Ziedlejas: Peace in the Practice of Latvian Pirts

Where ever I land in my travels, I always find myself drawn to the local spas and saunas. I think it's a result of my overactive mind, from JeJu, the Korean Jjimjilbang in Atlanta, Georgia to the Hammam & Spa Oktogon in Bern, Switzerland, my heart is always searching for an escape from my hyper-vigilance; trained to constantly be alert, even before I lived on the road in foreign lands, I'm always desperate to give my poor brain a break!

When the sauna or spa is also an expression of the local culture it's truly a privilege to experience the traditions of the people and place I am visiting, which is why I was especially eager to visit a Latvian Pirts!

Loosely translated as 'bathhouse' or 'sauna' the traditional Latvian Pirts shares some similarities to other smoke saunas found in Estonia, Russia and Finland.† It can technically be classified as a 'wet' sauna, meaning it utilizes steam and high humidity, but the practice of pirts, both in it's most ancient practical bathing sense, and it's more ritualized expression, is unique enough that pirts is truly it's own category.

Ziedlejas Wellness Resort

I was fortunate to be able visit the design-award-winning Ziedlejas Resort, in the Gauja National Park of Latvia for my first pirts experience, and I was blown away by both the pirts and the resort!

🍃 Tucked in a pocket of Krimulda Parish wilderness, behind the main road from Sigulda to Riga, you might never know this little Latvian paradise even exists. On the banks of a small lake on the edge of the forest, Ziedlejas Wellness Resort offers three different pirts on site, all suitable for single guests, couples, and even able to accommodate groups, and families with children. Owned by Māris Alberts, the family run resort is a true labor of love, managed day - day by it's caretakers, Andris & Madara who live near by with their two beautiful children.*

The beautiful resort, emphasizes slow living, cultural preservation and immersive nature experiences. It was designed to be a sanctuary for urban escapees seeking restoration,** and began with a contemporary take on the ancient pirts practice; a sleek Glass Pirts. Carved like a glass walled hobbit hole into the hillside, it over looks the lake, open and well-lit with a large comfortable sitting area and a small pier for swimming.

Ziedlejas believes "nature shows us the right pace," and doesn't aim for mass tourism; it's intentionally remained small, with only a handful of overnight accommodations available, focusing instead on small-group retreats like the Pirts Spirit Camp for cultural immersion.

Recently they added a Wool Pirts, a cozy modern space perched amongst the trees, in a truly cool spiral design, with an outdoor tub and a hanging net 'hammock' strung in the tree branches. But I was most interested in the traditional pirts experience for my first time, in their Black^ / Smoke Pirts, a dark cabin tucked in a secluded corner of the woods next to a trickling stream.

Sometimes pirts is referred to as the Latvian Spa, (since water is used to bathe the body,) or the Latvian Sauna (due to the hot steam) but neither captures the richness of the pirts. Many people I spoke to expressed the difficulty in describing a pirts session, noting the experience is as untranslatable as the word, that it must be tried to be understood, and having now done so, I understand why the name Pirts has survived as a separate term, it is entirely its own rich and unique tradition.

For the purposes of this post I use the word pirts mostly in it's sense of being the physical building which includes a pērtuve (the actual smoke sauna/ steam room equipped with a sauna stove)...

🍃 Traditionally a Smoke Sauna is created by building a wood fire (either in a pit or inside and oven) in an enclosed space, to heat stones over a long period of time. The fire is then extinguished, allowing the space to fill with smoke, and the rocks continue to give off heat, maintaining the temperature inside the sauna. Water can be poured on the stones to lower the temperature and also create steam.

(Modern sauna's generally use electric forms of energy to heat their spaces & sauna rocks, and do not have the resulting smoke from the wood burning, or the accompany atmosphere and aromas created by it.)

...but the word pirts also covers the whole "...set of Latvian cultural and historical traditions for cleansing, protecting, healing, maintaining health and well-being, uniquely, using plants and other natural gifts under the influence of heat and humidity" which are practiced inside that pirts house.^^

* In addition to maintaining the Resort Andris is also a writer and musician, and part of a cool Lativian heavy metal band "Elkupe" with strong Latvian ancestral influences to their music.

** The award wining design is by Open AD (led by Zane Tetere-Sulce in close collaboration with owner Māris Alberts,) and landscape firm Landshape. Ziedeljas was shortlisted for the 2021 Dezeen Awards in the hospitality category and received a 2025 tourism award from Latvia's Prime Minister's office.

^ Black Saunas are named such due to the build up soot on the smoke house walls & ceiling. True Black Saunas lack chimneys, or any intentional ventilation, which means the smoke from the wood fire fills the room creating a higher humidity level and very smoky aroma. Like most modern Black/ Smoke Pirts however, the Ziedlejas smokehouse is ventilated, so there is no risk of any overpowering smoke inhalation.

^^ Terminology Commission of the Latvian Academy of Sciences

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East meets West in the Latvian Forest

Years ago the Ziedlejas land was used as a resort by the occupying Soviets, and developed a reputation in the nearby town for lavish (and loud) communist party parties. After Latvian independence it was abandoned until Madara's father had the idea of bringing back the resort, only this time for Latvians, and the family has worked incredibly hard to shape the beautiful natural landscape into the little green gem resort it is today.

It's Japanese inspired peaceful design, utilizing clean lines, balance, natural wood and lots of glass, has won awards and international recognition, and it's pirts practice and experienced pirts masters are dedicated to preserving Latvian tradition.

