Saunotus Training

Heritage Sauna Academy

— saunotus training

A deep dive into saunotus, the heart of Finnish sauna culture. Our retreats and training programs offer hands-on experience in traditional healing practices, sauna hosting, and elemental ritual.

Training

Become a Sauna Healer – Learn by Doing, Surrounded by Nature

Our training combines theory and hands-on learning in the heart of Sipoo river valley.

Classes are held in a cozy log cabin surrounded by nature
Practical sauna training takes place at the riverside smoke sauna and healing sauna Lovi
The learning method is traditional: experience based and guided

This is a complete foundation to start your path as a sauna healer.

Your Path Into Saunotus

You can begin with our 3-day Intro Course to learn the foundations of Finnish sauna ritual, meditative steam practices, and cultural heritage. The intro can be taken on its own, with no further commitment.

Likewise, each of the three 5-day retreats can be booked individually as a self-contained experience — or joined together (15 days total) as a full sauna healer training path.

After each retreat, you have the option to stay on for an apprenticeship, gaining hands-on experience by treating real guests during public sauna sessions.

Retreats

Step away from daily life and reconnect through ancient Finnish sauna rituals.

We take care of everything – you just arrive.

Includes airport pickup, cozy double-room lodging at Riddars manor, meals, and full guidance throughout.

The retreats blend:

Finnish sauna rituals and mythology
Vihta (whisk) treatments
Herbal healing and natural remedies
The nurturing steam of the smoke sauna
Theory, practice, and deep relaxation
Hot tub under the open sky

You’ll learn, and be cared for – fully.

We’ll pick you up at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on Monday at 12:30 PM. Return transfer is on Friday at 4 PM – or Sunday at 7 PM if you stay for the apprenticeship.

Your retreat includes:

Airport pickup & drop-off
Lodging in cozy double rooms at Riddarsin manor
All meals
Full guidance and support throughout

"Knowlege is just rumor until it lives in the muscle"
- Brenee Brown

We want you to go home with a deep-rooted experience backed up with theoretical understanding. The retreat is the beginning of your sauna heritage journey. We will be there to guide you, as the price includes six months of distance support. This means you can approach us with any questions that come up when you practice sauna healing at home and in everyday life.

Once a month, a private online Q&A with the Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna healers will help you put into practice all you have learned at the retreat.

Schedule

You can begin with our 3-day Intro Course or join any of the three 5-day retreats — all can be taken individually with no further commitment, or combined into a full 15-day sauna healer training path.

Each experience offers a deep dive into Finnish sauna tradition, whether you’re just starting or looking to go all the way.

Each module begins on Monday with a communal sauna ceremony and concludes on Wednesday for the Intro Course and on Friday noon for the retreats.

Rough schedule of the retreat week:

Monday

12:30 – Pick up from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
14:00 – Welcoming ceremony
19:00 – Dinner

Tuesday – Thursday

7:30 – 8:30 – Breakfast
9:00 – 12:00 – Studies
12:00 – 13:00 – Lunch
13:00 – 18:30 – Sauna training
19:00 – 20:00 – Dinner
20:00 – 22:00 – Evening social gathering

Friday

7:30 – 8:30 – Breakfast
09:00 – 12:00 – Studies and conclusion
12:00 – 13:00 – Lunch
16:00 – Transportation to Helsinki-Vantaa Aiport

For sauna apprentices, the week continues working along with the sauna healers for the entire weekend.

The Saunotus Training Path

Begin your journey with our 3-day Intro Course (890 €), where you’ll learn to host Finnish sauna rituals, guide meditative steam sessions with herbal aromatherapy, and understand the roots of Finnish sauna heritage.

The intro is not required to join a retreat — but it’s a great standalone experience, or a warm-up before a retreat. You can attend it with no further commitment, or combine it with a single retreat or the full 3-retreat training path.

Course dates: 18–20 Aug, 1–3 Dec, 20–22 Apr.

