A Photo Journey into Herbarium Festival 2023
Herbarium Festival is a unique event dedicated to bathing culture, sauna and herbalism that was launched in April 2023. The festival brought together sauna practitioners and enthusiasts to experience the health, wellbeing and social benefits that sauna culture and ritual can provide.
At Therme, we believe that sauna can be a powerful tool to support community wellbeing as part of a wider programme of preventative healthcare. Not only has research shown that sauna use can help mitigate physical and mental health problems including stress, anxiety and cardiovascular disease but Social Sauna, Therme and Jane Withers Studio’s publication into sauna culture, found that sauna is a deeply social practice that can cultivate a deep connection to nature and sense of community.
In this photo essay, we look at some of the moments from across the festival and how, for just a few days, it created a unique and supportive community based around sauna.
As discussed in 'Social Sauna,' one of the key elements of sauna culture is community and social connection. Herbarium was created as a celebration of the active sauna community at Therme Bucharest.
Aufguss rituals, such as this one inspired by Estonian sauna practices, involve hot air, infused with oils, being moved around the sauna for a multisensory bathing experience.
Health, nature and community sit at the heart of thermal bathing cultures across the globe.
Studies* have shown that steam saunas can be incredibly effective in supporting skin health as it opens up pores and therefore supports the natural process of detoxification.
Adding introducing aromatics into the sauna through hot steam can bring significant health benefits to sauna goers including supporting decongestion and inducing relaxation.
Many bathing cultures, including Finnish sauna, Lithuanian Piritis, Russian Banya and Latvia Pirts use plants not only for aroma but also for massage and teas. Hitting the body with bunches of dried leaves and twigs is a form of massage that stimulates blood and lymph circulation in the body.
Scrubs, such as this sugar-based one, are used across sauna cultures for exfoliation and moisture.
Another way aromatics are diffused into the sauna is through herbal teas. These teas are brewed using fresh herbs and then are put directly on the oven. Rituals using fresh herbs and plants highlight the deep connection between sauna and the natural world.
Sauna hats, such as these, are traditionally used in Northeastern sauna cultures to help with temperature regulation.
Traditional sauna rituals use specific plants for their medicinal properties. An example of this is eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is a very effective and natural way to clear airways and can be used to treat symptoms of congestion.
Herbs and plants are central to the sauna experience and connecting with nature constitutes a key pillar of sauna culture.
Bundles of small tree branches called ‘viht’ are used to stimulate blood flow to the skin during sauna rituals.
Some sauna rituals involve burning herbs in a process called smudging. This image shows the Aufguss Master using styrax and clary sage to cleanse the air and aid relaxation.
As well as fun and connection, Herbarium was a place of learning and exploration. Throughout the festival, sauna experts and herbalists ran sessions to educate festivalgoers on the benefits of medicinal herbs.
With every unique sauna session delivered at Therme, you can see the improvement in people’s happiness and wellbeing as they build deeper connections with each other and themselves.
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