The pirts sessions are tailored to the individual pirtsmīlis (one who loves to bathe in the pirts,) with traditional pirts rituals offered, like bridal sessions, seasonal sessions, and full family rituals, and can even be designed for specific emotional challenges the pirtsmīlis is facing. They are on the pricier end of wellness treatments, but considering they last a good 3-4+ hours and require half a days prep minimum to just to heat up the pirts, not to mention the time and energy for such a large amount of fire wood and the hand gathering of the herbs and plants used in the ritual, the cost is certainly justified.

High-end resorts aren't within the price range of my normal "budget travel" adventures,* but I made an exception for the ancient Latvian Pirts as a birthday gift to myself and it was worth every cent!

* While some Unmoored Travel content is 'sponsored,' I NEVER endorse anything on the site on that I would not otherwise gladly endorse for free. In this instance, I was so eager to experience pirts, even with it being out of my normal budget, that I reached out to Ziedlejas and they were kind enough to offer a discount allowing me to share this experience with you!

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Those in Glass Houses...

Ziedlejas was surprisingly easy to get to, even without a car, for such a seemingly isolated oasis. (I merely took the bus up from Riga and it was a short, very pleasant 20 minute stroll through the woods.)

There's no traditional resort 'reception' building when you arrive, just a stunning row of tea-house inspired glass cabins in the meadow, situated along the banks of the lake, with an easy self check-in. So, if you are visiting to give yourself a break from the world, with true peace & quite, it is actually possible to go your entire stay without being forced to interact with another human at all; a dream come true for introverts like me!

My cabin was the Salvija (Sage) room; it was right next to the herb & flower garden with an adorable attached stone patio complete with reclined wooden chairs for a great view of the lake. 📸

I was greeted inside by fresh mint water and a delicious snack of dried fruits on the really unique retractable table sunk into the floor.

There was also a full coffee & tea service with herbal tea from the garden I had just passed, and even a jar of what may have been the best honey I have tasted!

Ziedlejas Sage Cabin - Tea Service

Each little hut is 258 sqr. feet, with comfy bean bag style chairs and a drop down bed. There' even a loft bed, designed for families with kids, (which is actually where I chose to sleep, tucked cozily up in the roof eave watching the stars reflect of the still lake in the moon light.) There was a good sized closet and a mini fridge and in addition to the a helpful welcome guide Ziedlejas provided information about the area and contacts for nearby restaurants.*

The resort is designed for true peace and union with nature, so there is no wifi, and cell service is also unlikely, so make sure you have sent all your necessary work correspondence before arriving, and be willing to surrender yourself to the full experience of letting go of all outside cares.

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My pirts session wasn't scheduled until early evening, so after dropping off my bag I took a stroll around the Ziedlejas grounds, wandering through their orchard and raised garden beds in the meadow, partially accompanied by one of the several friendly collie dogs who took it upon themself to be my guide.

Swimming is permitted in the lake, and there are many beautiful hikes, and bike trails (with electric bike rentals available) in the surrounding park and nearby cliffs to visit.

Andris was kind (and patient!) enough to also take me on a short bike tour to the near by cliffs; my first time on an electric bike and my first time biking "off road." (I won't lie, I looked pretty foolish trying to stay upright, lol, but I enjoyed myself regardless.)

He showed me a really cool old cave, said to have been an ancient ritual site, near the river. (The resort uses it for retreats and bonfire gatherings these days.) Further down the cliff, wooden stairs lead to the Gauja river, and there are plans to possibly build a boardwalk path through the marshy water banks as part of the hiking/ biking trails.

We also rode down to the valley were their small herd of sheep graze so Andris could refill their feed, and then back through the woods and up to the main bike garage past the bees raised for the honey I had found in my glass hut and also used in the pirts rituals.

Back in the Sage cabin, I changed into the comfy provided robe and the water shoes I had brought, and set off on my nearly naked walk** through to woods to the smokehouse to meet my pirtnieks, Rolands Fedotovs.

Traditionally pirts are family affairs, not commercial ,and acting as pirtnieks for a loved one is considered a gift of service, an act of loving care for the receiving bather, and the practice is enjoying a revival across the country with many Latvians taking courses, both at the state sponsored school and with private organizations, like Ziedlejas, who host retreats and training session for pirtnieks to gather and learn from each other.^

Pirts traditions have been nominated for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status, and the revival has even started to spread outside of Latvia with others in the wellness field seeking to learn about Pirts practices.

I had no idea what to expect that evening, as I shuffled down the steep wooded hill into the small river gorge to greet Rolands, who was waiting for me outside the smoke pirts.

For those interested, since I know many will not have the opportunity to visit a pirts in person, I've done my best to describe this "indescribable" experience, below, so you too can learn about this beautiful Latvian practice.

* There is no onsite cafe or food service, so if staying overnight you can either pack yourself a picnic or order delivery from several restaurants in nearby Sigulda.

** Some people chose to go to their session dressed and change at the pirts, but I didn't want to have to carry my clothes back when I was finished :)

^ Pirts schools teach how to gather, preserve, and apply plants, and there are even courses for  12- to 14-year-old children. There's also an annual Nākotnes pirtnieks (Future Pirtnieks) competition, as part of a Pirts Festival, where the new pirtnieks, perform in front of a jury and the public. 

