In The Hot Box - The Sauna Based Spa Traditions

In Europe traditions of Sauna culture evolved from both the Roman Bathhouses in the South and the heated structures built for bathing in the far North. In the Americas similar sweat lodge rituals have been practiced for thousands of years.

Unlike the classic Healing Waters based spas, health benefits of the Sauna practice are focused on controlling and altering humidity and body temperature extremes.*

Discussed in this Article

Ancient Bathhouses

The Romans had a strong communal bathing culture was based around bathhouses, called thermae, (from Latin therm= heat). They could take up multiple blocks and were built utilizing aqueducts that piped water into the city that was then heated by brazier underneath the hollow floors at the bathhouse.

Most baths contained an apodyterium— a locker room where bathers stored their clothes, a tepidarium (the warm room), a caldarium (the hot room) for steam, and a frigidarium (cold room) with a tank of cold water. (The caldarium, also contained cold-water basins which the bather could use for cooling.) Some baths also had a laconicum (a dry room) that may have been like a dry sauna. During rest periods from the hot rooms the tepidarium was used for massages with oils and body scrubs/ scrapings with metal implements called strigils.

These Baths were an essential part of civil and political life, and they spread the custom of mineral bath houses throughout their empire, into the rest of Europe, no doubt influencing the local bathhouse customs. Many features, like the alteration of hot and cold temperatures and the use of steam are prevalent in European sauna culture today.

(The Romans were in turn influenced by the Greeks before them. The Spartans had actually already invented an early version of a steam room.)

In Northern Europe, the original bathhouses were hut like structures built away from main dwellings (since their use of indoor stoves made them fire hazards.) The oldest were smoke-houses; built with a wood burning furnace, and no chimney. Wood was burned down to coals inside while smoke escaped, visible for miles around. Then the door was then closed and a pile of stones on the furnace continue radiate heat.  

Scandinavian Sauna Culture

A Scandinavian spa usually refers to saunas. The climate being so cold, it's no surprise a ritual evolved around the hothouse huts designed to create enough heat to be safely naked and wet while bathing . Saunas are traditionally enjoyed in combination with a version of Winter Bathing - (another popular Northern European activity.)

A hot sauna is immediately followed by a shocking cold water plunge, in either a

pool/ tub, a naturally cold outdoor water source, or even fresh snow.

Many traditions have specific rituals dictating a series of how long you spend in each temperature; 15 minutes in the hot sauna - 30 second cold plunge - 15 minutes relax in a room temp resting room - repeat.... two - five times.

Saunas are most prevalent in Finland, where there are as many saunas as there are households - nearly 3 million! And before the spread of Christianity these Finnish saunas were sacred, mystical, places because of the association with healing.

There's an old saying - “Behave in the sauna as you would behave in the church” - (talking is allowed but in hushed tones and cursing is not cool.) And every sauna was believed to have it's own guardian spirit, which might be the source of the modern Sauna Elf or saunatonttu tradition where, at Christmas, you leave the Sauna Elf a bowl of rice porridge. This association with the sacred also made saunas popular locations for casting love & healing spells on sacred holidays, like Midsummer.

Modern Scandinavian spas include variations of both dry and wet saunas, but the the traditional saunas are DRY HEAT built with wood burning furnaces and no chimney. Today, most are either a non-smoke version of wood burning or electrical, (which are considerably drier than the old smoke-houses) and can be heated up to 230°F (110 °C.)

Despite the name 'dry' small quantities of water are splashed on the rocks from time to time, with the Kauha (Finnish water scoop) to maintain the correct 10% to 15% level of humidity. In Scandinavia anyone is allowed to take water from the Kiula (water bucket,) for the stones, but usually the job is taken by whoever is closest to the stove.

At some Finnish saunas you'll find birch branches, called vihta, used to gently beat the skin to increase blood circulation. They add a pleasant aroma to the session (but you won't find branches used in the rest of Scandinavia.)

The Finnish are so fond of their sauna culture that they're a real communal experience, and it's common to have a cold drink and snack after, or even during your sauna. They even used to combine BBQing with saunas, hanging sausages to 'grill' in the hot sauna while they relax. (They're called 'sauna sausages' and you can still find them in a few places.) And sometimes beer is poured over the coals instead of water.

