The Sauna
A holy place for most Finns. A place where the rest of the world melts away. Almost all residential buildings have one and some have multiple. By many estimates, there are nearly 3 million operable saunas in the whole of Finland. Which sounds to me like a number that indicates some kind of cultural significance. People use saunas to relax, hang out, for the numerous health benefits and some even gave birth in saunas back in the day. I will focus mainly on the cultural aspect of saunas and also write about what saunas mean to me personally.
Evidently Finns have been building and using saunas from the Bronze Age (1500-900 B.C.). The earliest saunas were holes in the ground, with a pile of heated stones at the bottom. Nowadays saunas use the kiuas system which can be heated by wood or nowadays electricity. Back in the olden days people believed the sauna had protective powers against the evil spirits of nature. The sauna would also be used for medicinal purposes to treat different kinds of illnesses. And as previously mentioned, childbirth. It was believed that a newborn baby was more susceptible to the influence of spirits and that the sauna could provide additional protection. Today childbirth happens mainly in hospitals, but there are many proven physical and mental health benefits to using saunas, which have nothing to do with spirits.
There are many rules which you have to follow while in the sauna. Many of which have direct ties to the old beliefs. For example, a person is not allowed to curse while in the sauna. It was believed to have angered the elf of the sauna. Same goes for yelling in saunas. Nowadays being quiet in the sauna is more about letting other people enjoy their own experience. Especially in public saunas. Also, contrary to popular belief, you ARE ALLOWED to wear a bathing suit in a sauna with strangers. You do not have to be naked! Don’t let the creeps fool you. Lastly one of the more important rules in my own opinion. If you throw a löyly (water on the hot rocks), you have to stay in the sauna for the entire duration of said löyly. Leaving after throwing is considered disrespectful.
Personally, I have not or will probably never give birth in a sauna. My love for the sauna comes from its magical ability to slow down time. The second I step into one, everything disappears. The outside ceases to exist. I have a sauna at home and I try to go at least once a week. On top of being a safe place just for me, saunas have always been a part of my social life. I have gone to sauna with my parents and siblings at our summer cabin from childhood. Our friend group sometimes has sauna-nights, where we sauna, swim and just hang out together. I think that there is no one thing, that sauna means to Finns. Everybody has and can have their own personal relationship with saunas. And that is what makes them so great.
Sources:
https://sauna.fi/saunatietoa/saunan-rakentaminen-ja-kaytto/saunojen-seitseman-sukupolvea/
https://sauna.fi/saunatietoa/sauna-ja-terveys/saunan-terveysvaikutukset/
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