The 'title' pirtnieks, is in no way limited to only to those certified and registered with the State, any person drawn to expressing care and treating others in the pirts can study and participate in training gatherings. Around 2000 people have trained with official pirts schools / courses, with only around 3% of those doing so to make it a career, not to mention the numerous unofficial courses offered by private organizations.

Latvians are known for a their desire to, and pleasure in caring for people, which is readily apparent in this custom of taking extensive time to car for and give comfort to a loved one by serving as pirtnieks. I experienced this generosity of nature first hand with Andris & Madara welcoming me to their resort and taking the time to answer all my questions, including Andris' spontaneous bike tour and Madara's incredibly kind gesture of driving me back to town the morning after my stay so I didn't have to wait for the bus!

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Ritualized Bathing

"Pirtī gāju, pirtī teku, Pirtī balti mazgājos,

Pirtī mana dvēselīte Ar Dieviņu runājās"

"To pirts I go, in pirts I flow, in pirts is where I bathe clean white,

in pirts is where with God my little soul speaks."

-Latvian Folk song translated by Laura Knight | The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia

🍃 Rolands trained with the Latvian government's pirtnieks certification school (part of the countries wider initiative to encourage the celebration of Latvian heritage.) He started in the Finnish style sauna traditions, but was soon drawn to the Pirts in appreciation of it's connection to natural flora, the rhythmic pulse of the ritual and it's emphasis on the spiritual/ emotional benefits of the practice.

In his bio he describes the Pirts a transformational space where all the senses meet, where "it is not the back that is left the cleanest... but the heart."

Rolands had already prepared a bitter herb welcoming tea for when I arrived; the session intentionally begins with bitterness as a representation of the bitter things in life that we are hoping to cleanse ourself of in the pirts, and we sat outside by the stream, sipping our tea while he answered my questions about the treatment as well as sharing some the history of the Pirts.

Pirts evolved, as many sauna traditions have, out of the practical bathhouse. Like other cold countries in the north🔍 these were simple enclosed structures built around a central oven/ fire to create an environment warm enough to make being wet and naked to bathe bearable.

Northern bathhouse saunas may have been around in the general region as early as 7000 BC (in Finland.) Some believe the distinct Pirts practice originated as long ago as 2000 BC, and may have begun as covered fire pits dug inside of caves; where a fire covered was left burn then extinguished filling the cave with warm smoke, helping ancient peoples survive the harsh cold climate.

In the lush Baltic forests of Latvia the early bathhouses were heated by burning wood, and the high temperatures and wood smoke inside the huts made for a very sterile environment in a world before antibiotic cleansers* so in addition to bathing, the houses were the safest place for women to give birth. (The smoke also made them effective smokehouses for preserving meat & fish.)

The pirts, thus, were an essential part of life, from child birth, all the way through death, as it was also used for the ceremonial washing of bodies before burial. They became sacred places closely associated with the Latvian deities connected to birth & death. In the folk songs they were called “Māras pirts” or “Laimas pirts” in reference to Laima, the goddess of fate, protector of women, marriage, and childbirth, and Māra the goddess of the land [earth,] said to be the mirror / female counterpart of the sky father Dievs.**

Both goddess' were believed to be present in pirts during a women's labor; Laima was said to appear at birth to decide a person’s future and in death Māra was believed to take a persons body, as the father god Diev took their soul.

Latvian culture and religious life has always been deeply rooted in nature. It's ancient pagan mythology was not strictly animistic, but there was a strong believe that all things in nature have associated spirits or gars, including fields, roads, homes, the wind and graveyards.

The gars could be helpful or harmful, and it was believed that interacting with that nature & it's spirits in the right way was powerful. So it's no surprise that the bathing practices, and later pirts rituals, heavily incorporated local wildlife.

Every Latvian household had an honored a spirit, the mājas gari, and the pirts too had a spirit, the pirts gari or pirts gariņš, who maintained the sacred heat intensity of a pirts environment, and who must be treated with respect.

This gari was believed to be symbolically embodied in the steam formed by the pouring of water onto the heated sauna stones, used to create the climate of the sauna. This act of pouring the pirts water was like a summoning of the pirts gara ūdens (pirts water spirit.) Plants and other natural gifts might be added to the pirts water, along with a declared wish, to influence the pirts gara ūdens and get the desired effect out of the pirts ritual.

Rolands first showed me the besom (special broom bundles of leafy tree/ shrub twigs & branches) called pirtsslota, that he had made for our session. There is also a Latvian tradition of laying rugs woven from plants, flowers and herbs on a sweating shelf in their saunas to infuse the steam with the natural plant aromas.

It's this prominence of greenery used in the pirts, he explained, that distinguishes the Latvian ritual. Unlike other smoke house traditions, where bathers will occasionally swat themselves with besom to improve blood circulation and relax strained muscles, in pirts the pirts master uses besom to waft or direct the sauna steam onto and around the bather, as well as to rhythmically whisk or beat the body through out the whole ritual. (This swatting/ spanking action is called pēriens or pērte.)

Oak, Maple, Birch, Linden and Juniper are all popular for besom, chosen for strength and flexibility (making them suitable for the whisking) as well as for their detox properties and aromatherapy effect, which can be supplemented with flowering herbs. They are usually soaked in very hot water to soften them and make them supple, at the beginning of a session.

Traditionally, specific plants were believed to have specific healing properties, and Rolands had chosen and personally gathered Maple along with Flowering Thyme, from both the grounds of Ziedlejas and his own home garden, for my pirts.

