There is no concept of time here. I’m only vaguely aware of the 64 people around me, eyes squeezed shut as sweat beads on my skin. We are — all of us — inside the massive, 185-degree sauna at Othership — one of a growing number of New York “wellness clubs.” These members-only spaces are designed to improve physical and mental well-being and drive connections, or so they say. The group’s loud exhales get faster and deeper by the minute. I squint open an eye to see an impossibly muscular instructor wafting a towel aggressively, heaving avalanches of hot air over us.
The instructor asks us to dig deep and share something we’re grateful for. A poreless woman raises her hand to say she’s left a toxic job. The room breaks into applause. Another, her voice tight, says she’s trying to be more confident. Applause again. Behind me, a man says he’s grateful to be here, in a sauna full of strangers. More applause. This is “Guided Gratitude,” one of a slate of wellness classes where stressed New Yorkers are encouraged to bare their souls — at a price.
