Aufguss at Glasgow Community Sauna: Introducing Tiia from Kaski Sauna Sessions

Glasgow Community Sauna is excited to welcome Kaski Sauna Sessions founder and sauna master Anna Tiia Sorjonen for a series of guided aufguss sessions rooted in, ritual, steam and deep rest. First session Sunday 14th June at 8.30pm.

As community sauna culture continues to grow across Glasgow, Tiia brings a practice grounded in traditional sauna values while creating something that feels deeply connected to the warmth and creativity of the city itself.

We sat down with Tiia to chat about sauna ritual, Glasgow community culture, the power of Aufguss and what people can expect from an aufguss session at Glasgow Community Sauna.

About Tiia

You grew up in Finland with sauna culture and now live in Glasgow’s Southside. How have those two worlds shaped the way you approach sauna and ritual?

Growing up in Finland going to the sauna was a ritual with the family. It is very usual to have an electric sauna in your home, the high rising building will usually have a bigger communal one as a bonus too. It felt to me that family time, at least in our family, often revolved around the sauna. Family or friends came for a visit - the sauna was on. We went to visit family or friends - the sauna was on. There wasn't a dinner party, a birthday celebration, a graduation or a public holiday on which the sauna would have not been on. The ritual of going to the sauna was soothing in its mundanity.

After moving to Glasgow I missed going to the sauna. I would visit the gym sauna nearby, but it wasn't the same thing - you couldn't throw water on the stones to create steam, or Löyly, as we call it. I believe this is something shared amongst Nordic Sauna Culture: it's not really a sauna if you can't throw water on the stones.

When a sauna opened up in Glasgow 2 years ago, I found myself on those benches twice a week - big changes in personal life meant that I was looking for that safety, that warmth, the healing heat. The ritual of going to the sauna was back. But this time it wasn't mundane, going to the sauna became a very intentional practice of healing oneself, of connecting with nature and my roots. In a time where my life was in flux, and I didn't know where to go, I found myself at the sauna. Fast forward a year and a half, and I was working at the very same sauna. 

For me the ritual of sauna is not what happens in the sauna - it is the practice of going, the practice of cleansing oneself. For cleansing, we can bring different practices to the sauna, whisking, scrubs, Aufguss just to name a few, but in its simplicity you only need time and löyly.

What inspired you to start Kaskisauna Sessions and begin sharing guided sauna experiences with people in Glasgow?

When I am not at the sauna, I am a creative, working with performance art and theatre. As I research into durational and endurance art practices, my pieces have always involved ritual at the heart of them. I’ve got a practice of facilitating workshops in Drama environments, so I wanted to facilitate a special session for throwing water on the stones, to have a real Löyly session for those who shared the love of it. After some research I came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to do some training before I offer any experiences and so I trained as a Sauna Master. 

Kaskisauna Sessions came about after I’d finished my training. Kaski is a traditional agricultural method, in which land is burned to create more fertile soil. After a few cycles of growth, the land is left to rest and re-wild for decades. It felt very suitable for the ethos of my sessions. The heat will nourish growth, but real life happens in the rest after. The element of fire has always been a big source of inspiration for me. I wanted to bring in some of my roots, and as our family flag has flames and tools for Kaski depicted in it, I decided to take inspiration from this.

About Aufguss and Ritual

For anyone who’s never experienced it before, what actually is aufguss and what makes it different from a regular sauna session?

Aufguss is a Germanic sauna tradition involving Löyly, essential oils and a towel and/or a fan to distribute the steam and the scents in the air. An Aufguss ritual is 12-15 minutes long, and can include music and storytelling. It is a more structured session with a thermal experience crafted by the Aufguss Master.

What can people expect when they come to one of your sessions at Glasgow Community Sauna?

I'm a big fan of Löyly, so you can expect steam! My aufgusses are usually energising, yet grounding. I like working with music, and plants. My sessions usually consist of time in the sauna with a Löyly session, some meditative/mindful practises for example breath or voice work and an Aufguss ritual followed by a guided reflection/intention setting opportunity.

Your practice feels really rooted in traditional ritual. How do steam, scent, music and movement all come together during an aufguss?

Löyly, the steam, is the breath, the spirit of the sauna. As water is poured onto the stones we all breathe in the steam, we feel the heat. The movement of the towel, and the sounds of the ice melting on the stove is part of the flow we tap into to let the heat do its thing, and the scents compliment this experience.

Glasgow Sauna Culture and Community

Glasgow has such a strong community and grassroots culture. What excites you about bringing guided sauna rituals to glasgow community sauna?

I am very excited about bringing my practice into the more urban sauna environment. The Glasgow Community Sauna has such a soulful feel to it, and it feels great to get to meet the community that has built that. 

Sauna culture in Scotland seems to be growing really quickly right now. Why do you think so many people in Glasgow are connecting with it?

There's something about the simplicity of it, which draws people to it, I believe. I believe people are wanting to slow down and focus on what is essential. Part of me wants to suggest that after being so separate during Covid, we are now looking for those fires to gather around together.

What makes a community sauna experience feel different from a commercial spa environment?

For me a community Sauna gives the quest a social, no fuss experience, it's about filling an everyday, ongoing need of cleansing oneself, whereas a spa experience is much more about luxury, pampering and entertainment.

Looking Ahead

At the heart of it all, what do you hope people leave your sessions feeling or taking away with them after taking part in Aufguss at Glasgow Community Sauna?

The Aufguss and ritual sessions I lead are designed so that anyone joining in could relax, let go and just breathe for a little while in the warm safety of the Sauna. In the end, I am there just to make sure that the sauna is hot and everyone sweats. I hope people leave my sessions feeling grounded.

You can follow Anna Tiia’s work and upcoming sessions through:

Kaski Sauna Sessions

Tiia Sorjonen

Head to our bookings page to join our first Aufguss Session on the 14th of June.