Gathering the greens in Latvia to be used for the pirts is actually part of the rituals of Holy days like John's Day, celebrated on the summer solstice. (John's Day is in fact a conversion of the much older Herbal Day, named for this sacred gathering. The belief was that the solstice is the day when people are closest to the sacred realms of nature.)

In the ancient Latvian culture it was believed brushing with wild plants, harvested at the right time, could not only clean but also alleviate diseases and strengthen the bather. This belief was likely a catalyst for the spiritual ritualization of bathing, with the pirts becoming connected to health & healing, and a tradition of powerful healer women evolving; the first pirtnieks (which translates as pirts master or pirts healer) who oversaw the rituals.

Using their knowledge of herbal medicine, they practiced what today might be called energy work along with the cleansing practices; treating various ailments with the heat, steam, and medicinal plants of the pirts. These women were influential and trusted figures in the communities.

Todays pirtnieks are both male and female, but the respect given to these original medicine women can be seen reflected in Latvian mythology, as many of their most influential deities are mother goddess' like Māra, (above,) (there was also a forrest mother, and a water mother e.g.)

Rolands tells me that pirts session vary depending on the pirts master and the needs of the bather, so there isn't a set script for what to expect. Many masters, like Roland, leave the details unplanned, trusting their instincts to read how the pirtsmīlis is reacting to the session and adjusting their techniques accordingly.

For some the experience can be extremely emotional, and many seek out the pirts specifically for emotional release, so the pirts master's goal is to attune to the state of mind of the bather, facilitating their journey as a safe guide.

* Compounds in smoke like phenols, aldehydes, and acetic acid, produced during combustion, can inhibit / kill bacteria, fungi, and other microbes.

**  It's said "God [Dievs] made the table, Māra made the bread" - Māra may be a Christianization, (a sort of conflation with the mother of Jesus; Mary) of the goddess of the dawn; Austra, who was patroness of all feminine duties and daughter of the original mother sun goddess Saule, associated with life & fertility.

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Heart Laid Bare

After our first round of bitter welcome tea, it was time to begin the pirts session in earnest. Rolands took me inside to the small rustic foyer area of the pirts, beside the sauna room. It was dark, and smelt of smoke and wet wood, with a plain wooden bench against the wall and a few shelfs of fire kindling, tea paraphernalia and varies supplies.

We start by preparing a second round of herbal tea to be drunk later.* Rolands asks me to put a pinch of the dried herbs into a cast iron tea pot and to name out loud what I want release or let go of (something I am not good at!) and what I hope to get from of the session.

I wasn't expecting this so hadn't prepared an intention, but it wasn't hard to identify what had brought me here. Rolands then did the same, also speaking his wish/ intention aloud, symbolically joining us in a united goal for the next few hours.

The simple ceremony serves to open up communication between the pirtnieks and pirtsmīlis. Honesty, vulnerability and trust are prerequisites when one of the main goals of the pirts is often emotional release,  all of which can be difficult to cultivate with a total stranger in the span of five minutes. The speaking of our inner intentions aloud was a nice way to start removing the societal masks we all wear around others, in order to facilitate that trust.

Looking back I could probably have have expressed my desire more fully, had I not been taken off guard by the question, but Rolands honored my brevity and met me where I was at in moment. I will leave the few words spoken in the pirts, as it seems to me that's were they belong, but despite my interest in the pirts for the purposes of sharing fascinating cultural practices with my fellow Unmoored Travels, it's fair to say my heart also had it own burdens that had drawn me to the promised relief of the pirts that day.

The ritual is similar, and harkens back to, the ancient practice of placing one's wish in the pirts water like a prayer to the pirts spirit. As a Christian, I must be careful when exploring other traditions, particularly those evolved from pagan beliefs, to not let the experience become participation in worship, but there was no invocation to the pirts gars here, nor even a invocation to any new age equivalent inside myself, it was more a preparatory centering. Similar to setting an intention before a (non religious) yoga practice, a grounding and focusing of the mind and a nice way to create a separation between whatever's been going on in your life before and this upcoming pirts time; setting it apart and giving it purpose.  

(For those who do want to practice the ancient ways, there are pirts masters that use more of the old symbols and pathos in their practice, particularly in the ceremonies designed around significant life events.)

Rolands likes to start his sessions with an initial dip in the small stream fed pool outside the pirts to symbolically wash off the world's cares as well as prepare the body for the coming ritual; so the unmasking and voluntary vulnerability continued as I dropped my robe and was lead out into the open in my birthday suit, in broad day light, by a young man I met less than an hour ago.

Nude sauna's are common in many European cultures, and I am not shy, but despite having visited others, as an American, were such spaces are rare, it does always make me slightly self conscious, [Pirts can also be practiced in swimwear, for those uncomfortable with nudity.] The combination of being outside, rather than safe inside spa walls, plus the fact that it is just Rolands and I, and I can't 'blend in' as a naked wallflower like I usually do in such environments, might have increased my self consciousness, but to Rolands credit I felt fairly comfortable (other than the nip in the air!)

He led me to the stone steps that descend into the stream and told me to submerge at least to my neck. Full disclosure - no pun intended - I have never been a fan of a cold plunge; I have low blood pressure and not a lot of body padding so I run cold anyways, wearing socks to bed and cardigans in 70º weather (that's 21ºC for my European friends.) Thankfully, as it was the end of summer, the water was not nearly as cold as it would have been in the spring, when the stream is pure melt water off the icy mountains, but it was still quite a shock to step in.

