The Finns And Their Sauna
Author: Thomas Oak

When people talk about the Finnish Sauna, they usually mean the
Finnish Sauna experience. The Finnish Sauna begins with sitting
in a very hot room, built just for such a purpose. It does get
very hot, with temperatures ranging from 175 degrees up to 212
degrees. The heat is produced by heating rocks on a special
stove, called akiuas,  which then have water poured over them to
make steam, making the already hot room hotter still. The Finns
consider the saunas as an inseparable part of their daily lives
and it also holds a rich part in their culture. Even if a Finn
doesn't get time to avail sauna bath daily, s/he will at least
have it once in a week.

Traditionally, at this point one would use the leafy branches
from a silver birch tree to beat oneself upon the back, bringing
the blood to the surface of the skin and relaxing the muscles.
This is sometimes omitted these days, but it is a traditional
part of Finnish Sauna.

When the heat has become unbearable, the one taking the sauna
would then run outside and jump in a pool of water, a lake or in
the winter time, a snow bank. Often, in the wintertime a hole
would be cut in the ice of the lake and one would jump in there.


After getting out of the water or snow, it is then traditional
to sit in the dressing room and drink a beer or soda in order to
completely cool down, then one would begin the cycle all over
again.

It is worth noting here that many Finns believe that just one
sauna cycle has no noticeable effect, with 3 cycles not being
uncommon, and, at some retreats, the Finnish Sauna treatments
can continue well into the night.

In Finland, the sauna is not just a luxury, as it often is seen
the North America. It is more a way of life. There over two
million saunas in Finland, or an average of one sauna per
household, and the sauna is a customary meeting place in
business and Politics, with there even being saunas at the House
of Parliament.

Finns see the sauna as a part of their cultural heritage and
have a near religious severance for it, with the vast majority
of Finns partaking in a Finnish Sauna at least once a week, with
some preferring the more spiritual connotation of taking sauna
on Sunday, while those who just want the physical effects prefer
to take it on Saturday.

To the Finns, the sauna is not only a way of life, it is not
only part of their heritage; they see it as a large part of
their cultural identity, much like the role of the log cabin in
American history.  One thing is certain, however the addiction
for a saunas might seem like a bit of eccentric to the people
abroad, but being a typically cold country which stays under the
snow half the year it is very logical for the people of that
country to get obsessed by saunas.
; In Finland, the Sauna is here to stay!


About The Author: Thomas Oak writes articles for
http://www.hot-sauna.com/