We’re taking a journey across the ocean to Scotland and Ireland. Our Celtic bathing series will take us far north to Orkney over to Edinburgh’s sea side and across the Irish sea to Dublin City and beyond. I think you will be delighted to hear about the magic, the whimsy, the romance, and everything that makes this part of the world so special. Now let’s escape to the islands of Orkney, Scotland… I’m joined today by Victoria Bennett, author of Apothecary by the Sea, a deeply felt book that weaves together wild swimming, grief, healing, and an apothecary garden. Victoria Bennett is a disabled, award-winning writer, poet, and literary activist whose work centres on nature, identity, and creative resilience. Her debut memoir, All My Wild Mothers, won the Nautilus Award for Memoir, was shortlisted for multiple UK prizes, and was named an Aladin ‘Best Book of the 21st Century’. She is the founder of Wild Women Press and the international Wild Women Writers Salons, dedicating nearly three decades to initiatives that nurture creative community and amplify women’s voices locally and across the world. Victoria lives in Orkney with her husband, artist Adam Clarke, and their son, where she tends her apothecary garden by the sea.You can find Vik on X (@VikBeeWyld), Bluesky (@beewyld.bsky.social), and Instagram (@beewyld). You can also find her here on Substack @WildWomanLife. In this conversation, we talk about: What it means to sea swim as a ritual of strength, awareness, and intention How tending plants can become a form of remembering How both the sea and the soil can hold us through periods of change The culture of wild swimming in Scotland The mythology and folklore of Orkney—including the story of the selkie (my personal favorite) Vik reads an excerpt from her newest book, Apothecary by the Sea She even shares a recipe to bring the sea home and into your personal bathing ritual with a glorious bladderwrack salt soak This episode was edited by Lila Woodbridge. 💧Badii Talk has a Substack! Join us where wellness meets travel. We explore global bathing traditions, sauna rituals, and spa culture through the lens of place and community. 💙 Subscribe today and support an independently produced and funded podcast. The sauna and bathing industry in the US and UK is growing fast. Where there’s growth, money and big companies will follow. If you want to see a bathing culture that isn’t just led by the folks with the most cash, support a platform that is run from a grassroots level. A platform that can authentically prioritize a respect for culture, science, and community. Badii Talk is going LIVE! Introducing live virtual conversations on the business, culture, and ritual of the thermal bathing & sauna world. Designed for owners and operators, ritual practitioners, and bathing enthusiasts. Join us for our first live expert panel with Sierra Blake, MPS, LADC , a practicing mental health therapist and founder of Saint Lucie and MacKenzie Boling of Longevity Law. We’ll be discussing how to create signature experiences rooted in care, safety, and differentiation. These women are not only absolute experts in their fields, they are also friends of mine who bring so much passion, care, and intention to their work. It’s going to be a special conversation. Join us on May 13th at 7pm ET. We’ve kept the pricing approachable at $45, so we hope you’ll join us! Learn more and register here on Badii’s website.. Paid Badii Talk Substack subscribers receive a discount off all Badii Talk Live sessions. See this post for the code. Badii offers passionate and curious bathers and spa-goers access to news, education, and recommendations about global bathing culture. Explore more bathing culture: Website: www.badii.life Instagram: @badii.life
