Sauna Soul - your guide to steambaths http://saunasoul.com/ 2002-05-06T00:00:00Z http://saunasoul.com/images/saunasoul.jpg http://saunasoul.com/ Sauna Soul - your guide to steambaths <p><span>There are some interesting portable saunas around, which can be taken from one place to another on the back of the truck. Or even more extreme - some actually drive (or float) around themselves. </span></p><p>They come in all shapes and sizes from a floating SAAB to minibusses to large buses to fire trucks or floating barges. <br />Some interesting portable saunas:</p><ul><li><a href="http://mbjork.home.cern.ch/mbjork/gase/events/saunaab_test/saunaab_test.htm">Saunaab</a> <br /></li><li><a href="http://www.autosaun.ee/">Autosaun</a> </li><li>Floating saunas at <a href="http://www.soomaa.com/">Soomaa</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.saunasessions.ca/mobilesaunas/index.php?n=MobileSaunas.Kanuusaun">Old utility vehicle sauna</a> - I&#39;ve personally used this at a whitewater rafting event </li><li>a great collection of <a href="http://www.saunasessions.ca/mobilesaunas/">other mobile saunas</a> <br /></li></ul><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/portable_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/portable_sauna.html 2007-10-25T16:00:32Z <p>The<span> price of any building project will be the sum of its parts. </span>The<span> most prominent areas are equipment and accessories. If you do not build the sauna yourself, the cost of hired labor will be added on top of the project. My parents had a sauna built in the basement of their apartment building at a cost of around 10,000 EUR including all direct, labor and indirect costs back in the mid-nineties. It wasn&#39;t a very small sauna, though, and the basement was not the ideal place to build it. The closet-type saunas typically are in the low thousands of EUR. Saunas in separate log buildings would cost in several tens of thousands EUR range if you buy all the work from outside.&nbsp; </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>Things you will need: </span></p><ul><li><span>sauna stove, <br /></span></li><li><span>sauna stones,</span></li><li><span>shower,</span></li><li><span>water and heat insulation for the heat room,</span></li><li><span>hydroinsulation for the washing room,</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Symbol">material for the hot room bench (normally wood)</span><span>ceramic plates for the floor and walls of the sauna washing room,</span></li><li><span>a ceiling for all rooms,</span></li><li><span>chairs and a tables,</span></li><li>electric systems,</li><li>lighting systems.</li></ul><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_price.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/sauna_price.html 2007-10-25T15:54:21Z <span>If the sauna is used reasonably, it is healthy in a multitude of ways. Reasonability is <img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/big_sauna_door.jpg" alt="The biggest sauna I have seen. Easily fits 20-40 people. " align="left" />defined by the number one rule of the saun - be comfortable, always! If you are no longer comfortable, take a break or call it a day. The sauna is meant, first of all, to be enjoyed.</span>&nbsp;<p>The<span> sauna is good for a number of reasons: </span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- strengthens your immune system,</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- gets rid of toxins while sweating,</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- blood vessels are stimulated and the blood circulation is increased,</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- helps with sleep problems,</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- good against stress,</span></p><p style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt"><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- </span><span>relieves your symptoms of flu and cold (make sure you only go to the sauna when you feel like it; if you feel physically weak from flu, skip the sauna). My personal feelings towards sauna during flu is that it neither helps a lot nor hurts. At best, it provides some temporary relief. <br /></span></p><p>For more information, cankar.org provides a multitude of information about various <a href="For%20http://www.cyberbohemia.com/Pages/saunahealth.htm">specific health issues</a> as they relate to sauna (starting from blood pressure, weight loss and alcohol all the way to fertility and pregnancy). <a href="http://cankar.org/sauna/health/health.html">Cyberbohemia</a> on the other hand reports on the history of sauna related health discoveries and what really happens to the body in the sauna. <br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/health_benefit.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/health_benefit.html 2007-10-25T15:45:37Z <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Finnish saunas, as we know them today, originated from the <a href="smoke_sauna.html">smoke sauna</a> . They first started appearing in the Scandinavian and Baltic area. Over time, other types of saunas and spas appeared in the Americas, Greece, Rome, Russia, Turkey and several parts of Asia.</span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Early sau</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">na history</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The sauna story begins during the stone age, where first signs of the sauna have been found. The first saunas were pits dug into the earth, covered by animal skins. Fire pits were created outside the &quot;sauna&quot; and rocks heated in it. Once heated, they were taken into the animal skin covered pits in the ground and the show could begin. The stones in the enclosed area made the temperature rise. Water was thrown onto the rocks, causing an outburst of humidity. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">It has been theoretisized in an Estonian book titled &quot;Saun&quot;, that the reason behind this is that it is much easier to heat up air than water. One would have had to create something bucket-like and drag it along whereever they went. A sauna was a much easier way to cleanse. Evidence of such saunas have been found all over the Northern hemisphere. Whereever a </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">natural cavern or pit could be found in the earth or created with ease, such a sauna could be built in no time. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">In the Americas, native people also used saunas as a cleansing establishment, but there it had a much more ritual role. Mixtures were made from herbs with healing properties. These were then placed onto the hot stones. The steam that rose from it, had a range of other healing properties in addition to the usual positive effects. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Ancient sauna culture</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"><span align="right"><img class="thinborderfloat" src="photos/old_sauna.jpg" alt="A ruin of roman baths" align="right" /></span>The Greeks learnt about sauna on their travels to the eastern parts of the Mediterranean. Herodotos saw tribes in Eastern Europe rolling hot stones into small tents, where they went to sweat. The Greeks adopted it, refined it and and passed their knowledge to Rome. In Greece and Rome the sauna is somewhat different from the <a href="finnish_sauna.html">Finnish sauna</a> , the Russian banya , the traditional <a href="smoke_sauna.html">smoke sauna</a> and those that native americans used. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">In Rome and Greek, the sauna is not the only main event, but part of a bigger complex that included sporting areas, pools, eating areas, massage etc. The Roman Caesar Caracalla created terms of unheard size (for up to 6000 persons), hoping to win the minds and hearts of the people. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">In Eastern Rome, the sauna culture withstood the effects of time and change. From there, sauna made its way to Arabs, who spread the <a href="hamman.html">hamman</a> to eastern countries, Northern Africa and Spain. The hamman is a place of relaxation, unlike the Roman and Greek establishments that were mostly for sporting. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Middle Ages</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The sauna was used in the middle ages. Some records indicate that it was even popular, but most likely the sauna was a realm for the wealthy. There are records that indicate that in Rostock, the maximum amount of money that could be spent for decorating a bath-robe, was set by law to ban the ridicule and spending of &quot;outdoing your neighbour&quot;. Sauna accessories were beautifully and expensively decorated and stealing occurred.</span><span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The Middle Ages were a time of going backwards in many regards - and so did the sauna culture during that time. The religious leaders exercised opression and nonsense. Sauna, bathing, cleansing and washing were not looked at positively. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The church forbid washing at certain times altogether. Not washing oneself was heavily endorsed as christian behaviour. During the Baroque age, even doctors started saying that washing oneself with water was bad for health. The bad effects and deterioating skin was covered up by scents, make-up and plaster. Only after the French revolution, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">sense started returning to people. </span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Sauna today</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Sauna is spreading fast these days and its excellent qualities and healing properties are widely recognized. There are areas where saunas are very common - in Finland, Estonia, other Baltic countries, Scandinavia, Europe. Saunas are gaining ground in other areas fast.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Perhaps the biggest push the sauna got during the last century, was during the 1924 Olympics in Paris. In the same day, during running events, the two Finns brought home two gold and silver medals by a huge stretch. There was blistering heat and only a quarter of all runners finished the race. When searching for the reasons behind this success, all eyes turned to the sauna. During the next Olympic games, the Finns even constructed a sauna in the Olympic village. </span></p><p><strong>The future</strong><br /></p><p>Steambaths of the world have had their popularity ups and downs. In terms of raw numbers we are on top of the curve right now. At no point in the history have there been so many saunas in the world. Where do saunas go to from there?&nbsp; </p><p>At a company karting event, I invited Gareth and all to continue our discussion in the sauna. &quot;What is a sauna? Is it just another place where you drink?&quot; was the<span> candid question I got in reply. It provoked smiles. There are many misconceptions, but that one I had not heard before. </span><br /> </p><p>In Finland, they say, there are more saunas than cars. Over here it&#39;s much the same. But it made me remember that there are places where saunas do not exist at all. I have had many friends and colleagues confirm this.