What’s on at Soul Gathering 2026
Celebrating Grounding and Wintering, the festival will focus on the deep connections between sauna, community, creativity and seasonal wellbeing.
*All sessions are included in the price of a ticket, but some may be reserved ahead of time due to limited capacities.
MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Sauna rituals
With beautiful saunas bringing fire, steam, and soul, this year’s gatherings will be guided by an inspiring circle of sauna masters from across Europe and the UK. Together, they’ll create spaces for ritual, connection, and deep restoration. MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON
Amberwave Aufguss with Doro Time TBC
A deeply relaxing, three-round guided Aufguss rooted in the traditional sauna ritual Doro grew up with in Germany.
Doro Weber-Passmore is a certified Sauna Master and co-founder of AMBERWAVE SAUNA in Glasgow's West End.
Originally from southern Germany, Doro has lived in Scotland for 20 years. She grew up with German sauna culture and later trained as an Aufguss Sauna Master in Germany through the Deutscher Sauna-Bund.
Intro to the elements with Oscar Time TBC
Join Oscar for 4 rounds of leaf whisking, steam work and meditation with guided breaks. This Finnish, Lithuanian inspired session will engage the senses, balance the body and bring presence, with a few Irish twists along the way!
Oscar is a Sauna Guide holding sessions across the beautiful aisle of Ireland. He is trained in Saunotus, Pirtis & Aufguss, and began guiding in The Hot Box Sauna in Dublin which has taken him to Finland, Lithuania, and now Scotland!
Lithuanian Pirtis with Birutė Time TBC
Rooted in the traditions of Lithuanian pirtis, this session with Birutė Masiliauskienė offers a deeply transformative sauna journey. Drawing on generations of wisdom and her years of teaching students the art of steam bathing, Birutė guides guests through a sequence of heat, steam, herbs, body treatments and rest designed to nurture both body and spirit.
Aufguss & Pirtis with Meg Time TBC
Step into a journey of heat, scent and deep restoration. Drawing on the traditions of both Aufguss and Lithuanian pirtis, Meg weaves steam, aromatic infusions and gentle bodywork into a ritual that awakens the senses and settles the mind.
Expect waves of heat, the fragrance of seasonal plants, soft whisking techniques and moments of stillness designed to reconnect you with yourself and the natural world.
Visiting Saunas
A whole gathering of Scottish saunas is heading to Soul Gathering. From yurts and tent saunas to horseboxes and more, each brings its own character, heat and flavour of löyly. If you haven't visited them yet, take the opportunity to sauna-hop and discover a few new favourites. These are in addition to our two permanent saunas at Granton Big Bear and Little Bear. MORE VISITING SAUNAS TO BE ANNOUNCED
SOUL WATER SAUNAS
Mama Bear
Our original seaside sauna makes the journey along the Edinburgh coast from Portobello to join us. Clad in larch and lined with birch and hazel, it's where the Soul Water Sauna story began.
Wandering Bear
Usually found amongst the ancient oaks of Dalkeith Country Park, Wandering Bear is crafted from Siberian cedar. This beautiful barrel sauna holds heat gently and evenly, creating a soft, steady warmth that's perfect for long, restorative sauna sessions.
Black Bear
The newest addition to our fleet, Black Bear is a converted horsebox sauna with plenty of character. Hot, fiery, and full of charm, she produces exceptional steam and delivers an intense, invigorating sauna experience.
Hot & Bothy Archerfield Walled Garden - East Lothian
Based at Archerfield Walled Garden in East Lothian, Hot & Bothy's Bothy Sauna is a cosy, wood-fired retreat inspired by traditional Highland shelters. Built to withstand the coastal winds, it offers deep, restorative heat, beautiful views through wide windows, and the perfect contrast to a refreshing cold plunge. A warm and welcoming space at the heart of their thriving sauna community.
Dia Sauna Yurt Red Kite Yurts
We're delighted to welcome the yurt sauna specialists from Red Kite Yurts to Soul Gathering. Pioneers of yurt sauna design in the UK, they have spent years refining these beautiful, wood-fired spaces. With its circular layout, central stove and soft, spiralling löyly, their handcrafted yurt sauna offers a truly unique sauna experience and a rare chance to experience this distinctive style of heat.
Movement & Yoga
Our movement programme is designed to help you ground, release, and reconnect through a diverse range of practices ~ from flows to mindful movement, kundalini, posture release, and therapeutic yoga. Whether you want to energise, reflect, or simply come home to your body, these sessions will hold space for you just as you are. MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Kundalini Yoga with Gemma Times TBC
Awaken your energy, calm your mind, and reconnect with your body through a gentle Kundalini Yoga practice. Combining breathwork, movement, meditation and mantra, this session is designed to support your nervous system and create space for both deep rest and renewed vitality. No experience needed—just come as you are and leave feeling grounded, present, and refreshed.
