Ritual > Protocol: How to Honor the Cultural Wisdom of Sauna

Going Beyond Sauna Protocols to Sauna Rituals 

You may have heard a lot of buzz about how healthy saunas are. Every other podcast is touting the benefits of hopping in cold water and pushing yourself in heat. From Rogan to Huberman, we see a growing number of people discovering sauna across North America. 

Yet, sauna is much more than just a piece of workout equipment.

Often, North Americans have only seen the sauna in their gym and they think it is another tool to help them be healthier, just like the barbells, treadmills, and Zumba classes. 

It’s easy to overlook the wisdom of hundreds of years, across many cultures that have practiced thermic bathing.

“If we only look at it through the lens of degrees of heat, minutes in the hot room, and heat shock proteins, we minimize the cultural practice of sauna.”

A protocol can never capture the fullness of a cultural ritual. To scientists’ credit, we’re finding that science is backing up historic wisdom. Hear us out – we think the science is good. We need more research! To geek out with us on the health benefits of sauna, head here.

And…

If we only look at it through the lens of degrees of heat, minutes in the hot room, and heat shock proteins, we minimize the cultural practice of sauna.

So let’s take a look at the principles of the deeper cultural wisdom of sauna. 

Throughout history, the sauna was used as a space for the Finnish to celebrate, grieve, heal, and even, give birth. It was often constructed before the homestead. 

Without proper education and introduction to this cultural practice,  it can be hard to be mindful of yourself and others in the hot room. Here’s a little guide for your next (or first) sauna session.  

The Process and Ritual of Sauna

If you’re new to sauna and aren’t sure what to expect when you step through the door, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a little insight: 

• Sauna always includes cold – The best and most authentic sauna experiences always include a seasonal element of cold. Whether it be a cold shower in between cycles, rolling in a snowbank, or immersion in cold water — hot and cold need one another. Scandinavians and athletes alike have been using the cold plunge practice for centuries, often searching for relief from pain, inflammation, stress, and sleep issues. Here are a few tips on how you can seize the season with this practice safely and effectively. 
• Sauna is a verb – Many view sauna as nothing more than a hot room. But in fact, sauna is a process. Moving through the thermic cycle of hot, cold, rest, rehydrate, repeat is the traditional way to practice sauna. This is also where the numerous health benefits of contrast therapy are found. 
• Heat and steam – If you’ve ever stumbled across a gym sauna, where they make rules like “don’t throw water on the rocks,” you’ve entered into something that is kind of like a sauna but is a poor, hurried version. Traditional Finnish sauna includes pouring water over the rocks to create humidity. So much so that in Finland, they don’t ask what temperature it is, they ask “How’s the löyly?” Löyly (pronounced “LOW-lu”) is the Finnish word for steam in the sauna created by pouring water on the rocks and translates to spirit, life, or breath. So go ahead and throw the water generously.
• Read the (hot) room – So often North Americans think about sauna as this individualistic experience, like meditation. Go in there, be silent, endure the heat. What we see much more commonly in robust cultural traditions is multiple ways that the sauna is experienced. From moments of quiet to gregarious fun, conversation to processing the hardest parts of life, the sauna provides a space for many forms of healing. If you happen to enter a public sauna or one where others are present, tread lightly, engage when necessary, and be sure to leave your headphones and workout gear outside. 
• Listen to your body – One of the most common questions we get is, “How long should I be in here?” That really depends on how often you’ve trained your body. Think about running. Is a 5K a long race? That depends on if you’re just getting started or if you run marathons for fun. Traditional Finnish sauna isn’t meant to be a wellness protocol, though it does have vast health benefits. Listen to your body as you move through the thermic cycle, trusting it to signal when it’s time for a different step. So don’t be fooled by your favorite podcast trying to push you beyond a certain limit, that’s a great way to get hurt running a marathon and a great way to ruin a good sauna session. We do suggest beginners start with sauna rounds between 7-12 minutes depending on how hot and using introductory temperatures from 160-180°F to acclimate your body.

Guidelines for Great Sauna

• Put your phone away – Speakers and phones playing music, making phone calls, and watching videos can all impact another sauna user’s experience (and yours.) With little or no clothing on, someone may also be uncomfortable with the idea that there is a camera device in the room with them. Take this time to enjoy a digital detox, being present in your body and mind. 
• Follow the dress code – In Finland, it’s common to sauna in the buff and in the Midwest it’s more common to sauna in a swimsuit. Check the sauna’s dress code before entering to ensure you’re following the facility’s rules and being respectful to other guests. 
• Shower before you enter – Especially important before entering a cold tub, washing away any dirt and sweat from the day is respectful for others you’re sharing the space with. 
• Use a towel – It’s proper etiquette to use and sit on a towel when in the sauna. While the cedar and heat keep the space sanitary,  it’s also a lot more comfortable than sitting on bare wood! 
• Ask before adding löyly – One of our favorite Nordic proverbs is “everyone is created equal, but nowhere more than in a sauna.” The sauna is a place of equity and we bend and lean towards the newest people in the hot room. We’re not trying to steam anyone out, so before you throw more water on the rocks ask the room, “Are we ready for some more steam?”
• Make room for others – There’s nothing wrong with stretching out and lounging and laying on the sauna benches if room allows or you’re in your private sauna. But in public spaces, it’s important to not take up more space than necessary as other people flow in. 
• Don’t waste the heat – One of the oldest laws of sauna, “Don’t leave the sauna door open!”, is always good practice when using the sauna with others. Be mindful as you transition through the thermic cycle to be quick when heading into or out of the hot room.

Sauna Essentials

1. Sauna Bucket and Ladle – Integral to creating löyly, or the steam from pouring water over the rocks, a bucket and ladle are essential to any Finnish sauna experience. We are North America’s first retailer of KOLO products proud to bring them from Finland to the sauna capital of North America — Duluth, MN.
2. Towel – The sauna is often simple; it is a ritual that involves less gear than a ski down the mountain. Yet, essential to the practice is always a sauna towel (Even if you enjoy the sauna au naturel). Our sauna towels provide the best the world has to offer; Turkish cotton from the Aegean region using techniques free of toxic and harmful chemicals by local weavers who primarily employ women. 
3.  Water – The fourth step in the thermic cycle, hydration is key to making the most of your session. We also recommend adding electrolytes during your session to help replenish sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
4. Essential oils – These authentic, concentrated essential oils from Finland can be added to the water of your sauna bucket to create aromatic steam while in the sauna.
5. Vihta (birch whisk) or exfoliator brush – Vihta is traditionally used in Finnish saunas, and is a birch whisk used on the body to help exfoliate the skin. When budding birch isn’t easily available a loofah or body brush works great.

Sauna With Us

Our team is committed to contributing to North American sauna culture through education and experiences. Our public sauna experiences are a great first step to dipping your toes into the sauna ritual – hot, cold, rest, rehydrate, repeat.

“Thermic bathing has a low barrier to entry, and this place is for a wide variety of bodies and experiences.”

Our team of skilled sauna guides walk you through the thermic cycle,  talk you through what’s happening in your body, and tend to the fire and guests’ needs throughout the session.

“Our experiences are designed as a place of respite, connection, and stress relief. We are committed to sharing this practice in a way that educates and inspires both those who’ve used the sauna thousands of times and those who are experiencing it for the first time. Thermic bathing has a low barrier to entry, and this place is for a wide variety of bodies and experiences.” – Peyton Stasiak, Director of Experience

Sauna with us in Duluth or Minneapolis, MN

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