Many upscale resorts, hotels, and health clubs in North America feature saunas. Ever tried one? Most likely it was not fully authentic to the sauna tradition of Finland – because nudity was probably forbidden.
Finns – and many other Europeans – often consider this breach of the tradition simply barbaric. Not all Finns sauna nude exclusively, particularly in mixed groups or with strangers – but their attitudes towards nudity in a context like the sauna are far more accepting than in North America.
Sauna is thought to be beneficial physically for many reasons, such as increased blood circulation, flushing of impurities by sweating, raised pulse and metabolic rate. But it is also considered to have a number of emotional benefits as well, partly because of its ritual social aspect, of which nudity is (in the authentic case) a key element.
Although the physiological factors surely contribute to the sense of well being and heightened sensory awareness, nudity definitely makes a contribution to the stress-reducing relaxation of sauna. Even more certainly it facilitates a kind of social well being. This social aspect is why sauna is a common part of the conduct of business and political affairs in Finland, as well as a nearly universal family ritual.
Perhaps our own family and business/professional life would be richer and more satisfying if we adopted the full Finnish sauna tradition, including the nudity.
The Sauna Center gives info on health benefits, different styles and types of sauna, safe use of saunas, how to build a sauna,medical analysis,aesthetics, and the sheer beauty of it all.
http://the-sauna-center.com