Breathwork with Caroline Time TBC
Discover the power of your breath in this guided session combining functional breathing, breath awareness, and pranayama-inspired techniques. Learn how conscious breathing can support your nervous system, reduce stress, and bring greater balance to body and mind. Expect simple, accessible practices that leave you feeling calmer, clearer, and more deeply connected to yourself.
Foundation Training with Mora Time TBC
Through Foundation Training, somatic movement and fascial release, Mora will guide you into a deeper connection with your body. Explore simple yet powerful whole-body practices that create space in the joints, calm the nervous system and unwind patterns of tension. Strengthen your structure from within, improve posture and leave feeling lighter, stronger and more at home in your body.
Movement & Yoga Nidra with Laura Time TBC
Ease into stillness through gentle movement, breathwork, and relaxation practices designed to prepare body and mind for rest. Guided by Laura, you'll then be led into Yoga Nidra, a deeply restorative meditation often known as yogic sleep. Expect a nourishing journey into profound physical, mental, and emotional relaxation, leaving you feeling grounded, rested, and renewed.
Across the day, step into a space of creativity, ritual, and imagination. These sessions invite you to slow down, find inspiration, play with materials, and discover new ways of reconnecting with yourself and the elements around you. MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Creative workshops
Land Art with Laurence Time TBC
Join land artist Lawrence Winram on the shoreline for a collaborative exploration of creativity, nature and place. Using sand, stones, driftwood, seaweed and treasures brought in by the tide, you'll help create striking works of land art inspired by the landscape around us.
Whether you choose to contribute to a shared installation, lose yourself in the meditative rhythm of arranging natural materials, or simply enjoy the quiet act of creating outdoors, this workshop invites you to slow down and connect. Together we'll make something beautiful and temporary, celebrating the meeting of art, community and the ever-changing elements.
Visible Mending with NatalieTime TBC
Make your own Sauna hat with Belinda Time TBC
Join Belinda for a relaxed, beginner-friendly workshop where you'll create your own sauna hat using simple hand-sewing techniques and pre-felted materials. Personalise your design and leave with a practical handmade hat to protect your hair and keep you comfortable in the sauna.
A sauna lover and keen fibre crafter, Belinda delights in bringing her two passions together through creative, mindful making.
Visible mending is the art of fixing textiles in a decorative and playful way. It helps us to prolong the life of our clothes and add a wee personal stamp onto them, making them unique! Based on a mindful Japanese method called sashiko, this workshop will run through the basic techniques and stitches you can use, plus offer a welcoming space for you to try out different ideas and ask questions. Everyone is welcome.
Wisdom, stories and skills
Join us in the Hearth for a programme of talks, demonstrations, conversations, films and hands-on learning. A space to share knowledge, stories and traditions from sauna cultures near and far. MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED.
Introduction to Lithuanian Pirtis with Birutė
Join renowned sauna master Birutė Masiliauskienė for an introduction to the traditions of Lithuanian pirtis. Birutė will share the role of plants, herbs and trees in the sauna, exploring their unique qualities and the benefits they can bring to the body and mind. You'll learn about the cultural significance of these natural elements, how they are used in pirtis rituals, and experience a demonstration of dry whisking, a gentle technique that uses sauna whisks to stimulate the body, improve circulation and deepen relaxation.
Building a Forest Earth Sauna with Rory Macphee Time TBC
Join Rory for an immersive exploration of the Forest Earth Sauna, a one-of-a-kind nature-based sauna experience designed to awaken the senses and deepen your connection to the natural world.
In this 20-minute talk, you'll learn about the construction and philosophy behind the Forest Earth Sauna, and the unique ways natural materials are woven into the experience. Discover how seaweed and hay are used inside the sauna for gentle exfoliation, sensory engagement and connection to the landscapes that inspire the practice.
Following the presentation, there will be a 20-minute Q&A, offering the chance to delve deeper into the design, traditions and thinking behind this profoundly multi-sensory experience.
Practical Introduction to Aufguss with Meg
Join Meg as she gives an insight into the basics behind Aufguss, the traditional German sauna ritual technique. Learn about the use of different aromas and scents, how to use them safely in the sauna, and explore simple towel-waving movements that help circulate heat and enhance the sauna experience. You'll also have the chance to practise a few fundamental techniques yourself.