6/30 - A Thursday night at Elahni
Friday’s Newsletter
As promised, I have a review of Elahni - the anti-spa spa.
I intended this to be a normal newsletter with articles, product, etc. but when I started writing about my visit, I couldn’t stop. Last year, when I was kicking around the idea of Wishlist, I had a desire to write not only about products and brands but people and places. What I wished we had more of in the world. Virality and commercialization wasn’t always central to the human experience and the moments where we can connect with others, strangers, make it all worth living for.
So, enjoy this detour from our regular programing, I’ll be back with a normal newsletter next week : )
Elahni (“inhale” spelled backwards) focuses on resetting your nervous system using a sauna, shower, and ice bath. You rotate through this circuit three times and end at a nonalcoholic, adaptogenic bar.
Leading up to our visit, I began religiously watching their IG stories where person after person dunked themselves in cold water, sometimes with ice floating around them. Their faces were serene but my anxiety began to build as I considered what it would be like to be in their place. I was determined enough to know I would make it into the bath but I thought there was no way I could match their unbothered faces and stoic energy. A grimace and a squeal were guaranteed.
I wasn’t ready for how intimate of an experience it would be until we arrived at the wellness speakeasy, tucked away behind a yoga studio. The only other time I went to a spa was on vacation where you would shuffle through a series of pools and do everything you could not to make eye contact with any of the other patrons - especially when you were being pummeled by a series of intense jets, holding onto a steel bar for dear life.
This space was the opposite, cozy and inviting. We walked into where our journey would end: a bench, tables, and backlit bar. Beyond, the looming cold plunges with the sauna tucked away to the left, behind a wood slat wall. We were lucky enough to receive a private session, so it was just my husband, me, and Nick, one of the cofounders.
Nick coached us through every step of the process, explaining what we needed to know to get through each stage. We started in the sauna. The heat was stiffling, and as soon as I began to think, “I can’t do this,” Nick showed up with electrolytes and encouragement: “Just a couple more minutes!” Next, a quick rinse to wash away the sweat and nerves for the upcoming phase: the cold plunge. He told us everything our body was about to experience was normal and in fact the way it was supposed to operate. When we got in the water, we would begin to hyperventilate, our bodies’ natural reaction to the change as they tried to regulate our temperature. The exhale was crucial. Focusing on our breath with slow, smooth exhales was how we would not only get through it, but also how we would enjoy the full benefits. Nick guided us through three deep breaths and then he nodded for us to go in and started the stopwatch.
Making sure my toes, hands, and neck were submerged, the real challenge was steadying my breath. It came out jagged and if I wasn’t anticipating it, I would have been sure I was dying. But I didn’t die. In fact, after several seconds I was able to steady my exhale. It was uncomfortable but manageable and when time was up, we numbly hauled ourselves out of the tubs and gave each other a shakey high-five.
When we were debriefing in the sauna, my husband and I were in disbelief. It was so scary and so difficult and beyond what we’ve ever done before but we felt GREAT. The next cycle in the sauna and ice bath was much more manageable, but when we were coming out of our second cold plunge, Nick challenged us to 2 minutes in the final round. At that point, we had only spent up to 1 minute 15 seconds in the ~40 degree water 👀
When the time came, I was amped. The stopwatch started. I reminded myself to take it a breath at a time. When we had 30 second left, I could no longer stick to peacefully counting my breath, I had to talk. “Oh man… I don’t think I can do this… AH! This is aloooooot!”
I couldn’t help it! I felt annoyed at my need to vocalize my feelings but I stayed 👏 in 👏the👏 tub👏. In the final 15 seconds, Nick told us to sink lower and move our elbows out so the cold could reach our armpits. We made it to 2 minutes, barely able to lift ourselves out of the baths, but proud.
Once we dried off, it was time for a restorative drink and an opportunity for me to badger Nick with a million questions. As we sipped on a magnesium mocktail and blood orange Cann, I expressed embarrassment for my outburst. He assured me this was normal and the way my body we choosing to release the tension: “It was what you needed to do to stay in.” It was that acceptance that made the experience so powerful. I didn’t ever feel silly or overlooked or other. What mattered was showing up and being open to whatever our body needed to do.
Nick has a masters degree in Neuroscience and while the Elahni is an aesthetically pleasing spot with fingerprints of the wellness scene, all of their practices are rooted in science. The return on moments spent in discomfort are well worth it— it heightens immunity, resets your nervous system, and it even felt like I had experienced a deep tissue massage.
At the end of the evening, Nick recited this Chinese proverb which is foundational to Elahni: “Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are.” It’s an accurate summary of how you feel leaving a session.
There is something special brewing at Elahni and I highly recommend you experience it for yourself ✨
Consider this booked.