What is a sauna?
We take a clear, respectful position on what counts as a sauna. Not to gatekeep, but to protect the tradition, the safety standards, and the health benefits that make it worth protecting.
At its core, a sauna is simple: a wood-lined room, a stone-topped stove, heat around 80 to 100°C, and steam released by water on the stones.
The definition we stand byThe official definition
"The sauna bath is a health-promoting and relaxing hot-air bath in which overheating and cooling alternate. In a room made of wood, with a typical climate of about 80 to 105°C located about 100 cm above the top bench, and with low humidity that is briefly increased by infusions, the whole body is heated several times and then cooled with outside air and cold water."
Adopted by the International Sauna Association, Aachen, 8 May 1999.
Respect for sauna traditions
We respect and honour the practices of traditional Nordic-style sauna, and advocate for the safety, standards, and culture behind it.
Löyly, the breath of a sauna.
Löyly (say it "loy-lu") is the burst of steam when water meets the hot stones. It lifts the humidity, deepens the heat, and softens the air on your skin. It's the moment a hot room becomes a sauna.
Sauna terms to know.
A short glossary for the words you'll hear around the heat.
Löyly
The steam and heat you feel when water hits the hot stones. The word is Finnish, and it's the whole point of a wood or stone-heated sauna.
Aufguss
A guided sauna ritual where a trained master pours scented water over the stones and uses towel movements to circulate the steam and scent through the room.
Whisking (vihta / venik / vanta)
Gently beating the skin with a bundle of leafy branches, usually birch, to boost circulation. Different names in different sauna cultures, the same practice.
Kiuas
The sauna stove, usually wood or electric, topped with stones that hold and release the heat.
Sisu
A Finnish concept close to grit or quiet resilience, often mentioned alongside sauna culture as part of the mindset behind it.
Contrast therapy
Alternating hot and cold exposure (sauna, then a cold plunge or cold shower) to get the physiological benefits of both.
Sauna master / meister
The person leading an Aufguss session: pouring the water, managing the heat, and guiding the room through the ritual.
Public bathing
The broader tradition of shared, communal sauna and bathhouse use, as distinct from a private sauna.
The art of Aufguss.
As sauna grows in Australia, so does our responsibility to honour the traditions behind it. Aufguss (pronounced owf-gooss) is one of the most celebrated of these. A trained sauna master pours water infused with essential oils over the stones, then uses carefully choreographed towel movements to circulate the steam through the room. It's immersive, physical, and deeply grounding.
We're helping Aufguss flourish in Australia with authenticity and respect, through education, training, and events, including building toward a national Aufguss championship, with a pathway for Australian competitors to represent the country on the world stage.
Aufguss training coming soon
Building or running a sauna?
Our accreditation standard, built around this definition, is on the way.