I went slow so as not to slip on the rock steps, and tried to concentrate on body awareness; the first thing I noticed, after the bite of the cold water, was that my breath had halted. This is either common or Rolands also noticed, as he calmly reminded me to breathe, but I had to actively concentrate to get my lungs to unfreeze and inhale deeply.

My first surprise of the pirts experience was that upon I stepping out of the pool, any trace of feeling out of place, naked in the woods, had disappeared; I was no longer an intruder in this space, but part of it. Having shed all artifice I had momentarily reclaimed my ancient place in God's order in this tiny mirror of eden.

I belonged there, in that space, at that time - but I was also covered in goose bumps and more than ready for the hot house!

* The drinking of therapeutic teas in combination with wellness treatments is called phytotherapy, from the Greek phyton = plant, literally "that which has grown," from phyein = to bring forth, make grow, from PIE 🔍  root bheue = to be, exist, grow.

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A World of Smoke & Steam

Inside the smoke house pērtuve (steam room) was a high wooden bench like you see in most saunas, only I could barely see this one the hut was so dark. Lit only by a small rectangular window looking out towards the stream it took time for my eyes to adjust. I could just make out what looked like a large square oven - where the wood was burned to heat the pirts and the sauna rocks. There was also a side station where Rolands had prepared his besom whisks.

Pirts can heats to about 150º F, (~65º C) but the pirts master controls that temperature by opening and closing up the space, and at this point in the ritual the temperature is kept lower to gradually raise the bodies temperature, gently preparing it for more intense heat, and intentionally induced sweating later.

In the Latvian pirts the ratio between the temperature and humidity is also significant, when the temperature of the pirts is 120º F (~49 ° C) the relative humidity will be around 70%.

I laid on my stomach on the bench to start, with a small support roll under my ankles for comfort. Rolands had created a pillow from the oak branches and herb bundles to rest my head on, and he placed additional bundles under my armpits and a cool towel over my head.

The first thing I noticed, after the initial welcome sensation of growing warmth, was the textured aroma; a combination of the rich scent of earth and smoke plus the incredible subtle but all encompassing perfume from the pillow beneath my nose, the fresh plant oils released by the heat and wafting around the room with every wave of Rolands pirtsslota (whisks.)

By this point Rolands, too, had mostly stripped, down to a loose pair of 'shorts' (resembling more of a long loin cloth than a structured piece of clothing,) as he will be sweating as much as I in the next few hours, (if not more, as his is the far more active role.)

He also wears a traditional wool felt pirts cepura (cap) to protect his head and hair from overheating and singeing in the extreme heat (these can vary in style, and his was black and tulip shaped.) He laid a bundle of greens gently between my shoulder blades and began to waft the sauna steam across my body.

The movement of the air was not only pleasant but practically it mades the transition to the intense heat more bearable. I have, sometimes in the past had difficulty breathing within the stifling atmosphere of the dry Scandinavian style saunas and the nearly suffocating environment of very wet steam rooms. I wasn't sure going in if the smoke of the pirts would cause a similar reaction, but I actually found it quite easy to breathe and not remotely oppressing with the constant movement of the air.

I noticed my body relaxing quickly. My mind was still a bit in 'work mode' since I was aware I'd be writing about the experience later, and I was still 'on guard', as it were, simply because I always am, but I felt safe in that space, even if I hadn't yet let go.

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Once the body has warmed up, the second stage of the ritual is the cleansing and Rolands rubbed down both sides of my body with the bundles of herbs.

Some modern pirts dip the branches a gentle 'soapy' mixture for this, but traditionally soap would not have been used, as it breaks down the oils and natural protective barrier of the skin. Instead the cleansing was accomplished with a mixture of natural oils, salt, and sometimes honey and or herbs like vībotne (mugwort), said to be naturally antiseptic, analgesic, as well as calming.

I felt the steady pressure of the scrubbing branches against my skin, but it didn't feel like scraping or scratching, more like a light back rub, and it was followed by streams of warm water poured down my limbs and across back. I could easily have fallen asleep in that state in the damp dark, inhaling the herbal aroma, it would have been like taking a nap inside a stewing tea kettle, that is until the warm water was replaced with cool water poured over me, jolting every individual muscle fiber out of it's repose.

This alternating between the warm and the cool is at the heart of not just pirts, but most sauna practices. Even though Rolands had warned me it was coming, my legs shivered and twitched when the cold water first hit my hips, but after the initial shock, it was also very refreshing.

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After the cleansing there is a pause, a break from the heat to reset. Rolands opened the door to let the room cool; some sit outside the sauna room, back in the little foyer, but I was so cozy and sleepy, I choose to stay in the warmth.

And then it was time to start building some real heat. The door was closed and the room filled with steam again, and the full pēriens (beating) ritual began. At times the pirtsslota was used to sprinkle water across my body, at times the leaves were gently drawn across my skin and tickling my belly, other times they were brushed with more pressure and always they were wafting and swirling the smoke and heat around my body.

I couldn't see the technique with my eyes closed most of the time, but I could feel the heat roll over my back and my calfs, followed by a brushing or swat of the whisk and then after a wave of heat was directed at a particular area I felt the leaves firmly pressed against me holding in the heat at the spot.

It was nothing like a massage and even less like the typical, static experience of merely resting in a dry sauna, it was it's own strange, raw sort of sensation. My mind, I found was letting go a bit more in the stillness under the rhythm of swatting and the sound of steam sizzling whenever water was added to the sauna rocks.