&nbsp;<br /> </p><p>This and the curiosity that people new to the sauna exhibit leads me to believe that the future is bright. There is room and willingness to expand. </p><p>What kind of a steambath will come out on top seems predictable. The so-called <a href="finnish_sauna.html">Finnish sauna</a> has a firm lead that will continue. As urbanizations continues, other saunas that can fit onto a small area like <a href="infrared.html">infrared</a> and the <a href="steam_sauna.html">steam</a> will prosper as well. <br /> </p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_history_origins.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/sauna_history_origins.html 2007-10-25T13:32:02Z <p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/steam_sauna.jpg" alt="Steam sauna with two girls in towels" width="425" height="282" align="left" />The modern steam sauna is heated to around 45 degrees Celsius. Boilers are heated, the steam is directed through pipes. Then, it is released to the heatroom. Steam saunas are a common sight in spas, hotels and water centers. While some ste<span>am sauna complexes are sporting several hot rooms with hot and cold pools</span>, sho<span>wers</span> and the<span> like, many have only one steam room.&nbsp;</span> </p><p>The heated steam is blown into the steam room in bursts of a minute, with fragnances adding an aroma. Steam can be impenetrable for human eyes, so these saunas are often shared by both genders all over the world.&nbsp;</p><p>My personal experiences with steam saunas are primarily negative.&nbsp; There are three reasons to it. Some steam saunas I&#39;ve been to blow steam into the bottom of the sauna across your feet. Hot steam in extended body contact tends to hurt. I also dislike the amount of aromas within the smoke. Third - I&#39;m not a fan of the general atmosphere and don&#39;t understand what&#39;s so good about them. &nbsp;</p><p>That said, the sensation from visiting a steam sauna is highly individual and I am certain that there are good steam saunas as well. <br /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/steam_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/steam_sauna.html 2007-10-24T15:49:19Z <p>October 13, 2007&nbsp;</p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/two_log_saunas.jpg" alt="Typical Finnish sauna (note that smoke saunas themselves don&#39;t have chimneys)" align="left" /><span>The smoke sauna is where the sauna story begins.</span> Back in the day, saunas were smoke saunas. They did not have chimneys, not unlike regular buildings of that time. In a smoke sauna you have a fire in the stove, heating the stones on top of it. There are many-many more stones in a smoke sauna, as they need to store more heat. Once the stones are heated, the fire is put out. </p><p>The smoke is vented out of the room and the sauna is ready to be used. The heated stones have an immense amount of heat stored in them - you can throw leili in the morning of the next day. The sauna can stay warm for days from a single heating. <br /> </p><p>The majority of the smoke will be ventilated out, the door closed and the experience can start. The traditional smoke sauna is highly valued my avid sauna-goers, as the best form of sauna. </p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/smoke_sauna_interior.jpg" alt="Smoke sauna interior" width="426" height="282" />In 973, Ibrahim ibn Jakub visited the court of the german emperor Otto I in Merseburg. He also visited the saunas of Slavs and wrote &quot;<em>they build a wooden chamber, the cracks of which the stuff with moss. Into the corner of the chamber, they build a stove from stones and leave a hole into the roof above it, so smoke can escape. Once the stove has been heated, they stuff the smoke hole and close the door. Everyone has a bundle of hay that they swing around, so air would move and that they use to rub their body. It opens their pores and sweat pours like streams along their body.</em>&quot;</p><p>The fact that there are written records from that old times is mind-boggling. Amazingly there are even older ones. For example that of Herodotos from the 6^th century BC. He described, how some tribes rolled hot stones into small tents, where they went to sweat. As with so much, our ancestors had already discovered the good and pleasurable. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/smoke_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/smoke_sauna.html 2007-10-13T13:23:06Z <p>October 13, 2007&nbsp;</p><p>FIR saunas are not heated by conventional stoves that heat the air. Rather, they heat your skin by far infrared light, much like the sun does<span>. As much as 80% of the light emitted by the sun, is far infrared light. </span></p><p><span>Infrared saunas often are sold as a </span>module<span> - wooden box with FIR heaters inside. It can also be a custom built sauna with FIR heaters. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_sauna) says &bdquo;</span><em>In essence, the sauna box creates the atmosphere of the sauna while the heaters create the actual sauna effect. </em><span>&quot;</span></p><p><span>The infrared sauna is a completely different experience from regular saunas. The temperature setting is much lower, but you still sweat as much or more than in a normal sauna. For that reason, drink plenty of fluids before and during the infrared sauna. </span></p><p><span>The infrared light is not visible to human eyes and when heating you,&nbsp; they are unique in a way that they do not actually heat the air between you and the heater. Even if you are in the temperature of 40-50 degrees Celsius, the cold water glass in your hand will not heat up. </span></p><p>My first infrared sauna experience was in the late 90&#39;s in my late teen years. Back then it was a completely new thing and the first few IR saunas had come to the country. Considering ourselves to be true sauna fans, I and my mates had to try it. </p><p>So one day we called the place up, booked a time and off we went. We were instructed to drink something beforehand and so we did. When we arrived, we were served a large glass of lemonade. The first glimpse of the sauna was disappointing. It looked like an oversized closet. &quot;This is not right,&quot; I thought. The temperature was set around 50 degrees, which of course we thought was pittyful. How wrong we were!</p><p>The timer was set to something like half an hour. Being the young jocks we were, we would not allow ourselves to come out before we heard the dreaded &quot;DING!&quot;, ominously like the microwave sound. Ok, I might have made that up. But in any case, we pretty soon found that we had not nearly drank enough. We had a second large glass of water with ice and slices of lemon floating in it. After half of our time, we ended up drinking it in three &quot;zips&quot; flat. That brought some relief again. <br /></p><p>An IR sauna really does dehydrate you as well as they say (good thing they wrapped the seats, footrests and backrests in towels) and what&#39;s even cooler, water in a glass really does stay ice cold.&nbsp; </p><p>The next time I went to an infrared sauna was some five-six years later have been to them a few times after that as well - mainly in spas or water recreation centers. I don&#39;t nearly enjoy it as much as a real Finnish sauna, but it is an interesting sensation nevertheless. <br /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/infrared.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/infrared.html 2007-10-13T13:10:34Z <p>October 13, 2007&nbsp;</p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/paradiis_heater_closeup.jpg" alt="An apartment sauna closeup from the suites of Tervise Paradiis in P&auml;rnu" align="right" /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Owning a dedicated building sauna is a dream that is out of the grasp of m</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">ost. City-dwellers simply do not have the luxury of erecting a building in their back yards, right next to the parking lot. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Thankfully, there is a solution for apartment buildings - basement and in-apartment saunas. They are just as fun and pleasurable as their loghouse counterparts by the lake, out in the countryside!</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Basement saunas</span></strong><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">As an example - the apartment of my parents has a sauna in their basement (I don&#39;t have one myself - I mainly use the one at the gym these days). It&#39;s shared between three families and it was built very shortly after the apartments were built and we moved in - I was still living with them at that time. Back in the day it cost around 10,000 EUR for all of it. These days I imagine it would be more and it of course also depends on your location.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">It has a small front room with clothes hangers, tables and chairs, a washing room after that with two showers and the sauna area (perhaps 6 square meters) in the corner of the washing room. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">There&#39;s a small electrical heater and the room goes to around 110 Celsius. It takes an hour and half to heat it and it can also be activated with a time delay - an especially excellent feature after winter walks when you know you&#39;d love a hot sauna afterwards. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If you</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"> can build a sauna in your basement, go for it. If that is not an option, you can build a tiny one into your bathroom. </span></p><p><span style="text-align: right"><img style="text-align: right" class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/paradiis_sauna_from_bathroom_door.jpg" alt="Tervise Paradiis suite sauna from the bathroom door" width="213" height="320" align="right" /></span><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Apartment saunas</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">I recently visited a spa called <a href="http://terviseparadiis.ee/?q=/en">Tervise Paradiis</a> with my girlfriend in the P&auml;rnu resort area. We </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">opted to book a suite - mainly because it had an adorab</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">le small sauna. The the stay was excellent and the sauna almost as much so. It was a small one, but it was more than enough for the two of us. Later on, we sat on the balcony and enjoyed the view of the resort beach at night.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">It&#39;s also quite common in many private owned apartments. Apartment sizes can be so small as to only fit one person at a ti</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">me (a friend of mine has one and it&#39;s bordering on comical - but does the job) to a normal sized sauna. The average size is enough for 2-4 people.