They're part of bridal rituals - bachelorette parties include a special bridal sauna or morsiussauna. The sauna's decorated with candles and flowers and the bride to be is washed with an egg, salt and flour.

Before hospitals it was common for women to give birth in saunas and recover there after. (The sauna would not be heated, but was ideal because the soot actually made them comparatively sterile environments and they were built near a sources of water.)

Traditional Finnish spa culture is practiced naked, and you sit on a towel (laudeliina or pefletti) to protect the cleanliness of the wood, though most facilities separate the

sexes. (Mixed public saunas are more likely to employ swimsuits.)

One popular Nordic version of spas are floating saunas. You will find them up and down the Langkai and Aker Brygge in Oslo, where hot cedar dry saunas conveniently float on barges along the docks so patrons can follow their sauna with a swim in the river (even in winter!)

[Instagram: @thereal_j.f.r]

In Norway nudity is less common, some saunas may be 'textile optional' in some areas but swimwear is more frequent.

Sweden is more known for the massage technique that was incorrectly named after it** than their sauna culture, but they too follow the Scandinavian sauna spa model.

A Swedish sauna is called a Bastu, derived from Bad=bath and stuga=cabin. And like Finland single sex spas spaces and nudity is common, (in mixed saunas you will people generally cover themself in towels when not actually in the sauna rather than strutting around bare in their birthday suit.) Bastus are social places and far less reverent than the Finnish sauna, its not uncommon for a group of friends to get together and drink (a lot) at a spa.

In the Laplands of the far north there are places were they build hot saunas from snow.

The best Nordic Spa's all take advantage of the beautiful surrounding landscapes of the region, with both saunas and baths often being outdoors, so you can relax under the Northern Lights.

The Spa culture in Scandinavia's most southern country, Denmark, is less extreme than it's Nordic neighbors, both in terms of frequency of practice and sauna temperatures. The Danes only heat their saunas to a more temperate 160ºF - 195ºF (70ºC - 90ºC). Their spas are also not exclusively sauna based, featuring baths, hot tubs & relaxing pools.

The Danes do have several unique contributions to the Scandinavian spa culture though. Like the saunagus ritual, which involves a person swinging steam throughout a sauna with a towel, usually infused with a fragranced oil.  

They are also responsible for the concept of hygge - the ability to create a warm atmosphere and enjoy good things in life with great people - essentially it describes the joy of comfy living. (Hygge may stem from Old Norse, hyggja = to think, or hugr = hug.)

While visiting any Scandinavian Spa could be considered "enjoying the good things in life," the Danish emphasis on the comfy may explain why their spas focus on the relaxation of pools instead of extreme hotboxes, and why their saunas are set to cozier temperatures.

Like the Nordic countries, Danes enjoy invigorating winter bathing (after all you're never more than about 30 miles from the sea.) But even here the Danish waters are milder than those in the frozen North.

Spa's are less formal in Denmark than in Finland; there's no need to treat one like a church, but they are not as lax as Sweden, (you'll want to check before bringing your own alcohol.) Danish customs vary greatly from spa to spa concerning bathing naked, but brief nudity while changing into bathing gear is no cause for concern even at a public, outdoor winter bathing spot.

Scandinavian Sauna popularity has spread to most of Europe and they are now the most common type of spa in many places.

In Germany the spa rituals continued to evolve into a new German tradition called Aufguss, from the German word for infusion, which involves curated music, complex oil infused steams and are often presided over by a “Sauna Meister” (master)^ - the only one allowed to throw the aromatic water & oils on the hot stones.

The meister selects and blends specific oils for their fragrance and ability to harmonize with the heat and mood. He chooses melodies to synchronize with the heartbeat of the participants and the rhythm of his elaborate towel waving ritual, (similar to the Danish saunagus, to move the blanket of steam on to each bather equally.) Making the Aufguss a multi sensory relaxation spa experience.

Many German saunas host a “sauna night” once a month, where they stay open late and feature live music, or other entertainment. Germany is one of the countries that fully embraces the fully nude spa experience with textiles verboten even in most mixed spa areas but don't let that stop you.

___________________

^The Sauna Meister is such a respected art there are even Meister competitions.