I expect this portion of the ritual is what varies most from pirts master to pirts master, with different technics of whisking as well as other elements incorporated; some masters use sound, like singing bowls, as part of their practice, others add a touch of modern massage or ancient Chinese medicine. And there are some specific, traditional Latvian rituals practiced for particular occasions, like preparing brides before marriage and a special a cleansing ritual for new borns and mothers.

There is an ancient portpartum ritual called pirtīžas, traditionally performed on the 8th day after birth, that is still practiced today. Parents can bring symbolic objects to the pirts including red cardamom for health, a green card for a good and successful life, a silver object (like a coin or spoon) for wealth and dried bread, for prosperity, plus charcoal for protection. 

A bath water is prepared from herbs and, or flowers and the symbolic objects are placed in the water while saying a wish for the baby. The baby is first washed in the water and then the pirtnieks massages them with their mothers milk, a process that assists in the removing 'hairs' or 'bristles' from under the babies skin.*

These days many mothers who wish to have a pirtīžas delay it a few weeks after birth, when they too are feeling up to participating. The nedēļnieces ritual is similar but with an added emphasis of pampering and rejuvenating the mother as well.

In the dark, with the cool towel on my face, I couldn't always tell if Rolands was in the room in the moments between active beatings. Sometimes it felt as if I were alone, and perhaps he'd has stepped out to prepare the next stage of the ritual, or just not over heat himself, though he may just have been silent, and then I would feel the trickle of water and a wave of hot air and the pēriens again. I must have been sweating, but in the wet steam I didn't notice, and there was no accompany sticky sensation.

After a time the swatting slowed, transitioning into a period of rest, but this time still in the high heat, and my mind began to drift in the stillness. I had almost completely let down my guard when Rolands began to chant, singing a low, slow and beautiful melody (which I assume was a Latvian folk song.) I understood none of the words of course, but his soothing melody had an odd, dual and paradoxical effect as I was reminded that I was not alone in that moment.

His voice and company were a comfort, but also activated the hyper-vigilant switch in my brain; I was acutely aware of being observed, while also being offered something precious in the vulnerability of this simple song shared with a stranger. (Is there anything more vulnerable, for those of us who aren't performers, than singing in front of someone without even a musical instrument to shield us!)

I tried to concentrate on just appreciation for the moment, but under the spell of the sweet low tune my mind wandered to memories of grief, of all things. Specifically of people I have lost, the few, rare exceptions whose voice in a moment of vulnerability would not have turned on that protective center in my brain, (a number I can count on one hand and still have fingers left over.) The song made me homesick, not for a place but for those I once hoped would be my home.

It was a moment where I could have gotten quite weepy, (as I am now, just recalling it,) had I actually been alone, and I can see now how the pirts space, created by dark and smoke and smells of the earth can unlock that door. The song ended and in the near silence I believe Rolands may also have softly played the vargan (a mouth/ tongue harp, sometimes called a Russian Jew's-harp) though he may have just been humming, and he let me rest in that quiet state for a time.

* These 'hairs' or 'bristles' are not the lanugo hairs that some babies have grown for warmth and that typically fade after a few weeks. They are under the skin, (and not visible before removal) and sometimes present like fine hairs when they surface, but aren't actually hair. It's believed they are left over secretions from the thick protective ointment that covers the baby in utero. The subcutaneous glands stop producing this at birth but not all the ointment has actually been secreted and some may still be present in the pores under the skin. Not all babies have this left over build up, but for those that do it can removed with gentle massaging and the substance may come out as black or white and look a bit like stubble.

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Transcendance

After hours in the pirts, the heat had penetrated deep into my core, every muscle and organ and even my bones felt raised above my normal equilibrium, with blood flowing smoothly through widened vessels, especially near the surface under my skin in order to let off the heat and regulate the temperature of my vital organs. So it was time for another break from the heat; a pause to reflect on all that had surfaced in the smoke and the stillness, both sweat and emotion, and once acknowledged to release it fully, to wash it away, and that meant... a second cold plunge.

The evening air was sharp after the softness of the pirts. This time Rolands followed me down into the water, and we sunk all the way down, both pulling our heads under the surface.

Compared to my current, sauna induced, body oven, the contrast of the cool pool water was so great that after the first icy sting, my internal sensors shut off. Rolands instructed me to float on my back (with his gentle support beneath my neck and knees) and I felt almost nothing - I wasn't warm, I wasn't cold (my brain was to confused by the sudden change to process what I was.)

With my ears submerged I could hear my heart beating, at first loud and fast (and very irregular as my funny heart alway is.) As it 'panicked' trying to catch up with the demands of it's new reality, it slowly it got softer and much, much slower, like it was going into hibernation (or frozen frog mode.) ln trying to adjust to the temperature change, my blood vessels were forced to contract quite  suddenly, to hold on to my internal heat, but to no avail, the cold water siphoned off all the built up fire, radiating off my skin, and with it was forced to released the built up muscle tension from the initial shock and even my own control.

My body obviously physically recognized that it was "cold," but I still felt nothing, I was numb, and not that tingly frozen numb you get when you've taken your gloves off in the snow for to long, a true nothingness, a 'no sensation processed' numb, the kind of numb they describe when you're freezing to death and it just feels like to you are falling asleep.