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/apartment_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/apartment_sauna.html 2007-10-13T12:38:28Z <p><strong>&quot;The Sauna&quot; by Rob Roy</strong> (<a href="../rob_roys_the_sauna.html">read my review and get Amazon link</a>) </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Sauna Is: Revised and Expanded</strong> (<a href="../book_review_the_sauna_is.html">read my review and get Amazon link</a>) </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Art of Sauna Building</strong> (<a href="http://saunasoul.com/book_art_of_sauna_building.html">read my review and get Amazon link</a>)<strong><br /> </strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sauna: A complete guide to the Construction, Use, and Benefits of the Finnish Bath</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931498636/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931498636/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Some Like It Hot: The Sauna, Its Lore &amp; Stories</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878391401/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878391401/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sweat: The Illustrated History and Description of the Finnish Sauna, Russian Bania, Islamic Hammam, Japanese Mushi-Buro, Mexican Temescal, and Americ</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0884961249/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0884961249/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cathedrals of the Flesh: In Search of The Perfect Bath</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582341168/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582341168/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sauna: Hottest Way to Good Health (Natural Health Guide)</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1553120345/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1553120345/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The businessman&#39;s guide to the Finnish sauna</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.sauna.ca/Sauna_Book_en.html">http://www.sauna.ca/Sauna_Book_en.html</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Spas and Hot Tubs Saunas and Home Gyms </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/093294485X/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/093294485X/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sauna Detoxification Therapy: A Guide for the Chemically Sensitive</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786403594/ref=nosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786403594/ref%3Dnosim/sauna2-20/102-2941484-8388924</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Retrouver et conserver sa sant&eacute; par le sauna</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2950512305/finnishsaun01-21/402-8022991-9274554">http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2950512305/finnishsaun01-21/402-8022991-9274554</a> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Art of Sauna Building</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968570704/qid=1121599134/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968570704/qid=1121599134/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967249171/qid=1121599134/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967249171/qid=1121599134/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How to Build a Sauna</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0847316734/qid=1121599134/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_9/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0847316734/qid=1121599134/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_9/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Hot Tubs, Saunas and Steam Baths : A Guide to Planning and Designing your Home Health Spa </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/158017549X/qid=1121599215/sr=1-12/ref=sr_1_12/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/158017549X/qid=1121599215/sr=1-12/ref=sr_1_12/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Sauna Cookbook: Food for Body and Soul</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0973105356/qid=1121599215/sr=1-16/ref=sr_1_16/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0973105356/qid=1121599215/sr=1-16/ref=sr_1_16/102-2941484-8388924?v=glance&amp;s=books</a></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/books.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/books.html 2007-10-13T12:37:14Z <p><span>The sauna is the most exciting, yet relaxing, experience you can have in the modern world. The soothing</span> environment that lets you<span> escape the buzzing-busy world. The exciting change between the hot and cold. Good friends to share the experience with. </span>Not to mention the health benefits and the obvious cleansing qualities. </p><p><span>At the core of a sauna is a </span>warm room, hea<span>ted to around 90 degrees Celsius (195 F). After having enjoyed that - for minutes or to tens of minutes </span>-<span> cool down. Stand outside, take a dip in a nearby lake. Wasn&#39;t it nice? &nbsp;<br /> </span></p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="photos/grand_uncle_sauna.jpg" alt="Behind this door is my grand uncle&#39;s sauna - the second best sauna I&#39;ve been in" align="left" /><span>The sauna, with temperatures that could boil water, is a scary prospect to some. In reality, the sauna experience is nice in a suprising way. </span>The<span> key is the low humidity, thanks to which it is perfectly safe when used within reason.&nbsp;<br /> </span></p><p><span>There are different types of saunas in the world. Undoubtably the most common one was popularized in the wider world by the Finns and therefore named Finnish sauna. It&#39;s appeal and charm goes further than the areas </span>where wintertime temperatures reach a chilling of -25 Celsius (-13 F).&nbsp; </p><p>The other steambaths known to men, are the smoke saunas from 10 thousand years ago through to the Turskish hamman, Roman and Greek steambaths, sweat lodges of the Native Americans, the russian banyas to the ultramodern infrared saunas.&nbsp; </p><p>This is my effort to put down information to share the sauna bug. If you feel that there is anything missing, have a question, a sauna photo or story to share (how you got started, interesting saunas, memorable sauna visits, ...), please do <a href="write_me.html">write me</a>! <br /></p><p>Go read about <a href="../first_time.html">first time sauna experiences</a>, about <a href="../sauna_history_origins.html">sauna history</a> or check out the <a href="../seven_funniest_sauna_videos.html">7 funniest sauna videos</a>. Or check out the often taboo subject of <a href="../nude_sauna.html">nudity and sauna</a>. <br /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/index.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/index.html 2007-09-20T08:47:06Z <p>August 1-2 of 2008 are the dates for the 10th World Sauna Championships at Heinola. It&#39;s a unique event - the quirkyness of the nordic culture that pushes people from many parts of the world (last year, there were 101 men and women participating from 17 countries) to have a sweating competition in a sauna to the brink of what&#39;s healthy and beyond. </p><p>The competition series started with a group of men <img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/sauna_competition09_thumb.jpg" alt="sauna championship" />having unofficial sauna competitions in a public sauna at a swimming hall. A natural progression that can be seen throughout the history of man - to see who is the best. It did not go down well with the other visitors of the sauna, so an official event was set up and has enjoyed a nice string of successes from then. </p><p>It has grown significantly over the years and has even prompted the first ever marriage in a sauna as part of its events (during the competitions of year 2000). The media frenzy around the event has also grown over the years - there have been tens of reporters from many countries on site, television coverage, live commentators etcetera. </p><p>The competition of 2008 will be held again in Heinola - the place where it all started. Check out videos from previous <a href="http://saunasoul.com/competition_2007.html">years competitions (Augusts hottest event)</a> or the results of the <a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_competition_2007_results.html">2007 competition</a>. Stay tuned and check for more information and participation information on the website of <a href="http://www.saunaheinola.com/">SaunaHeinola</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/tenth_sauna_competition.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/tenth_sauna_competition.html 2007-09-02T05:08:20Z <p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/sauna_competition01_thumb.jpg" alt="sauna championship" />The Sauna World Championships of 2007 are now over. As always, they were held in Heinola. Amazingly, all the champions from last year were able to keep their own and are still champions.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Results:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold">Men:<br />1. Timo Kaukonen, Lahti / Finland - time 12.26<br />2. Markku Mustonen, Ruokolahti / Finland - time 12.23<br />3. Leo Pusa, Helsinki / Finland - time 11.16<br />4. Bjarne Hermansson, Turku / Finland - time 11.00<br />5. Kimmo Turunen, Lahti / Finland - time 9.43<br />6. Per-Erik Holmqvist, Parainen / Finland - time 8.11<br />Women:<br />1. Leila Kulin, Helsinki / Finland - time 10.31<br />2. Leena Kautiainen, Lahti / Finland - time 8.39<br />3. Alena Kamkova, Belarus - time 7.39<br />4. Valentina Setrova, Belarus - time 6.48<br />5. Petra Schneider, Germany - time 5.45<br />6. Natalia Tryfanava, Belarus - disqualified</span><span style="font-weight: bold"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>All results:<br /></strong></p><p><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20miesten%20alkueraet.pdf" target="_blank">Men qualifications 2007 (PDF)</a><br /><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20miesten%20puolivaelieraet.pdf" target="_blank">Men quarter-finals 2007 (PDF)</a><br /><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20miesten%20vaelieraet.pdf" target="_blank">Men semi-finals 2007 (PDF)</a><br /><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20miesten%20finaali.pdf" target="_blank">Men finals 2007 (PDF)<br /></a></p><p><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20naisten%20vaelieraet.pdf" target="_blank">Women semi-finals 2007 (PDF)</a><br /><a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/media/tulokset/Loeyly%202007%20naisten%20finaali.pdf" target="_blank">Women finals 2007 (PDF)<br /></a></p></span>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_competition_2007_results.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/sauna_competition_2007_results.html 2007-09-02T05:04:27Z <p>July 15, 2007</p> <p>What is the hottest event of the year? The 9th Sauna World Championships at Heinola, of course. </p> <p>It is a spectator sport of both tremendous will and endurance. No spa niceties here - just feisty women and men pitting it out against each other in the blazing 100 Celsius heat. Who can stay in the sauna for longest, wins.&nbsp;</p> <p>The competition is at its peak popularity and lots of media outlets are rushing in to cover the international event. </p> <p>I found these two videos from the competitions from previous years.