You can join just one retreat or complete all three for the full Sauna Healer training. Each 5-day retreat (1500 € each / 4200 € for all three) focuses on a unique aspect of sauna healing: ritual hosting and elemental therapy, vihta and folk healing, and forest-based ceremony work.

The program includes accommodation at Riddars manor, all meals and materials, airport transfers, and ongoing support: 6–12 months of mentoring, monthly private Q&A, and lifetime access to our sauna healer community.

Optional 3-day apprenticeships follow each retreat for hands-on experience with real clients.

Courses

Intro Course – Saunotus Ritual Foundations

Introduction to Saunotus

Discover the essence of Finnish well-being in the multisensory cultural immersive ritual. Perfect for those seeking an authentic connection to nature’s simplicity.

This course is an introduction to Finnish sauna heritage, the ABC of sauna bathing and the practice of hosting a guided sauna ritual.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Host a Saunotus – a Finnish-style sauna ritual for a group, which consists of:
- First and last löyly rituals
- The use of herbal löyly and birch vihta in a group ritual
- Guiding a sauna meditation
Share insights about the meaning of löyly—the soul, spirit, and breath of the sauna

890 € / 3 days

A powerful start for anyone interested in sauna ritual hosting.

Course Dates:

18–20 August 2025
1–3 December 2025
20–22 April 2026

You can combine the intro with one retreat or continue to complete all three retreats as a full healer training path.

The Three Saunotus Retreats

Each retreat: 1500 € / 5 days
Full training (3 retreats): 4200 € / 15 days

All include 6–12 months of distance mentoring, monthly private Q&A sessions, and lifetime access to our healer community.

Also included:

Airport transfers
Twin-room accommodation at Riddars manor
All meals, materials, and guidance
Transport between accommodation and sauna

Retreat 1: Sauna healing

Dates: 20–26 October 2025

Learn the essentials of sauna ritual and elemental healing.
Guide a Finnish-style sauna ritual
Basics of smoke sauna heating & sauna building
Elemental healing: theory & practice
Peat and honey body treatments

Retreat 2 – Vihta & Herbal Healing

Dates: 9–15 February 2026

Retreat 3 – Forest Sauna Ceremony

Dates: 9–13 June 2025 | 8–14 June 2026

Instructors

Laura Foon

Laura Foon, known as Sauna-Akka, is an experienced sauna practitioner, licensed massage therapist, and a specialist in Baltic-Finnic culture.

Her sauna sessions draw deeply from mythological traditions, weaving in spells and rituals to bring ancient Finno-Baltic wisdom into a form that’s tangible and nourishing for the modern body and soul.

Laura’s training approach is rooted in years of archival research at the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), as well as hands-on learning alongside several master sauna healers. Her work bridges documented tradition and living, embodied knowledge. She currently serves as the head sauna healer at Sipoonjoen Perinnesauna and is the chair of Perinnesaunottajat ry. Laura also hosts the podcasts Saunan Naiset, Spirit of Sauna, and Tietäjä.

Joonas Vaarala

Joonas Vaarala is a sauna and podcast host, sauna healer, and trained massage therapist.

For years, Joonas has been hosting the Havuhattu podcast, where he explores themes related to sauna along with topics such as Baltic-Finnish mythology, depth psychology, and ecology.

In addition to sauna, Joonas is passionate about hiking in wilderness areas, fishing, and cycling

Otto Kronqvist

Otto Kronqvist is a sauna and podcast host as well as a yoga teacher and entrepreneur.

He is known for his work on the Havuhattu, Joogaradio, and Spirit of Sauna podcasts.

Otto works as the host of the Sipoonjoki traditional sauna and also trains yoga teachers at the Shakta Yoga School teacher training program.

With an academic background in philosophy and social history, Otto has over a decade of solid experience in entrepreneurship in the wellness industry.

Saara Mäntykoski

Saara is the hostess of the Sipoonjoki traditional sauna and a Forest Mind (Metsämieli) as well as Terveysmetsä (Health Forest) instructor.

She organizes women’s events at the Sipoonjoki traditional sauna and co-hosts the Saunan Naiset podcast with Laura.

Heritage Sauna Academy