Don't get me wrong the water was no where near that low, merely chilly, and I had not been in it that long, the nothingness was not due to the extremeness of temperature but to the sudden and significant slow down of blood available to my brain, due to the instant contraction of all my blood vessels (no doubt amplified by my already naturally low blood pressure.) And I was not at all prepared for what happened next...

I could have sworn my heart actually stopped, the beats became so far apart and soft that I could no longer find them even in the silence, and miraculously my brain finally fully "shut off" for the first time possibly ever. I let go, at least for the moment, (though it was not an active release, it was entirely involuntary.)

I was just there, floating, not in the pool, I had left that world behind. I was in a void space, strangely lit in a soft gold tinted brightness and at peace.

And I was slowly rotating, not in circles (and I was definitely not actually moving) but my head felt lifted up and pushed forward so I was slowly 'spinning' in a ferris-wheel like motion, though always up, never rotating back down, and for however long I was in that space (I lost complete track of time) it was just this pale yellow light and gentle rising motion.

I weighed nothing - I could just barely feel pressure on my neck and behind my knees, anchoring me to reality and I was oddly aware that I was unaware of everything else (if that makes sense) but I did not have enough oxygen in my brain to process any further and I'm not sure I could have moved my body if I wanted to, all systems more complex than my breath and heartbeat were on standby mode.

Very slowly just the tips of my fingers became aware of a coolness returning and I was able to gently wiggle my right hand, and then was able to open my eyes to a completely foreign world. Above me the leaves of the tall straight trees literally sparkled as they swayed, backlit against the light grey clouds, like some crazy fairytale cgi effect.

Rolands was saying something, and I knew it must be along the lines of it being time to get out of the stream, but I couldn't process the actual words. I was essentially high, a high higher than I have ever experienced and totally at okay with my lack of control (which was an insane departure for my normal panicked reaction to loosing control! and I suspect it was due to Rolands presence, I had a sense he was still in control, and would take care of me.)

It must have taken me a full 30 seconds just to right myself off my back and into a semi vertical position again, squatting in the pool. The forest was now spinning, like the inside of a kaleidoscope, before my eyes as the blood left my brain again, due to gravity this time. I could barely lift my head out of the water, it felt so heavy, and I could not have stood up on my own to save my life.

Rolands very gently helped me get up right and lead me slowly back up the stone steps to dry land, where it took all of my consecration just to lift one foot in front of the other. Pro that he is he managed to get me, stumbling like a drunk, safely back to the wooden bench in the pirts.

My heart was racing again, trying to get blood back to my brain, and my muscle were quivering all over trying to re-regulate. It took some time to readjust and for me to start processing what Rolands was saying. As I came back to reality I felt significantly lighter and gratefully embraced the cozy atmosphere inside the pirts again.

🍃

I understood then what people mean when they talk about having a spiritual experience with their sauna practice. The physical sensations I had just gone through had highjacked my brain and induced a quasi trance like state the same way a drug might, (though for a far shorter period of time and without the accompanying health risks, thankfully.)

Having had true spiritual communion with my creator and savior, Jesus, I know what I had just experienced in the Pirts is not that. It was no where near as deep or meaning-filled as actual communion with God, but it shares the flavor and intensity (if only briefly) of that connection to the spiritual realm; like a blunt reflection of that true light, and it would be easy to confuse the reflection for that which it reflects, if you hadn't ever had an experience of the original.

Regardless, the reflection was beautiful, and I took a moment to thank and praise God for allowing me to exist inside it for that moment, while Rolands fetched the tea we had prepared at the beginning of our session.

The final portion of the ritual is a replenishing, meant to restore goodness into the spaces that we have released negativity from, and it is initiated, once again, with 'ceremonial' sharing of tea.

This second round was a softer and sweeter brew than the bitter herbs we had started with, (symbolizing the replacing of all that earlier worldly bitterness with a sweet renewal,) and we spoke a bit about what I had just experienced over our steaming cups in the dark, smokey room. (Though, truth be told, I was still mostly feeling, and had not yet begun to actually process any of it; my brain was so muddled I'm not sure I was entirely coherent even with what little I could express!)

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Bread & Honey

Once I was rehydrated, the replenishing continued through the final sauna session with the application of a moisturizing honey mixture rubbed over the body; it was the first truly hands on portion of the treatment, as up until now Rolands mostly touched me only with the pirtsslota.

Perhaps because of the heat, or just the moisture in the air and on my body, the nourishing honey was not as sticky as I imagined it would be. It felt almost silky across my skin.

This was followed by more steam and swatting and a really neat 'rinsing off' process of a combination of cool and hot water being poured over the body simultaneously, creating very unique, stimulating sensation.

These last whiskings were the only time the heat approached an uncomfortable level for me, personally, (perhaps because both my skin and brain were more raw after the last plunge and easily overwhelmed.) The air temperature in the ports still felt quite comfortable, but the direct pressure of the hot branches when pressed against the soles of my feet, for example, where right on the edge of being too much in a way they hadn't been earlier. But despite that I was rather sad when the time came to a close, I could have stayed tucked up in that smoky little room another hour just resting quite happily.

And rest was exactly what Rolands knew my body needed. He took me back out into the clean, fresh air where the sunlight still painted the trees with a fairylike sparkle, to a comfortable suspended porch bed attached to the pirts. He tucked me beneath a wool blanket to recover, next to the stream, trickling lightly like tiny chimes over the rocks.