&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>1. Last year&#39;s video: Sauna World Championships 2006<br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UcSI-bAvyQk" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UcSI-bAvyQk" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object></p> <p>Shows a slideshow of the sauna competition, photos of saunas, competitors with an interview detailing a lot of the sauna championship. &nbsp;</p> <p>2. Video of the <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=GziphEcM_uI">first ever Sauna World Championships</a> (Youtube). A rather good video and narrative about the sauna competition. <br /></p><p>It is wise not to try it at home. However it is advised to go and take a part of the competition and the surrounding aspects. <a href="http://k-systems.fi/www/saunaheinola.com/wb/pages/en/program.php">Sauna World Championships 2007</a> at Heinola, Finland. It will take place on 4. to 5. August 2007. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table border="0"><tbody><tr><td><img src="images/sauna_competition_1.jpg" alt="Sauna World Championships 2007 official &#39;mascot&#39;" /> <br /></td><td><img src="images/sauna_competition_2.jpg" alt="Photo of a previous Sauna World Championship" /> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>&nbsp;</p><p>Go read about <a href="../first_time.html">first time sauna experiences</a>, about <a href="../sauna_history_origins.html">sauna history</a> or check out the <a href="../seven_funniest_sauna_videos.html">7 funniest sauna videos</a>. Or check out the often taboo subject of <a href="../nude_sauna.html">nudity and sauna</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/competition_2007.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/competition_2007.html 2007-09-02T04:53:36Z <p>September 2, 2007</p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/sauna_building_art_cover.jpg" alt="The Art of Sauna Building cover" align="left" />I&#39;ve had The Art of Sauna Building book by Bert Olavi Jalasjaa for some while now (months) and had not gotten around to reading it. Shame on me!&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you&#39;re aiming to build a sauna, it possibly is the best book in English you can find. It&#39;s slim on the part of general information on saunas to the tune of 5 packed page, but it&#39;s sauna planning and building information part is superb.</p><p>The planning section explains the bewildering array of different options available to the sauna newbie - from pre-built mini-saunas, panelled saunas, log saunas all the way to portable cabinets, outdoor log saunas, steam units, more and even fallacies such as the sauna belts and sauna suits.&nbsp;</p><p>The book then goes on with all the bench, heater options, floor, drainage, insulation, material type and other crucial tips and info. All illustrated with proper drawings on the cross-sections of sauna layers, arrangements of benches, fixtures and heaters.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I will reprint the table of contents for an overview of everything that this book contains:</p><p>Section A - a room full of hot air or a key to relaxed living? </p><ul><li>The sauna - a brief history</li><li>The sauna - the Finnish style</li><li>The sauna - pronouncing it</li><li>The sauna - a friend of good health</li><li>The sauna - as Finland has it</li><li>The sauna - as Finland does it</li><li>The sauna - in North America</li><li>The sauna - as in investment</li><li>The sauna and you - an experience in every sense</li><li>The sauna vs a steambath</li><li>Dry vs wet heat</li><li>Humidity - a relative measurement</li></ul><p>Section B - the sauna knowledge quiz</p><p>Section C - types of sauna available</p><ul><li>Pre-built mini-saunas</li><li>Pre-built panelled saunas</li><li>Pre-built log saunas</li><li>Sauna material &quot;pre-cut kits&quot; <br /></li><li>Custom-built saunas</li><li>Your invention?</li><li>Outdoor log saunas</li><li>Steam units</li><li>Portable cabinets</li><li>Steam generators</li><li>Sauna belts, sauna suits</li><li>Where to buy saunas</li><li>Buying a pre-built sauna?</li><li>Buying sauna materials from a package supplier? <br /></li></ul><p>Section D - planning the sauna</p><ul><li>The &quot;sauna&quot; <br /></li><li>The outdoor sauna</li><li>The indoor sauna</li><li>Bench layout</li><li>Floors, foundations and drainage</li><li>Sauna heaters</li><li>Planning the wood for the sauna</li><li>Building codes, permits and zoning laws</li><li>Planning checklist for commercial saunas</li><li>Roughing-in guide for a future sauna</li></ul><p>Section E - how the sauna is actually built</p><ul><li>Framework</li><li>Air circulation system (venting) <br /></li><li>Electrical - sauna heater and controls</li><li>Electrical - light switch and light</li><li>Electrical - light fixture</li><li>Insulation</li><li>Vapor barrier (aluminum foil)</li><li>Door and windows</li><li>Door frame and trim</li><li>Door hardware</li><li>Galvanized fasteners</li><li>Interior installation of T&amp;G lining </li><li>Benches</li><li>Wooden floor duckboards</li><li>Heater guard</li><li>Interior mouldings</li><li>Wood preservatives</li><li>Exterior walls of the sauna room</li></ul><p>Section F - the sauna is ready!</p><ul><li>Firing up and curing</li><li>Sauna care and maintenance</li><li>Sauna accessories</li><li>How safe are saunas? <br /></li><li>How to enjoy the Finnish sauna</li><li>The sauna - for us, today</li><li>Unique sauna ideas</li><li>Would you share your sauna experiences?</li><li>Answers to the sauna knowledge quiz&nbsp;</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you&#39;re looking for a sauna building book for the next do-it-yourself project or are looking at some of the easier options, I&#39;d wholeheartedly recommend taking a look at this. The downside of the book seems to be that the measurements are not in the metric system, but the thought of converting measurements should not put you off if you&#39;re in the metric world. At the time of writing, it seems to be out of stock at Amazon.com, but it is available at several other sources around the internet.&nbsp; </p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/sauna_building_art_drawings.jpg" alt="The Art of Sauna Building with drawings" /></p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="http://saunasoul.com/photos/sauna_building_art_sauna_crosssection.jpg" alt="The Art of Sauna Building cross section image" /> <br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Go for it!<br /> </p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/book_art_of_sauna_building.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/book_art_of_sauna_building.html 2007-09-02T04:13:13Z <p> <strong>1. Volkswagen, the car company, and a sauna? You better believe it. </strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v1kYXDJLD8s" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v1kYXDJLD8s" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>2. Two men in a Swedish sauna. Possibly the funniest sauna video ever. </strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8hFnUUzB218" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8hFnUUzB218" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>3. Why all public saunas should be stocked with soap for shower time.</strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gOtF8bpED4o" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gOtF8bpED4o" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>4. Looks like a party</strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/5vWy35e4GADeNgT72" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/5vWy35e4GADeNgT72" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="364"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>5. Through the steamy mist in the sauna comes a bad suprise</strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/6vVmVdurzCf9x6qlL" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/6vVmVdurzCf9x6qlL" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="335"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>6. Luring out the sauna animal</strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gYFioGqC2qQ" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gYFioGqC2qQ" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> </p> <p> <strong>7. It&#39;s supposed to be funny, but it&#39;s an obscure kind of funniness</strong><br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3PMuYTjPH-M" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3PMuYTjPH-M" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Go read about <a href="../first_time.html">first time sauna experiences</a>, about <a href="../sauna_history_origins.html">sauna history</a> or check out information about <a href="../nude_sauna.html">nudity and sauna</a> .&nbsp; </span><br /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/seven_funniest_sauna_videos.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/seven_funniest_sauna_videos.html 2007-08-07T09:50:33Z <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Nudity in sauna is the norm, rather than an exception. That of course depends with whom you go to the sauna with and in which geographical location you are in.</span>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If you are in Finland or in Estonia, then it is customary to go to the sauna naked. This may vary from one group of people to another. Some people can be shy about being nude in the sauna. Although not always, women often come into the mixed sex sauna with a towel on. Depending on the individuals, sometimes men take a towel too. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If you are seasoned, you sometimes see funny taboo cases surrounding nakedness and misconceptions in the sauna. Back in the university days, we used to have international relations with quite a few student groups from other countries. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Once we were visiting a sauna in Latvia and were canoeing on rivers. You could see clear contrasts between sauna cultures - the Latvians were wearing swimsuits, Finns and Estonians were divided between some wearing towels and some being naked. It might have been about the particular people, but it also may have been the common norm in any of these countries. </span></p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/winter_lake_dip.jpg" alt="Winter dip in an ince hole for a swim after sauna at the xDream competition in Southern Estonia. Year 2006. " align="right" /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">At one point during the evening, while leaving the sauna, I overheard a &bdquo;duh&quot; moment. I was not sure whether to laugh or bang my head against the wall. Mikael commented to a Finnish gal &bdquo;You have nice breasts.&quot; The discussion carried on for some time surrounding nakedness and the accepted boundaries. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The culmination of the discussion was &bdquo;we do not make a big deal of it&quot;, which I could not have said better myself. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">I know, it comes down to the culture and the background of the individual even more so. But the sauna is a place, where you customarily overlook the nakedness aspect. It is irrelevant and not taboo in the context. You just enjoy a good time with your friends. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Go read about <a href="../first_time.html">first time sauna experiences</a>, about <a href="../sauna_history_origins.html">sauna history</a> or check out the <a href="../seven_funniest_sauna_videos.html">7 funniest sauna videos</a>. </span><br />&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/nude_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/nude_sauna.html 2007-08-07T09:49:13Z <p>July 22, 2007&nbsp;</p><p>Rob Roy&#39;s &quot;The Sauna&quot; is both an intimate tale of his sauna beliefs and of how to build them. Of American origin and well travelled around the world.</p><p>He first set sights on a sauna in the Republic of Iceland. The sauna temperature was maintained above the boiling temperature of water and the rest of the bathing experience was close to the Finnish sauna way of doing things - plunges into cold water between sauna sessions. </p><p>Just two years later he had settled down in Scotland and got around to building his first makeshift sauna... and committed a mistake that almost led to a fire in his house. He bypassed the thermostat of the heater and forgot to turn the heater off for the night after an especially exhausting hiking trip. </p><p>From there on Rob goes into the history, building issues and a lot more. What makes this book unique is that half of it deals with cordwood masonry saunas (the building of which is his primary occupation), which is not considered as a traditional sauna building at all. What makes it good is that he really has built several cordwood saunas and does know what he talks about. </p><p>Overall, the book is well written. The focus on cordwood saunas is somewhat too big, but overall manageable.&nbsp;</p><p>The book has an extensive amount of subtitles, which is perhaps the best way to give an overview of what the book is about:</p><ul><li>Acknowledgements</li><li>Introduction to the revised edition</li><li>Introduction to the first edition</li><li>About Saunas</li><ul><li>The Author and the Sauna: A Personal Odyssey</li></ul><ul><li>The Sauna in the Highlands</li><li>The Saunas at Log End</li><li>The Earthwood Sauna</li><li>A Little History</li></ul><ul><ul><li>The Smoke Sauna</li><li>L&ouml;yly: The Sacred Steam</li><li>Smoke House, Drying Room, Birthing Chamber, Mortuary, Temporary Shelter</li><li>The Sauna and Your Health</li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Fact or Fiction? (deals with the major misconceptions surrounding saunas)</li><li>A Couple of Cautions (cautionary warnings by a doctor and authors)</li><li>The Sauna and Age (children and the elderly)</li><li>Ice and Snow Baths</li><li>The Sauna and the Common Cold</li><li>The Sauna and Pregnancy</li><li>Other Health Claims</li></ul></ul></ul><li>Siting and Design</li><ul><li>Siting (most of the advice is in the North America context, although many also apply generally)</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Rural Siting Considerations</li><li>Urban Siting Considerations</li><li>Town or Suburb</li><li>Design</li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Stoveroom Size</li><li>The Dressing/Relaxation Room</li><li>Shape</li><li>Platform (Benches)</li><li>Cooling Tank</li><li>Other Design Tips</li></ul></ul></ul><li>Cordwood Masonry</li><ul><li>Wood Rot: The Myth</li><li>Weathering</li><li>Advantages of a Cordwood Sauna</li><li>How to Build a Cordwood Wall</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Choice of Wood</li><li>Seasoning the Wood</li><li>How many Cords?</li><li>Log-End Preparation</li><li>Estimating Other Materials</li><li>Tools for Cordwood Masonry Work</li><li>The Mortar (+Cordwood Mud Recipe)</li><li>Laying Down the Mud</li><li>Installing the Sawdust Insulation</li><li>Laying the Wood</li><li>The Second Course</li><li>Pointing</li><li>Finishing Up for the Day</li></ul></ul><li>The Post-and-Beam Log End Sauna</li><ul><li>The Floating Slab Foundation</li><li>Preparing for the Foundation Pour</li><li>Pouring the Footings</li><li>The Post-and-Beam Frame</li><li>Roof Decking</li><li>The Earth Roof</li><li>The Sawdust Concrete Floor</li><li>The Floor of the Antechamber</li></ul><ul><ul><li>A Wood Disk Floor</li><li>Concrete Floor Options</li><li>The Instant Slate Floor</li></ul></ul><ul><li>Framing for Windows, Doors, and Vent</li><li>Cordwood Masonry at Log End Sauna</li><li>Windows and Doors</li><li>Sauna Platforms</li></ul><li>The Earthwood (Round) Sauna</li><ul><li>Advantages of a Round Sauna</li><li>Drawbacks of the Round Design</li><li>The Round Foundation</li><li>Cordwood in the Round</li><li>Plates</li><li>The Wagon-Wheel Roof</li><li>Snowblocking</li><li>The Roof Deck</li><li>The Earth Roof</li><li>The Eight-Sided Sawdust Concrete Floor</li><li>Platforms in a Round Sauna</li><li>Windows</li><li>The Oval Sauna</li><li>Earthwood Sauna Update</li></ul><li>Variations on the Theme</li><ul><li>Cordwood Masonry Design Features</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Texture</li><li>Pattern</li><li>Special Design Features</li><li>Giant Log-Ends</li><li>Artistic Pointing</li><li>Bottle-Ends</li><li>Shelves and Towel Pegs</li></ul></ul><ul><li>The Sauna Cabin</li></ul><ul><ul><li>The Temporary Shelter Strategy</li><li>Internal Walls</li></ul></ul><li>The Conventionally Framed Sauna</li><ul><li>Conventional as the Alternative</li><li>Foundation Options</li><li>The Railroad Tie Foundation</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Foundation on Posts</li></ul></ul><ul><li>Floor Options</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Loren&#39;s Sauna Addition</li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>The Plan</li><li>Loren&#39;s Foundation</li><li>The Drain</li><li>The Concrete Floor</li><li>The Stick Frame</li><li>Closing In</li><li>Insulation and Vapor Barrier</li><li>Interior Walls</li><li>Vapor Barriers in the Sauna</li><li>Loren&#39;s Platforms (Benches)</li><li>Loren&#39;s Heater</li><li>Finishing-Off Details</li><li>Performanc and Cost</li></ul></ul></ul><li>The Sauna Stove</li><ul><li>Heating Options</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Electric Heat</li><li>Gas Heat</li><li>Wood Heat</li></ul></ul><ul><li>Konnos (The Rocks)</li><li>Stove Capacity</li><li>Installation of Electric Heaters</li><li>Gas Sauna Heater Installation</li><li>UL Listing (Underwrites Laboratories)</li><li>Woodstove Planning and Installation</li><li>Stovepipe Installation</li><li>A Homemade Sauna Stove</li></ul><ul><ul><li>Adapting a Stove for Sauna Use</li></ul></ul><ul><li>Combustion Air</li></ul><li>Taking a Sauna</li><ul><li>A Crying Shame</li><li>The Finnish Tradition</li></ul><ul><ul><li>First Curing</li><li>Ripening the Sauna</li><li>Temperature</li><li>Perspiration</li><li>L&ouml;yly</li><li>Fragance</li><li>How Long? </li><li>Cooling</li><li>Repeat</li><li>Whisking</li><li>Sex and Sauna</li><li>Behaviour in the Stoveroom</li><li>Sauna and the Psyhe</li><li>Washing Down</li></ul></ul><ul><li>The Relaxation Room</li></ul><ul><ul><li>The Dry-Down</li><li>Refreshment</li><li>A Fine Sauna Sunday Afternoon</li><li>Sauna Is a Personal Matter</li></ul></ul><li>Sauna Equipment Manufacturers and Distributors </li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>You can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931498636?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=saun-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1931498636">buy the book at Amazon</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931498636?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=saun-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1931498636"><img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21P5414MMAL._AA_SL160_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><img style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=saun-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1931498636" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/rob_roys_the_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/rob_roys_the_sauna.html 2007-07-22T15:17:13Z <p>July 21, 2007</p><p>I have bought quite a few sauna books over time. So when I came across the sauna book &quot;The Sauna Is: Revised and Expanded&quot; (Amazon), I was quite turned off by the single negative review that it had, but somehow managed to press buy nevertheless. </p><p>The book consists of articles, each a few pages long. The talks about his sauna background and goes into the history. You will find answers to questions such as &quot;Why did the sauna come to be? How and where did it develop? What are the different types of saunas and their characteristics?&quot; </p><p>It goes through the Greek, Roman, Turkish, Native American, Russian, other steambaths and their usage and reputation throughout history. When he reaches the Finnish sauna, he goes into more detail. His explanation spans sauna customs and usual usage patterns. Did you know that Finns and the neighbouring people do not only use the sauna for cleansing? Saunas used to be very versatile in their usage, especially in the middle ages. It was used for curing and drying farm produces, used as a house to live in while the main house was being built, for brides preparing their vows and so far.&nbsp;</p><p>It also touches upon the World Sauna Championship subject (which is due soon for this year again, as we said covered at our <a href="http://saunasoul.com/competition_2007.html">Sauna Championship</a> article) as part of a guest article by David Maki.&nbsp;</p><p>The table of contents:</p><ul><li>Dedication</li><li>About the Author and Contributors</li><li>A Part of My Heritage</li><li>A Bath That&#39;s Different</li><li>A Bathhouse with a History</li><li>A Gift from the Finns</li><li>A Bath That&#39;s Enjoyable</li><li>A Means of Rejuvenation</li><li>A Spot of Relaxation</li><li>A Setting for Prioriety</li><li>An Aid to Grooming</li><li>A Room for Heating</li><li>A Project for Do-It-Yourselfers</li><li>A Variety of Designs</li><li>A Bridge Between Cultures</li><li>A Heated Competition</li><li>Sauna 101</li><li>Postscript&nbsp;</li></ul><p>The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932043098?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=saun-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1932043098">book at Amazon</a> for online buying:<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932043098?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=saun-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1932043098"><img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21FJRPWVF8L._AA_SL160_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><img style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=saun-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1932043098" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/book_review_the_sauna_is.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/book_review_the_sauna_is.html 2007-07-21T09:20:05Z &nbsp; <p><span>We have compiled a master list of the best sauna-links on the internet. Please feel free to browse through our reviews of the sites listed below.