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Finnish Sauna: The Steaming Heat and the Freezing Lake
Discovering the exhilarating experience of the sauna
In Finland you go to sauna (pronounced sow-na, as in pig sow, not sor-na). Everyone does, it seems. In every town there is at least one public sauna, but also many homes have their own. That little shed up behind the main house? It’s a sauna. It’s almost sacred, but not in a religious way. More like a people’s way. It has deep meaning and joy, it’s very good for you, and it opens you up.
My first visit to the public sauna was guided by much advice. Yes, you wear your swimsuit. Yes, you undress and shower first. And yes, it is very good to go into the lake.
Sorry, what? It’s minus five degrees C today. I should go into the lake? For a little dip?
Absolutely. No jumping. Don’t put your head under. Go carefully backwards down the ladder and dip in for as long as you want (meaning, as long as you can stand it). Then walk back to the sauna and warm up again.
My first visit was a bit of a blur. The sauna was hot, as expected, with three or four tiers of seats on each side of the central fire and stones. I sat lower down, unsure as to how hot it would get. The locals love the water scoop, and pile the water onto the stones so there was plenty of steam. We were all nicely…
