Ada L.
Yelp
Othership, located along Adelaide and Brant, is a transformative experience that you won't understand until you try it. It's not just a sauna and ice bath facility, but a place that fosters community and inclusivity and a sanctuary for when you need to get away from the stresses of life (or when you need to relieve all that stress). The facility and it's staff, along with other participants, provides a safe and welcoming space for you to let go and look inward where you feel like a completely different person once you finish your session or class.
I have always been interested to try Othership but was afraid to take the first step. I was able to try one of their guided classes recently as I received a free credit. I booked a deep stretch guided class around noon mid-week. Not knowing what to expect I went in with an open mind, allowing myself to explore and be curious about the experience, as well as try new things. Prior to the class, I probably was most anxious about the cold plunge part of the class.
Upon entering Othership, you are greeted by staff where you are checked in. I did tell staff it was my first time there and they gave me a tour of the space. I was also given a wristband to wear, indicating that I was a first timer there - this is done so that it is easier for the instructor to identify the newcomers in the group, just in case we needed extra guidance or direction.
Facility wise, Othership is a nice sanctuary in the city. The changerooms aren't terribly big but they do have private change rooms you can utilize. There are lockers you can store your belongings and shoes are not allowed in the sauna/cold plunge area. They provide you with 2 towels and there is tea as well as water (and cups) available. The bathrooms are at the very back past the cold plunge area.
In regards to my class, we were able to settle in and the instructor explained the guided class and what we would be doing as we settled on the couches. She was aware that many of us were first timers in the class, knowing that we would be anxious about the cold plunge. She told us to embrace our own journey, with the understanding that everyone is starting at different places with different levels of experience. This pre-class talk was quite reassuring and I felt a sense of comfort sharing this experience with others, knowing that we were in this together.
In the guided deep stretch class, we were first in the sauna for about 25-30 min where we did a series of breathwork and stretching, focusing on different parts of our body. The sauna was quite hot after a while and I was dripping sweat but the focus on the breath was a key factor in managing how I was feeling and the heat. After the sauna we were split into 2 groups where we did the cold plunge for 2 min (prior to the plunge you have to rinse off your body using the communal showers). I was so nervous about this part of the class but I was able to stay submerged for the whole 2 min. Having a focus on your breathwork was crucial. After the cold plunge we all gathered in the sauna again where we did several more breathworks and had a sharing portion to the class where we could talk about our experience if we wanted to. Last 15 min of class we were invited to do another cold plunge, stay in the sauna, or relax and drink tea/water.
Overall, I had an amazing first experience at Othership. Will definitely return to try more guided classes in the future!