Baltic Birch Rituals: Lithuanian Pirtis & Botanical SPA Workshop

Date: 2026-09-27, 11:00
Organizer : Lithuanian Bath Academy

Natural botanical extracts for Sauna and SPA

You already know sauna. You've sat in the heat, poured water on the stones, maybe stepped outside into the snow or straight into the fjord. That part needs no introduction.

But Lithuanian sauna is a slightly different animal. It's not just about the heat. It's about what you bring into the heat — plants, whisks, scented water, touch, rhythm, rest. The whole session is built around the person, not around the temperature. Plants have always been at the centre of it. Birch, linden, oak, juniper and other local species are used for whisks, infusions, scented water, body care — and simply to shape the feel of the room. If you've ever walked into a sauna where someone has been working with fresh birch, you know exactly what we mean. It hits you before the heat does.

Plants are form a natureal smellscape in Lithuanian pirtis.

In a good Lithuanian sauna (called PIRTIS), a plant is not just a background smell. You can touch it, feel it on the skin, carry its scent with the steam, and use a whisk to move heat and air around the body. Think of it as a conversation between you, the steam and the plant. This is what makes the tradition so rich. And honestly - it leaves a lot of room to play.

But here's the thing: fresh plants and well-prepared whisks aren't always around. The season is short. Transport is tricky. And sometimes you simply want to try another way of bringing plants into your sauna or SPA work without depending on what's growing outside right now. That's where natural botanical extracts come in - and that's where it gets interesting.

A Lithuanian company called UAB Mėta makes concentrated water-based extracts from ecological plant material. No synthetic preservatives, no shortcuts - just water extraction and vacuum concentration. Birch extract is made from young shoots, leaves and buds. Pine and juniper extracts come from needles and twigs. Simple as that. What you get is a bottle. What matters is what you can actually do with it. How does birch extract behave in steam? What happens when you combine it with a whisk? Can you use it directly on the skin? What can you build for a foot bath, a scrub, a wrap, a massage mixture? And how many different ways can you experience the same plant during one single sauna session?

We were curious. So we built a workshop around it.

The workshop

This is a four-hour practical sauna and SPA session. The heart of it is a proper Lithuanian steam sauna with whisks, plants and gentle steam - the kind of session where you forget your phone exists.

Between sauna rounds we will mix, test and try different ways of using botanical extracts in a small hands-on SPA workshop.

Let's be clear: this is not a four-hour lecture. We will talk - of course we will - but most of the time we'll be smelling, mixing, touching, testing and experiencing. Bring your curiosity and your hands. Leave the notebook if you want; your skin will remember more than your pen.

What to expect

In the changing and resting area

A short introduction to Lithuanian sauna tradition, the plants we use and the botanical extracts we'll be working with. We'll talk about different ways of bringing plants into sauna and SPA practice, answer questions, drink tea and just have a good conversation. No PowerPoint. No bullet points on a screen. Just people talking about something they care about.

In the sauna

A proper Lithuanian sauna session, led by professional sauna practitioners who actually know what they're doing and love doing it.

You'll experience gentle steam, whisking, plants, bodywork and the use of botanical extracts alongside traditional sauna techniques. We'll also walk you through simple body scrubbing and self-massage techniques, and show how plant extracts can work together with water, whisks and other natural products.

You'll experience gentle steam, whisking, plants and bodywork.
 

The idea is not to hand you one “correct recipe” and send you home. The idea is to show you how much you can create from a few very simple things: plants, water, heat and touch. That's it. No twenty-ingredient formulas. Just the basics, done well. If you've spent any time in Scandinavian badstue culture, you'll recognise the spirit, but the techniques and the plant work will feel new. That's the whole point.

On the sauna terrace

We'll prepare and test massage mixtures, foot baths and natural body scrubs.

Between sauna rounds, we step outside and get our hands dirty. Well clean dirty. We'll prepare and test:

• Natural body scrubs
• Massage mixtures
• Plant applications and wraps
• Hand and foot baths
• Different combinations of botanical extracts with water and other natural ingredients

You'll try things. Some you'll love. Some you might not. That's the whole fun of it - finding out what works for you and what you'd want to bring into your own practice or your own Tuesday evening sauna at home.

Practical details

• Duration: 4 hours
• Group size: maximum 12 people

Event partner

UAB Mėta / Mėtinis gyvenimas

Rimas Kavaliauskas - founder and President of the Lithuanian Bath Academy and the International Bath Academy 

Birutė Masiliauskienė - sauna master, educator, and international herbal & whisking workshop leader 

The workshop is especially relevant for sauna and SPA professionals, and for anyone thinking about working in this field. It's a chance to try Lithuanian botanical extracts, pick up ideas and see how they might fit into what you already do.

But honestly? You don't need to be a professional.

If you're into sauna, plants, natural body care, or sauna culture in general — or if you simply want to spend a few genuinely good hours in a proper sauna with people who share the same itch — come. You'll fit right in. We've had everyone from spa owners to curious first-timers, and the best sessions are usually the ones with the most mixed groups. Somebody always asks the question that everyone else was wondering about.

Early bird price 80€ for first 6 participants. Then (for other 6) the price will increase at least 15%. 

Please bring

• Swimsuit or swimming briefs — preferably not too tight or covering too much, since some procedures work better with more skin available. Think practical, not fashionable.
• Towel — one for drying, ideally one extra to sit on.
• Slippers
• Sauna hat, if you have one (and if you don't — no stress, we'll manage).
• Bathrobe or a large towel to wrap around yourself between rounds — because standing on a terrace mixing scrubs in January is better with a layer on.
• Drinking water — you'll sweat. A lot. More than you think.

One more thing: we'll be using many natural plant products and hands-on techniques throughout the session. If you have any known allergies or sensitivities to plants or other ingredients, please let us know in advance. We'd rather adjust than find out the hard way.