Sauna Culture
In Scandinavia, the sauna is not considered a solitary practice. For many, it is their center of their community.
For Finnish immigrants, it was often the first building they built on their properties. Where stories were told, and legends were made. They viewed it as a town hall. A place to connect with other like-minded people in a community setting, spark their souls, and melt away the stresses of daily life. They call the steam "Löyly" or "Spirit of the Sauna" and use it to renew their own spirit.
At Sauna Camp, we believe in the same practice. Our camp is a place where strangers become friends, memories are shared, and new connections are made. We take our physical and mental health seriously and think that our community and natural environment plays an important role in both.
Camp is the best form of therapy, and it can be difficult to separate the spiritual & physical aspects of the steam & the ice out in nature. Come try it out for yourself this fall & winter.
Embrace the Fire & Ice
After (or before) basking in the warmth of the sauna, take the plunge into the icy waters of Lake Minnewashta for a contrast therapy practice that will leave you feeling refreshed and alive. When the ice freezes, we will have multiple community cold plunges cut into the natural lake ice (and some saunas out on the ice too). The typical sauna cycle is 15 minutes in the sauna and up to 3 minutes in the cold water, but there's no one way to do it, and it's never a competition. The frozen lake experience is not just a challenge; it's a badge of honor and a story to share around our communal bonfire.
There's a Finnish word "Sisu" that roughly translates to grit & tenacity. Embracing the fire & ice builds this certain type of confidence that you'll take home with you. Many visitors say their experience here was transformational.
Don't just survive the Minnesota winter, let's thrive in it. Together. So come be a kid again. All winter long. For us, winter is the new summer and we'd love to have you join us this season.
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