<span>&nbsp; </span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Major inf</strong><strong><span>ormation resources:</span></strong></p><p><a href="http://cankar.org/sauna/">http://cankar.org/sauna/</a></p><p>Mihael Can<span>kar wrote the first copy of his &bdquo;The Finnish Sauna&quot; more than ten years ago. At the dawn of the internet in 1994, there was next to no sauna information on the internet. He anticipated an interest in saunas and wrote down some fine information. He deals with a wide range of subjects</span>, including a brief int<span>roduction, how to build your own, history, sauna dictionary and briefly covers the widely popular topic of sex (or rather the lack of it) in saunas. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>He brings together his own account of saunas and that of others (by reproducing certain magazine/book articles). </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The site is light on clutter and high on information. Well done, chap! </span>He also pro<span>motes some interesting books on his site, which are worth a read. Reading is light and an absolute pleasure. </span></p><p><span>In the additional information section, he lists an impressive list of Sauna Associations and a fine collection of high quality links. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.cyberbohemia.com/Pages/sweat.htm">http://www.cyberbohemia.com/Pages/sweat.htm</a></p><p><span>The excellent site by Mikkel Aaland is a neutered version of his</span> book called The<span> Sweat. It deals with different types of steambaths and provides first hand accounts of the author&#39;s own visits to the Turkis sweatbath, details about all different types of saunas and historic accounts. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The facts are well researched and written down in a wonderful fashion. Apparently he spent three years, pilgrimaging around the world, visiting different saunas, taking photos and writing. The book was first published 1978 and the excerpts from the book bring the wonderful world of different cultures and backgrounds to every internet dweller, with a twist towards saunas. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.kalle.com/sauna_faq.html">http://www.kalle.com/sauna_faq.html</a></p><p>Kalle Hoffman is living in the<span> United States, but he is of Finnish roots and a big fan of the traditional finnish sauna. His site has been up for over ten years. The most important part of his site the correspondence with</span> various sau<span>na owners. He is posting the sauna themed emails as part of his FAQ. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The site has a lot of information on building your site. What is great is that the information is not only theoretical, but actually comes from real people, who have lived through it themselves and talk from experience. You can find schematics and photos of a range of</span> sau<span>nas and sauna details.</span> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.saunarelaxation.com/Site_Map.html">http://www.saunarelaxation.com/</a> </p>Sauna Relaxation is a very comprehensive resource if you are looking to build your own sauna and are researching the options. Good stuff! <p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.sauna.fi/englanti/englanti.html">http://www.sauna.fi/englanti/englanti.html</a></p><p>The<span> Finnish Sauna Society was founded in 1937 and has around 3100 members. It is an organization to enjoy saunas (they have their own saunas) and to promote them. Allegedly they publish information in various forms, organize seminars and support scientific research. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The website has some interesting information on the development of saunas, some sauna related articles, an illustrated guide to using a sauna and contacts of some other sauna societies throughout the world. The Finnish Sauna Society is a part of the International Sauna Society, which organizes the International Sauna Congress every four years. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=26074">http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=26074</a></p><p><span>virtual.finland.fi is a site dedicated to promoting Finland and tourism in it. Since saunas are such an important part of life in Finland, they of course also have information on the sauna. They say: &bdquo;</span><em>The sauna is part of the Finnish identity and a national institution which still blossoms in the 21st century. / . . . / Sweating in a sauna, a sweat lodge or a furo bath is not primarily a physical act of cleansing, but a ritual that relaxes the body and soothes the mind. &lsquo;Re-creation&#39; best describes what the refreshed mind experiences after bathing in the steam. </em><span>&quot; </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The site has a lengthy write-up of saunas, how they got started, different types of saunas. While the main article is excellent and strong on information, the subarticles about the history of the stove is great<span>&nbsp; </span>(has pictures of different historical stoves). It also has a recommended illustrated guide of how to enjoy the sauna. A very nice site overall. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.saunasite.com/index-en/engindex.htm">http://www.saunasite.com/index-en/engindex.htm</a> </p><p>This site con<span>centrates on building a sauna, although it also has some general information. The building info is quite excellent and has lots of cute illustrations with cartoon reindeers acting as sauna users. There also are tables and graphs to communicate some important information on saunas. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>What does <span>the building part of the site cover? It does not quite go into the details of plumbing (which would be completely unnecessary). But it does cover all the sauna specific basics, ventilation, insulation, sauna benches, sauna stove stones and best practices. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The &bdquo;Questions and Answers about Sauna&quot; section is great! It has lots of inf</span>ormation (hundreds of letters and their replies).<span> Also, the &bdquo;Reader&#39;s online pages&quot; section has pos</span>tings of sauna users and plenty of commercial posts of people who are selling sauna goods in local markets. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.sauna.org/">http://www.sauna.org/</a> </p><p><span>The site has some information on saunas and quite uniquely some lore stories of saunas. There are some good links on their site, but unfortunately many of them are quite outdated and no longer working. They have posted some results of sauna competitions and links to their coverage by BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/414887.stm). </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauna">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauna</a></p><p>Wikipedia has information of the general sauna experience and the history. It does not only deal with Finnish saunas, but also discusses other forms of saunas. Special depth is given to how widespread saunas are in different regions and countries. The article also details habits that are common on the local level in different regions. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammam">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammam</a> </p><p>Although the Hamman (Turkish sweat bath) and the Finnish sauna are similar in many aspects, they look, feel and are very different. It is somewhat similar to your typical spa steam bath, but the background, saunagoing habits and traditions are very different. Therefore Wikipedia has a separate article for it. Worth a read. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Fun: </strong></p><p><a href="http://mbjork.home.cern.ch/mbjork/gase/events/saunaab_test/saunaab_test.htm">http://mbjork.home.cern.ch/mbjork/gase/events/saunaab_test/saunaab_test.htm</a></p><p>The Saunaab is a Saab 900 automobile, converted to be a sauna. Visit the website of the amusing idea, the people who actually decided to go ahead with it and the crazy process of actually turning a car into a sauna. The site has a story of the Saunaab, lots of photos of the building process and details of the design decisions made. Go check it out! </p><p><span>&nbsp; </span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.primitiveways.com/sauna.html">http://www.primitiveways.com/sauna.html</a> </p><p>This PrimitiveWays has an interesting article of the building process of the most primitive sauna of all. One like they used to be made way back in time with a wooden frame or hole in the ground, covered with animal skins. The article has interesting pictures of the building process of this tent-like sauna and a story to go along with it. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Com</strong><strong><span>merce:</span></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.harviasauna.com/">http://www.harviasauna.com/</a></p><p><span>Harvia has a mindboggling range of pro</span>ducts, including Electric Heaters, Control Units, Woodburning Stoves, Saunas, Cauldrons, Water Heaters, Fireplaces, Fireplace inserts, Iron Stoves, Sauna Products and more. They do not only have pictures of their products, but also have some 3D virtual views of saunas. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The founder of Harvia was <span>Tapani Harvia (1920-1998). The</span> Harvia homepage says &quot;<em><span>In the army he was always the one who dictated the pace of throwing water on the sauna stones. At the request of those who became impatient with Tapani Harvia&#39;s style of sauna bathing, he was actually granted his own private sauna shift. </span></em>&quot; Even more than that - he managed to take his childhood memories of a constantly heated sauna stove that was excellent engineering-wise and from the user perspective. It delivered a nice soft bath. It was forged by the village blacksmith. Supposedly he got his idea to turn saunas into his business from there and the idea took off very well. If you are looking to order an sauna, looking at what Harvia has to offer, is well worth it! </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.finnleo.com/">http://www.finnleo.com/</a></p><p><span>Fin</span>nelo has a wide range of standard offers for Finnish saunas, steam and infrared saunas. They also do customer Finnish saunas and ship the details to you. They say that the company history spans back to 1919. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.nordicsauna.com/store/site/?CFID=198075&amp;CFTOKEN=82369900">http://www.nordicsauna.com/store/site/?CFID=198075&amp;CFTOKEN=82369900</a></p><p><span>Nordic Sau</span>na has an online shop, where you can order sauna heaters, prefabricated sauna rooms, sauna kits, infrared saunas, sauna accessories (thermometers, ladles, buckets, lights, stones, oils, essences and a lot more). </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.saunas.com/">http://www.saunas.com/</a><span> </span></p><p>This is another online shop and also carries a lot of products. Definetly something you should look at when you do not have local sauna shops or when you need to order some products online.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Other languages:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.saunamaailm.ee/">http://www.saunamaailm.ee/</a> (Estonian and Russian)<br /></p><p>An excellent resource with online shop, saunas for rent, galleries and sauna articles.