Wild Rise and All of Its Expressions

The launch of the Wild Rise brand and its foundation story

Wild Rise came to be because five women fanned the flames of creativity and were willing to go deep in conversation. Over one weekend in early 2026 at Sauna Days, women -- organically gathered from various threads of a history and a relation to sauna -- shaped my thoughts around this brand, Wild Rise, and breathed its spirited voice to life.

Prior to this moment in time, Wild Rise existed for me beneath the surface, like slowly burning embers contained in an internal flame. With the vulnerable voices of women, whose shared stories may have easily been rooted in shame or failure, the quiet embers were stoked to a roaring fire. The stories were not about sauna. They were about life moments and meaning found in experiences filled with pain, grief, joy, and survival. I was yet reminded once again, collective vulnerability yields power.

Throughout the weekend, we either supported known stories or peeled back the first layer of knowing a person more deeply. Family origin came up. Relationships with incredible and lengthy history were summarized. Passions for livelihood, places, and people were given context. Striking to me was the feeling of being held in this space of sharing, and how that transferred into my desire to help each woman rise up by reflecting their worth. A common phenomenon when women gather, no doubt. Channeling that energy, in that moment, I understood my contribution to be holding space, particularly for women, in the space of sauna.

THE BRAND

Wild Rise is my expression of holding space through guided sauna, wellness retreats, and immersive experiences to journey inward to meet one’s intuitive voice and purpose and unapologetically bring it to life. The icon of three flames fans out 180 degrees from its center point, signifying three areas of focus: the guided sauna sessions — where I lead self-exploration in the heat through story prompts; the retreats — hosted in places rooted in nature and nurturing with an excellence in hospitality; and the reveal — where I write about guided sauna experiences and demystify them.

The brand’s two words: wild and rise on their own have meaning. Wild, because there is nothing tame about the truth the feminine finds when they stop performing for others. Wild, because the self underneath the self we show the world is not a polished thing — it is instinctual, often hidden in modern-day society, and entirely its own powerful element. The branches and leaf-like icon of the logo represent “wild” and a connection to nature. And rise, noted in the droplet of water and swoop of steam icons in the logo, signifying the transformation of water poured on the hot rocks of the sauna to create steam. Rise because mindfully working through the stressor of heat and with and in our bodies, can greatly shift outcomes and create profound moments of presence.

GUIDED SAUNA EXPERIENCES

Guided sauna experiences are somewhat new to sauna culture, and largely an outcome of how American culture tends to place its lens upon traditions in its own way. In this case, I like to think of that application as solving for a social good cause. Guided sessions invoke heat, held with intention, and a story prompt offered gently enough to pick up or set back down. Some rounds ask for nothing more than noticing the breath change as the temperature climbs. Others open a door — a question about a relationship, a memory, a version of yourself you haven’t visited in a while — and let the heat do what heat does: strip away the performance until what’s left is closer to true.

I lead these rounds as a certified guide of the Revivery method, a bio-psycho-social approach that holds the science of thermal therapy alongside trauma-informed space-holding and the simple, human work of building real connection between strangers on a bench. No two sessions unfold the same way, because no two rooms of people carry the same stories in. That’s the point.

WELLNESS RETREATS

Hosted retreats, rooted in sauna and cold immersion experiences, allows for more lingering and depth. They offer place to gather, stay, and let the work of the sauna extend over days. Wild Rise retreats are hosted in partnership with venues rooted in nature and excellent in hospitality, because the container matters as much as the heat inside it.

A good retreat doesn’t rush. It leaves room for cultural appreciation and rituals, and unstructured hours alongside the guided rounds, and the kind of unhurried pace that a life outside the retreat rarely allows. The first of these, Wild Rise: Rituals of Renewal, arrives this October — sauna, cold immersion, and a softening, held over three days at Wild Rice Retreat. More on that, and new offerings in Latin America in partnership with McLain Collective, soon.

WRITINGS

This is the part of the Wild Rise expressions that calls for pause and reflection. It’s the reveal, where I write about guided sauna experiences and demystify them for anyone curious but unsure what actually happens on the bench. These are the essays that trace sauna culture globally, the history and ritual behind the heat, and the ongoing story of Wild Rise itself as it’s tested and reshaped in the real world. This Substack, Elements of Elsewhere, is where that writing lives.

That’s the vision at the moment for Wild Rise. Gratitude for the lovely Liina Lundin of Liina & Co for bringing it to life and giving it a foundation to grow into. In fifteen years of entrepreneurship, I have learned to anticipate and welcome the evolution of any vision as it’s modeled and tested in the world. For now: Join me here on Substack as Elements of Elsewhere evolves, at an upcoming retreat (Wild Rise: Rituals of Renewal October 2026 is next!), and if you’re in the Twin Cities, a guided sauna experience.

Come rise with me.
— Jen