free. Personal cameras and music not permitted.
Hydrate frequently. If you are sensitive to the heat, feel dizzy, nauseous or begin to feel uncomfortable, leave the sauna immediately. Avoid jewelry and metal.
Do not touch wood stove nor reload with firewood. Inform staff if wood is needed.