Russian Banya

Russian sauna tradition is very similar Finnish. Russian saunas, called Banya, have Slavic roots, not Nordic, but the Slavic tradition and nordic tradition clearly influenced each other in development in the places they met geographically, like between modern day Finland and Russia, because the the things that banya and Finnish saunas have in common, like swatting with birch or oak twigs, called venik in Russia, are the exact practices that set Finnish saunas apart from the rest of Nordic sauna tradition.^

Banyas are mentioned in Russian literature as early as the 10 century in the Radziwiłł Chronicle. Like the Finnish, they evolved from bathing hothouses; black banya (or "black-way,") where smoke escaped through a hole in the ceiling, darkening the walls and ceiling - and white banya, ("white-way,") where exhaust pipes vent the smoke. The white style  produced heat up to the range 200°F (93°C.)

The banya emphasizes mental and emotional cleansing as well as hygiene. Unlike the Scandinavian dry heat the Russian tradition uses WET STEAM. Wood burning fires may heat boulders, clay balls or large cauldrons of hot water or stone stoves with water tanks to create the steam.

Steam that hot can scald, so wool or felt caps and protective mittens are worn to protect sensitive areas. To help keep the body cool a pillow of wet leaves is often used beneath the face. 

The banya ritual starts with a basic self cleaning, followed by the sauna, which is a communal experience were the venik is used. You can give yourself a venik massage or have a Parenie where attendants performs the venik massage. 

The venik are used to waft the hottest air at the top of the sauna down to across the body (a massage via steam) and to directly massage with the leafy branches.

In spring or summer the venik are fresh. In winter the dried leaves are soaked before use or, with some forethought, the fresh venik can be frozen in summer and thawed just before use in the winter. Oils and herbal infusions can be added to the steam, like eucalyptus or mint and sometimes beer.

The hot steam room may be followed by a bucket shower (literally cold water dumped on you like you just won the super bowl) and/ or a cold plunge in a pool or outdoor source then relaxation in a quiet, warm area enjoying herbal teas or traditional kvass (a cereal based fermented alcohol.)

Variations of the Slavic style bathhouses are spread across Europe, particularly in the Russian influenced Balkins. In Jewish bathhouses long brushes made of raffia, known as schmeis, are used in place of birch twigs.

________________

^Like the Finnish there's are mythological spirits connected to the banya, but the Slavic version is creepier than Finnish sauna elves. Every banya are said to house Bannik, little men with wild white hair, long, straggly beards, long nails and hairy hands who live behind the stove. Bannik are capricious, malicious and a bit of pervy - when angry they might throw boiling water or burn down the bathhouse and they like spying on bathers, particularly the naked women. They also predict the future - to consult one you stand with your back exposed in the door of the bath. If the future is good, he strokes your back lovingly, if it looks bad he grabs your back with his claws.

Baltic Bathhouses

The Baltic Bathhouse comes from the same smoke-house tradition that the birthed Scandinavian saunas, (plus a black-house variation where a fire was built under a central pile of rocks instead of a furnace - the open fire creating enormous amounts of smut/ soot that built up on the walls & ceiling, this the name black-house.)

Baltic tradition also combines their sauna with a cold plunge in a lake, river or the snow and they utilizes WET heat, like the Russians do.

The saunas are small enclosures built around chimney stoves that heat stones to and a temperature anywhere from 190°F (88°C) to over 210°F (99°C.) Water thrown on the stones allows for the build up of moisture in the air to a humidity of 100% in the form of steam.

Sometimes calming oils, scented teas or waters, (like menthol, mint, eucalyptus, caraway, thyme and chamomile) are poured on the stones to soothe breathing in the extreme moisture, .

Bathhouses, traditionally enjoyed in the nude, are an important part of Baltic culture, bordering on mysticism; Lithuanian legend states that time spent in a bathhouse does not count towards your lifespan. But they didn't develop into a broad social activity like they did further North. In the Baltics the bathhouse is a more private ritual; considered a cleansing of the soul as well as the body. You don't always bath alone, but when you have company it's people you are close to.

Like in Russia a thick cap and mittens have to be worn to prevent sensitive areas of skin being burned from the steam at the more extreme temperatures. (They are made of felt or thick cotton with a round brim, pointy and witch or elf-like.)

In Estonia traditional smoke-houses are still common, found in family homes, museums, and even bars. (There's a fascinating documentary, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, about the Estonian smoke sauna tradition.) Historically the houses were used for swatting  (washing) from the Russian tradition, as well as birthing, and town saunas are still used as actual bath houses for citizens in without running water to bathe weekly.