Afterwards, (and finally wrapped back up in my robe,) we shared a delicious snack of that amazing local honey spread on a homemade fruit & nut bread, with more tea and an amazing apple from the Ziedlejas orchard, that had baked along side me in the pirts oven this whole time. We chatted a bit more about life and how I felt after my first pirts.

It was a peaceful but surreal moment, me in my robe and Rolands in a towel, both still damp, sitting in woods, my feet in a tin bucket of warm water, eating bread & honey...

🍃

The pirts didn't release a excess of emotion in the form of tears for me, partly because of my own issues around openness to that sort of thing when with a stranger, but, like I shared with Rolands, (far less eloquently at the time,) it broke down a physiological damn that had been erected as a survival mechanism in my brain. And behind that wall was a build up of serotonin, (or other such 'joy' chemicals) that my self-protective brain had been preventing me from accessing for a long time,* (probably out of fear of raised false hope) and, for a few hours at least that evening, I felt at peace and was able to calm my hyper-vigilance and enjoy just being.

I have had many massages and visited many saunas over the years, and enjoyed them all, though most blend together into fairly fuzzy memories, but don't think I will ever forget the sensations of that evening.

If you ever have the opportunity to experience a pirts I highly recommend you do, and you can't find a better spot than the little Latvian paradise that is Ziedlejas Wellness Resort.

As much time as I have just spent trying to describe it, the full effect the enacted ritual creates in the mind cannot be captured by the mere description of it's parts, and going forward, when I find myself in need a safe place in my mind, to quiet my anxious heart, you'll find me back laying in the smoke and warmth of the pirts, giving thanks to my God, Jesus, for His gift of rest, with a remembered Rolands sweetly singing behind me in the darkness...

* My own journey of healing, over the last 5-10 years, has taught me great deal about the interconnectedness of the physical body and the emotional/ spiritual portion of the brain. But even with that understanding I find it very difficult to to put it into practice. The pirts ritual was a surprisingly effective method of bypassing my over-intellectualization and actually allowing my body to take the lead in creating a sense of peace and unity for my rather disjointed inner selves.

Have you had a Pirts session? How did you like it? Did you find it as intense as I did? Let me know all about your Pirts experiences in the comments below!

To book a Pirts experience with Ziedlejas go to @ https://ziedlejas.lv/en/booking/pirts

 Krimulda Parish, Sigulda County | LV - 2150  info@ziedlejas.lv

+371 29 491 087 (Latvian & English) +371 28 669 779 (Russian)

† Finnish saunas today are very close in design to the internationally recognized "Scandinavian style" sauna's (with the exception that snacks and drinks inside the sauna are common; think beer & sausages) but what they share with Latvian pirts is their utilization bundles of leafy greens besom. The Finns call these vasta or vihta, and they are a hold over from the more ancient Finnish smoke saunas, called Savusauna, that evolved from the same prehistoric traditions as their Russian and Baltic cousins.

(The Danes also have a similar ritual, the Saunagus, which involves a person swinging steam throughout a sauna with a towel, usually infused with a fragranced oil, in a manner that echos the wafting of the besom.)  

 The Russian steam bath is called a Banya, and it comes in two varieties, "white" and "black" the "black" is chimney-less, with just a hole in the ceiling, like ancient pirts, creating the build up of the black soot, and the "white" banya has an exhaust pipe built in allowing the smoke to escape, and both are said to have banya spirits, called Bannick, a kind of 'dirty old man' version of the Latvian gari, that spy on bathers and play tricks. The temperature in banya are even high than those of the pirts, reaching nearly 200ºF (93º C) and they too use funny felt head coverings and besom beatings with what's called a venik. 

    The whisking can be self administered, or one can have a Parenie treatment were one or more banya therapist will beat the bather with venik bundles. This beating is far shorter than the pirts ritual, lasting ~10 minutes but it can be so intense that multiple therapist are used to switchout during the treatment as their arms get tired! The beating is then followed by a cold 'bucket shower' and then a ice water plunge (or snow bath if the weather is right.) The Parenie concludes with a salt & honey scrub, back in the heat or on a hot stone.

Estonian smoke sauna's are called Suitsusaun, dating to at least as far back as the early 13th c. they also use besom, or viht, usually of birch, to swat or beat the body, (and sometimes utilize honey,) but the Estonian sauna is a communal affair and whisking is not ritualized; you beat yourself or your fellow bather while sitting together in the smokehouse. It's a gathering place to connect with neighbors, not a place of spiritual communion, though it is still sacrosanct, with cursing forbidden in the sauna and a similarly mythology of sauna spirits that will punish those who disrespect it.

The Lithuanians don't have a distinct sauna practise, many of their saunas also use the name Latvian name pirtis, (and their besom are called wompas, (a fabulous name for something you are essentially 'womped' with :) )

In Germany there is relatively new practice of a Nordic Aufguss ritual, which is loosely based on Nordic and other northern sauna traditions and incorporates elements similar to pirts, like the rhythmic wafting of sauna steam, though the Aufguss Ritual Artisen (leader) uses a towel to move the air, and he or she performs the ritual for a group of sauna sitters in a more traditional Finnish style modern spa sauna. Some spas use aroma therapy in the Aufguss ritual with essential oil infused snowballs allowed to melt on the sauna rocks.

Native American Sweat Lodges strive to produce similar, but stronger emotional and physiological reactions with an even more intense smoke and heat session, often accompanied by psychedelic drugs/ drinks as part of the ritual. They too are often group experiences however and do not make use of besom or wafting techniques.