&nbsp;<br /> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/links.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/links.html 2007-07-09T14:56:35Z <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Heat is the basis of a sauna. The main room is warmed up to 80-100C (170-210F) degrees. Seasoned sauna-goers vouch this to <img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/electric_stove.jpg" alt="Photo of a typical electric stove. Coils are heated, which in turn heat the fist sized rocks that provide the leil." align="left" />be the best temperature to enjoy the experience. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Some people find what they are graving for the heat range of 70-110C (160-230F). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Most people visit the sauna in several dashes for 5-10 minutes. But one can go to the sauna for many hours as well (heating themselves up, taking a dip in the river, socializing and repeating the cycle).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">You might ask, how one can tolerate heat that makes water boil? The answer is humidity control. A hundred degrees is no problem at all in the sauna, because the humidity is quite low (it is a self-controlled environment - the heater brings the humidity level down itself).&nbsp; </span><br /> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If heat is the cornerstone of a sauna, then at each side, there are more stones to build up the wall. What these are in the sauna, depends on you - a refreshing shower, standing outside and cooling down, swimming in a lake, rolling in the snow. <br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">How long does it take to heat up a sauna? For the therms of Rome, it took days or weeks. For a smoke sauna, it takes a day. For smaller Finnish saunas (for up to 5 people at a time), both with a wooden stove and electrical one, it takes an hour or two. </span><br /> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/heat.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/heat.html 2007-07-09T14:43:01Z <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If you have information, stories, photos of saunas and their history, please do take the time to contact me. Also, if you have plans of building a sauna or are in the process, fire me an e-mail. Saunas are things that, in their proper form, only exist in a very small geographical area. Sharing what you know is the single best thing you can do for a person who is interested in saunas. He or she would like to build their own, but are lacking either the final bit of inspiration, knowledge or determination. Your story or photo might be the piece of a jigsaw that somebody is missing to take the plunge into the world of saunas. </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">My e-mail address is </span><img src="sauna_email.png" alt=" " /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"> </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/write_me.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/write_me.html 2007-07-09T14:29:55Z <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">In the olden days, saunas were always in separate buildings. They were used for a variety of purposes - from cleansing to <img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/lake.jpg" alt="View from a nice lakeside sauna." align="left" />giving birth. If a farm had helpers who worked for the farm, then sometimes the farm-hands would be allowed to move into the sauna. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The reason why saunas were the ideal places to give birth in, is that back in the day, saunas were <a href="smoke_sauna.html">smoke saunas</a> . They did not have chimneys (nor did farm houses for a long time, for those to whom it seems odd). What happens in a smoke sauna is that you have a fire in the stove and heat the stones on top of it. There are many-many more stones in a smoke sauna, as they need to store more heat. Once the stones are heated, the fire is put out or dies naturally. The smoke is vented out of the room and the sauna is ready to be used. The heated stones have so much energy stored in them that you can throw leili in the morning of the next day and the sauna can stay warm for days from a single heating. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The smoke really is the key to why a smoke sauna was the cleanest place where you could go to give birth - smoke kills the bacteria and all sorts of diseases. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">This also explains why peasants living in farm houses, which had smoke in it after cooking and heating, were less affected by virus outbursts than the wealthy foreign mansion keepers who lived in big moist stone houses that had sophisticated chimney systems. Although smoke burns your eyes and does not feel pleasant, it does have its uses at times. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/dedicated_sauna_hut.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/dedicated_sauna_hut.html 2007-07-09T13:49:52Z <p><em><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Leil</span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"> is another essential component of the sauna experience. Without it, a sauna is just a glorified heated room with benches. The sauna stove is a special kind of stove. There are raised top edges and special stones piled in it. The stones are the</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">size of<span>&nbsp; </span>a large fist. Stones of this size will warm up quickly and store a good amount of energy in them. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The act of throwing leil is simply a matter of throwing water of dosed quantities onto the stones while sitting on the benches in the heat room. The water will evaporate almost instantly, turning into hot steam and raising to the ceiling in a hissing sound. It then travels across the ceiling and comes down, dissipating throughout the entire heat room.This gush of a heatwave is <em>leil</em>.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The heat and steam combined are very pleasurable. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">We talked about humidity con</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">trol in the <a href="heat.html"><em>heat </em></a> section. Leil is what brings the humidity up a bit and gives you the nice tingling feeling. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/leil.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/leil.html 2007-07-09T13:46:53Z <p>Some time ago I was talking to a workmate <span style="float: right; clear: left"><img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/girl_on_chair.jpg" alt="A girl sitting on chair after enjoying a session of sauna." align="left" /></span>of mine - a German native and a long time resident of the UK. What I learned from him is that in areas where the sauna is not a longtime tradition, some people are obsessed with the rules on how to use the sauna.&nbsp;</p><p>There is only one guideline - <strong>listen to your senses</strong>!&nbsp;<br /> </p><p>You can enjoy the sauna alone or invite friends. If you do have people over, the<span> sauna is as much a place of cleansing, as it is a place for socialization. </span></p><p><strong><span>Seven sim</span>ple</strong><strong><span> ste</span>ps to using a sauna</strong></p><p><span>1. Take a shower and let the exciting new experience begin. </span></p><p><span>2. Take a towel to sit on and enter the sauna room. A temperature of 90 Celsius (195 F) is very nice in the sauna. Choose a bench level to suit your taste. The uppermost level is the hottest, but you are free sit on a lower level if you like.</span></p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/steaming_bath_bucket.jpg" alt="The biggest sauna I have seen. Easily fits 20-40 people. " align="left" /><span>3. Throw water onto the special stove and the rocks to increase the moisture level. It will give you a nice buzz for a brief moment, before cooling down again. Repeat. The dash of extra humidity is what is causing it. If you accidentally overdo <em>leil</em> in a dash - no harm done usually. Just be mindful of your breathing and b</span><span>end down a bit, until the perceived heat wave dispenses (within tens of seconds). </span></p><p><span>4. Once you are through with your first round, either take a shower, go outside to cool down, go swim or do any combination of these. Chat with friends or have some snacks. Drinking fluids is good.&nbsp;<br /> </span></p><p><span>5. Go back to the sauna to enjoy the warmth, before coming out again. I normally repeat the cycle 2-3 times. Find the balance that suits you at that moment. </span></p><p><span>6. Before finishing off the experience cool down before hitting the showers for the final time. </span>The<span> perspiration will continue for several minutes, nullifying your cleansing effort, if you directly go to take the final shower.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span>7. Put your clothes on, relax and reflect on the enjoyable experience you just had. See you soon! </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>Next time, maybe you will want to enjoy some extra accessories that are used in the sauna - let it be a <em>viht</em>, honey, menthol droplets in the leili water, body lotions or a range from other available items. Also, massage is very effective after the sauna.</span>&nbsp;</p><p><span>The sauna <a href="heat.html">howto section</a> , acts as a follow up to this article, looking at the bigger factors that are of help. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/first_time.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/first_time.html 2007-07-09T13:39:35Z <p><span>A sauna is such a satisfying place that many people want one. </span>Outside the<span> geographical area where saunas are traditionally common, not many people actually get around to building one, even though they dream about owning one. This area is for those who want to take the plunge. </span></p><p><span>To become an owner of a sauna, you will generally either buy a module sauna (which looks a bit like a closet) or if you have more room, then build or let somebody build <img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/sauna_sign.jpg" alt="A sauna sign." align="left" />one for you. For building, the options are:</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- get a premanufactured kit,</span></p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- build a sauna to plans that you can buy</span>,</p><p><span><span>&nbsp;</span>- actually design and build one from scratch. </span></p><p><span>If you do your research and posess some minimal required skills, then the latter one will guarantee you the best result! </span></p><p><span>Books are a great help. The are good recommend Finnish and Estonian books on the subject, but there are also a range of English books on saunas. There is quite an extensive list compiled here. If you have read any of these books or know of more books on the subject, please do write me. </span>Until you<span> write me about more books or give your thoughts, how good these books are, this remains the definitive sauna book list on the internet. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_construction.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/sauna_construction.html 2007-07-06T15:46:39Z <p>Proper saunas must have at least three separate functional rooms. <span>These are:</span></p> <ul> <li><span>Front room with tables and chairs - keeping your stuff, taking shoes off, socializing, talking, eating, drinking, just sitting between turns. <br /> </span></li> <li><span>Shower room. Should be warm, where you can also dress you cannot do it in the front room. It absolutely must not have the humidity and hotness that the most important room of the sauna has. <br /> </span></li> <li><span>The jewel of the crown is the sauna hot room itself.&nbsp; </span></li> </ul> <p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/three_people_in_barrel_tub.jpg" alt="Three people in an open air water tub between sauna turns. xDream sporting competition. " align="right" /><span>Allocate plenty of time for yourself. Have a barbecue with friends, eat, drink, talk. </span>When things sta<span>rt properly rolling and the sauna has heated up, undress, take a shower. Enter the</span> heat room. If you prefer it, you are welcome to leave a towel on. Check that the wooden benches are not too hot as to pinch your bottom. Sit down gradually or sit onto a towel, a special piece of wood, foam or paper. In home environments sitting down on plain wood is the common practice. </p><p>There is no defined timeframe. It is not a competition - take a break when you feel like it. Taking a break can involve sitting in the common room. Or just run outside, sit on the porch, swim, roll in the snow or throw snowballs at each other. When you start feeling chilly, go inside and repeat the cycle! </p><p>When you go in the second time, your skin will be soft, so you can also use a <em>viht</em> to gently beat your feet, arms and your body. It feels pleasurable and stimulates your blood-flow. Repeat the cycle as often as you like. </p><p>When calling it a day, wait a bit after the last heat session before you wash yourself. Perspiration does not stop immediately. Washing yourself while still sweating is an effort in vain. Cool down a bit, have a refreshing drink and then shower. <br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>See you next time!</p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/sauna_experience.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/sauna_experience.html 2007-07-02T14:24:19Z <p>The Finnish sauna is a descendant from the smoke sauna. The main difference is a chimney. Therefore the smoke never actually circulates in the sauna, but goes out directly. Only the heat remains! </p><p><img class="thinborderfloat" src="../photos/parnu_big_sauna.jpg" alt="A really big sauna in P&auml;rnu, Estonia. Picture taken shortly before the birthday of a friend. " />You have already read about the history of the Finnish sauna, how to use one, how pleasurable it is, since this type of sauna is the main focus of the site. You can also read how to build one, how healthy it is, how to contribute to this site. </p><p>An impressive, if I dare to say it myself, quantity of data about saunas in general, sauna manufacturers, available books and most importantly of all, interviews with sauna owners and a wide range of photos have been compiled on this site. </p><p>While the<span> smoke sauna has a large mass of stones that is heated up and can keep warm for days, the Finnish sauna has a fewer of them. On contrast, it can be </span><span>heated </span><span>quickly - in an hour or two depending on the heating stove. The</span> Finnish sauna is the most widespread of sauna types. It has the best of many worlds. It is excellent fun, you can enjoy a <em>viht</em>, it is compact, can be heated quickly and it is pleasant (no smoke).&nbsp;<br /> </p><p>Publicity has also benefited the Finnish sauna. Nakedness was a taboo a couple of centuries ago and the sauna itself was not widespread. Travellers to Finland always wrote about the strange cleansing habits of the Finns (back then the smoke sauna was still largely used). During the Olympic games, the success of the Finnish athletes was attributed to be the result of the sauna. During several Olympic games, Finns have actually built a sauna right into the Olympic village. </p><p>At wintertime, the temperature in Finland can be tens of degrees below zero (Celsius). That made it even more peculiar <span>to see</span> Finns pouring cold water on top of their heads or going outside to swim... in a lake with a frozen cover and a hole chipped into it. </p><p>While Estonians, Latvians, Swedes and other nationalities keep the sauna in high esteem, the Finns are pos<span>itively</span> sauna-crazy. They have about 2 million saunas for a population of 5.2 million (2002 national statistics). At the same time they have about 2.5 million cars. If that is not impressive, nothing is.&nbsp; </p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/finnish_sauna.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/finnish_sauna.html 2007-07-02T14:11:24Z <p><span>The</span> sauna is about hot air and keeping it hot. But you also need oxygen-rich fresh air. Without it, your woodburning stove would not sustain fire and you would soon become tired with the lack of oxygen. The air circulation needs to be very slow, though. Most saunas have some sort of an air-circulation characteristic. The objective is to get enough fresh air coming in for people to breathe and enough oxygen to keep wood-burning stove burning. </p><p><span>The number one thing to judge the ventilation of a sauna, is the correct balance</span> among these factors:</p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Wingdings"><span>1.&nbsp;<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span></span></span>the air has to stay fresh enough</p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Wingdings"><span>2. </span></span>the stove needs to have enough air to burn</p> <p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Wingdings"><span>3. </span></span>the sauna cannot lose a lot of temperature</p> <p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Wingdings"><span>4. </span></span>the sauna should not get drafty</p> <p>To reduce the amount of air needed, you can place the loading side of the stove outside the hot room, to minimize the amount of ventilation to keeping the stove burning. Or you can draw the air you need for burning logs in from alternative sources, without circulating it in the hot room. </p><p>Most of the saunas I have seen are with natural, not forced ventilation. Air is drawn in from under the door (not directly from outside) and then released from venting holes or through the stove. </p><p>When building a sau<span>na, you need an intake vent and exhaust vent of the same size. </span>You can<span> have a natural or mechanical ventilation system. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/ventilation.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/ventilation.html 2006-10-08T09:16:45Z <p><span>&bdquo;<em>The best stones are collected from the riverbed</em>,&quot; m</span>y grand uncle once said to me. He was teaching the<span> old way of gathering sauna stove stones. One would go out, wander around the riverbed and chose the stones that were warm, more so than others, from the effect of the sun.</span></p><p><span>Hard stones such as grantite are up to the job. The best stones are the size of a large fist. Brittle stones, like limestone, are no good. They will fracture with the constant heating and cooling. </span>The<span> best stones are hard and heavy rocks, that can store a significant amount of heat, while standing up to the constant heating and cooling effects. </span></p><p><span>The main job for the stones on top of the sauna stove, is to store heat and release it over an extended period of time. Usually more intensively when throwing water on top of them. In the typical Finnish sauna, stones can keep the sauna warm for a couple of hours, with no additional heating. In the smoke saunas of old, saunas could well be warm for several days due to the massive amount of stones used. </span></p><p><span>When throwing <em>leil</em>, many factors play a role in how it reaches the people who are waiting, full in anticipation. The surface area where </span>water touches the<span> stones</span>, the<span> texture of the stone surface, heat conductivity and the dissipation of the water you threw. The better the water dissipates over top and bottom rocks and covering a wider area, the longer longer the dash of heat and steam will be. </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/stones.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/stones.html 2006-10-08T09:12:27Z <p><font face="times new roman,times" size="3"><span>Heaters are the core essence of a sauna. Therefore the special kind of a stove is in the center of the sauna world. </span></font><br /> </p><p><strong>Woodburning stove</strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">This is the type of sauna stove that fans value the most. There is just something pure, natural and excellent in a proper woodburning sauna.&nbsp; </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">A good woodburning sauna is much better than an electric sauna, as the heat has just a dash more humidity. Why isn&#39;t this the only one around? Your mileage will vary, but oftentimes you cannot have a fire in apartment buildings, fitness centers due to safety regulations and insurance costs. If you live in a heavily regulated area and still want to enjoy the pleasure of a wood burning sauna, then it is said that a certified stove may get you around this. </span></p><p><strong>Electric stove</strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">If you have read the site this far, then you will know that the author of this site prefers wood burning saunas above all others, as most seasoned sauna fans do. That said, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">the electric stove is the next best thing. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">The electric sauna can be faster to heat up and does not require wood delivery at your house, making it more practical as well. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">As an additional pro for this option - these types of heaters usually come with timers and are easier to heat. While most people prefer a real fire, the comfort and simplicity of only needing to flip a switch, wins hearts of many lifestyles. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;"><br /></span></p><p><strong>Infrared heater</strong></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;">Going to an infrared sauna differs from other kinds of saunas, as it works on different principles. The temperatures are much lower - around 40-50 degrees. The heater does not heat the air, but your skin directly. It is done with the aid of infrared radiation. The subjective rating is that the experience is on par with the electric stove.&nbsp; <br /> </span></p><p>(<a href="http://saunasoul.com/heater_stove.html">read more at saunasoul.com</a>)</p> http://saunasoul.com/heater_stove.html 2006-10-08T08:12:33Z