In Lithuanian a sauna, or Pirtis, is also the place to have your hair done, do laundry and even see the doctor.

There are no written records of the original Baltic bathing rituals but it's believed women generally ran the houses and the modern rituals are fairly consistent across Baltic countries, so its likely they trace back to a common tradition.

The ritual consist of 4 sauna sessions with cooling periods between. The first is a warm up to adjust to the heat. Before the second the cleansing ritual starts with a salting (gently applied, not used as a scrub,) and after the second bathers will start dousing with cold water or dipping in a cold plunge between saunas sessions.

At this point like the Finnish & Russians, a birch or oak branch whisk, or besum made of bound plants and twigs is used for swatting, called a wampas by the Lithuanians.

There is often a bathhouse master to perform the swatting, rhythmic massage. Some wave the wampas above the body of the bather first to move the steam toward the skin. Then gently "beat the steam into the skin" which is believed to rid one of negative energies in addition to the physical cleansing.

A good wampas has lots of leaves and is soaked in very hot water to soften at the beginning of a session. A variety of plants are used for the detox ritual, creating an aromatherapy effect, which they sometimes combine with phytotherapy (the drinking of therapeutic teas.) Linden and juniper twigs are also popular, but the specific plants vary depending on the health benefit one is seeking, as each plant is believed to have specific healing properties.

After the third sauna many explore additional salt treatments, (this time as a course, exfoliating scrub) or a honey treatment, spread on the skin alone, or with lemon juice, or else used on the wampas for a honey massage. In Estonia they also incorporate treatments with the local "theraputic" mud.

Latvia also has a tradition of laying rugs woven from plants, flowers and herbs on a sweating shelf in their saunas to infuse the steam with the plants essence.

Gathering the vegetation in Latvia to be dried for the sauna is part of the rituals of days like John's Day, celebrated on the summer solstice. (John's Day is actually is a conversion of the much older Herbal Day, named for this sacred gathering. The belief was that the solstice is the day when people are closest to the sacred realms of nature.)

Mild Mediterranean Saunas

It's no surprise that traditional saunas in the Mediterranean Spas are most similar to the steam bathhouses of Rome, the regions direct ancestor. They are also very social (the conversation often as heated as the stones.)

The biggest difference between Southern European bathhouses though and those of the North are the temperatures. The more temperate climate in the South has led to lukewarm saunas compared to those in the cold North, who are starved for heat in the winter and prefer scalding bathhouses.

Mediterranean saunas tend to be about 100°-125°F (40°-50°C.) The exception being Northern Italy where they're a bit hotter, in the 170°F range (80°C)  (perhaps because being near the Alps they have colder winters.) But even then, the emphasis is always on pleasant, relaxation rather than heavy sweating.

Olive oil is utilized in massage as well as beauty treatments, offered in modern spas, and they often uses fragrance infusions in their steam. In Southern Italy bathers tend to wear swimwear in mixed saunas. Italy is also highly influenced by the Ottoman traditions that took over after the Romans and most spas include hammam services.

Proximity to the Mediterranean Sea means many coastal spas offer thalassotherapy (from Greek thalassa = sea + therapia = healing) – which is a broad term that covers treatments using all things sea; seawater, seaweed, algae, sand and sea mud.

[It's not a new philosophy, (Hippocrates in ancient Greece recommended seawater to relieve ailments and Roman soldiers used hot seawater baths to recover from battle) but the modern therapy theories developed in 20th century in France.]

Korean Jimjilbang Saunas

Like the rest of Asia, Korea has ancient bathing traditions, but the modern Korean Spas, or Jimjilbang, (jimjil from a word that means essentially heating, and bang= room) didn't become a thing until the late 20th century so it's difficult to separate which of the many practices available are authentically Korean and which are modern spa additions.

One unique thing about the jimjilbang though is the style of their dry saunas, called Kilns which combine the healing mineral benefits of a traditional bath spa with the dry heat benefits of a sauna spa.

The kilns are domed 'huts' with low

arched doors, inside a large open room. They're often elaborately decorated inside and out with mosaic walls and are of a variety of temperatures & materials, each building material claimed to have a specific health benefit. A jimjilbang will have between 4-10 separate kilns.

