Recorded in Durham on 8th June 2019
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0vlwsbTZFGx5mCTQzbyy5T
Sauna Twins Podcast Episode #2 Mika Meskanen Brought to you by Finnmark Sauna Authentic Finnish Sauna Welcome back! Join us for the second ‘Sauna Twins’ podcast brought to you by Finnmark Sauna. Mika Meskanen, founder and head of the ‘British Sauna Society’, leads us in a discussion about all things sauna – from sauna culture and history including World Sauna Day, to recent sauna events and the work being done in the UK to promote authentic sauna practices. If you want to receive an in-depth run-through of all things sauna then watch now!
Thank you Sauna Twins for having me and best of luck with the upcoming episodes! Since it’s a long listen, here’s a little breakdown of highlights:
0:15 Role in the British Sauna Society 0:55 What led to the founding of the BSS? 9:08 Travels to Russia, Baltics, Karelia in search of old smoke saunas 12:45 Online communities 13:55 About the Finnish Sauna Society 16:00 BSS events and the community 18:00 About löyly, vihta, whisking 23:45 Different vihta and whisking cultures, esp. Lithuania 26:07 The BSS Facebook group and about sauna hats 28:55 What is the demographic of the BSS? 31:45 Midsummer celebrations and the Int’l Sauna Day 35:25 Declaration of Sauna Peace 38:00 Evangelism for peaceful sauna bathing and de-stressing 41:05 Story about two world leaders in the sauna 44:25 Finnish UN peacekeepers and sauna 45:20 Sauna and doing business with Finns 47:20 Royals at the Finnish Sauna Society 51:12 The Queen’s Sauna on the Balmoral Estate 57:58 Perception of sauna in the UK 61:30 Athletes and teaching about using sauna for relaxation 63:00 The only time I’ve seen someone sit in the sauna against their will 65:00 About misconceptions 67:40 Misappropriations and adoption of ideas, the need for authentic sauna experiences 68:28 Pop-up sauna and creative movement in the UK 69:05 About German-style sauna and the origin of aufguss 74:45 About openness to appreciate the original sauna culture 76:00 The sauna mindset 77:40 Next events with the BSS 79:45 Closing words
It certainly feels like we only just got started…
Watch of listen the whole episode here
