This might be my most Finnish post yet. I want to tell you about something we absolutely love and are crazy about. Sauna.
Did you know there are about 3 million saunas in Finland? (The current population of Finland is 5,5 million). The last 5 of the 6 apartments I’ve lived in have had saunas in them and the one that did not, it had a sauna space you could go twice per week.
Sauna is something insanely calming and meditative. For us Finns sauna is not that spa-like ”steam room” they have in other countries, it’s all wood, rather small and hot, during summer we use birch leaves to whip each other with, we use tar as a herb and we just sit quietly in near 100 degrees Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). It’s supposed to be so hot you want to go out after ten minutes, breathe and relax. In the seventh floor I don’t have an icy lake but if I would I’d go right in, and then back to sauna… Sauna is not only to be enjoyed in the cottages, it can be enjoyed anywhere, any time, any way. It is a state of mind.
I love having sauna in my apartment. It is something otherworldly. It’s a luxury that I have without being a millionaire. It’s something that warms me during the winters and cools me down during the summers. Sauna is something I, like many other Finns, cherish and love. It stops time. It’s literally epic.
Sauna reminds me about the fact we are all human. We go there naked without thinking about it. Sauna cleanses the soul.
I wish everyone would have access to sauna multiple times per week like I do.
Btw I took that photo before throwing more steam, I do not want to ruin my phone. Lissee löylyä!
