Finnish Dry Sauna
Have you ever experienced a true Finnish dry sauna? To
enjoy a Finnish dry sauna is to enjoy the work of the masters
of sauna culture. To the Finnish, having a sauna isn't a rare
luxury, it is a regular necessity, and as masters of sauna
culture, there IS a right way to enjoy a Finnish dry sauna.
There are basic rules of sauna etiquette that must be followed
in the Finnish sauna culture.
In many ways the Finnish have always been the "masters" of
sauna culture. This isn't to say that the Finnish were the
inventors of the sauna, as there have been similar buildings
used by Native Americans, but the Finnish are masters of the
sauna culture. For the Finnish, it is not only a place to find
relaxation, but also a place for social gatherings,
as well as a place to benefit the body. If you
take a look at the ratio of Finnish people to saunas, you
will discover that there is quite literally a sauna for
EVERY Finnish family. Nowhere else in the world will you
find such a love, nay, quite nearly a need, for saunas in
a people’s culture.
Since the Finnish have such a love and respect for nature
and the health of the human body, it should come as no surprise
to you that the Finnish have what could be described as a
nearly "spiritual" experience that is connected to the sauna.
Within a traditional sauna, in the days of old, and even still
today in some places, men and women used to share the sauna.
And yes, it is not only tradition, but also in a way symbolic
to remove all of ones clothes when in a sauna. Many people in
today’s world find this to be immoral, yet for the Finnish; it
is truly the only right way to enjoy the sauna. Not to mention
that the proper use of a sauna is key. Maintaining the
cleanliness of the sauna and not deviating from the proper
daily use is truly what has brought the Finnish dry sauna
through the centuries.
As we have seen, there truly is a right way to enjoy a true
Finnish dry sauna. We have also discovered that although the
Finnish have become the "masters" of sauna culture due to their
diligence and respect for nature and the health of the human
body. If the Finnish were not who they were, and did not
respect the use of the sauna within their daily lives and
culture, we would have no true knowledge of the right way to
enjoy a sauna.
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