[instagram: @thereal_j.f.r]

Hanjeungmak Kilns have relatively low temperatures, no higher than 125°F (50°C) and their insides are often beautifully plastered with jade, gold, salt, or other minerals.

Bulgama Kiln have more intense heat and may be made of of wood, charcoal, salt or clay, but you aren't meant to stay in these long.

All kilns are meant for relaxation, not heavy sweating - which would be uncomfortable as you're dressed in a cotton uniform at the jimjilbang, and you would be stuck in sweaty clothes for the rest of your visit. (If you do want to get sweaty plan that portion for the end of your stay so it won't matter that your uniform gets wet.)

Additionally there is usually one freezing cold ice 'sauna' included.

[There are also Salt Cave Spas all over in the world, based on a similar wellness theory to the Korean Mineral Kilns. Some are natural caves others man-made with sea-salt brick and loose salt floors. Ranging from cool to down right freezing - they're sort of mineral anti-saunas, if you will]

Sweat Lodge Rituals in the Americas

Across the Atlantic a tradition of Sweat Lodges, similar to dry saunas emerged in the Americas. The lodges are waist-high circular domes heated by smoldering rocks and are meant to be symbolic of the womb of Mother Earth.

Unlike smoke-houses sweat lodge heat is created by rocks (sometimes volcanic sometimes river) that have been heated in a fire outside the lodge. Practices last around 2 hours over four ‘sessions’ with only brief ‘breaks’ where the entrance is temporarily opened. Multiple participants sit in the dark of the lodge and the practice is accompanied by chanting and singing. 

Throughout Mexico and Central America these sweat houses are called Temazcal, (from the Aztec, Nahuatl word temazcalli:  tema=steam or bath, calli = house.) They trace all the way back to the Mayans, where they were used for healing and purification after battle (real and athletic; temazcals are often built adjacent to Mesoamerican ballcourts.)

The domes are made of rock or mud and ceremonies are led by a curandero (healer or medicine man/woman) often referred to as a temazcalero and the water splashed on the rocks can be infused with herbs.

The practice sometimes incorporates a mud treatment applied before entering the lodge and applications of aloe or herbs during the ceremony, and participants may even drink tea inside the dome. (Though not ever ceremony includes these comforts.) Most modern temazcalli are practiced wearing a swimsuit, and may be followed by a cold plunge in the ocean or a cenote (a natural pool in a limestone sink hole.)

Native Americans also have a sacred sweat lodge tradition, observed and recorded by Europeans as early as 1643, but it has no doubt been practiced since much earlier.

It has none of the niceties like aloe of the temazcal though, and the lodge is pitch black inside. They claim the extreme discomfort is part of the point, a representation of getting through the struggles of life. The sweat lodges are used in ceremonies of purification called Inipi, meditation, prayer and to connect to ancestors and the spirit world. (The extreme heat bringing on an altered state of mind.) 

Their dome is made from leafy branches and blankets and the heated rocks are handled with antler prongs.  The ceremonies can use rhythmic drumming along with the singing, and clothing is required to prevent sexual distraction from getting in the way of the spiritual pursuit. Before entering the participant may raise their hands in respect and have smudge pot smoke wafted in their face.

       As for me, I like a sauna that combines the traditions of dry and wet heat, preferably with a variety of temperature options. I've never been much for the cold plunge though, and sweat lodges don't sound appealing. (I have a heart condition that makes extreme temperature changes inadvisable, but also am just a bit of a wuss!)

      I've yet to try any of the Slavic traditions and am very much looking forward to my first swatting! So be sure to check back for an updates...

How about you? What's your favorite sauna temp & style? Ever gone in for the full sweat lodge or winter bathing experience? Let me know in the comments, maybe you'll change my mind :)

*Those with high blood pressure should avoid saunas, the extremes and sudden changes in temperature can be dangerous.

**Swedish Massage  wasn't created by a Swede. The long strokes of directional, steady pressure was practiced and the techniques named by a Dutch man, Johan Georg Mezger. Only later was Pehr Henrik Ling's unrelated Swedish Movement System of gymnastics somehow mistakenly transposed to Swedish Massage System creating the term Swedish Massage. The Swedes, and most of Europe would just call this type of massage a classic massage.