All Things Sauna

[nuduke]

We haven't heard from Duane in a while.
John

[jbeegoode]

Dwayne has family matters. Why bring this up on the sauna thread?
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

A new post at my website. Sweating Russian style with veniki. I added links to a couple of videos to explain. One is very funny.
https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2019/05/11/sweating-russian-style/
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

I'm currently intrigued by this concept. I have given such an idea much thought, but it has been in the form of a traditional more like Native American sweat. This is a whole different thing.

https://www.camping-tent-sauna.com/camping-sauna-walrus/

I thinking how it would be a great addition to the hot springs. It would attract naturist campers to the tooleys to have a weekend sweat in the woods.

It has an efficient portable heating box.

I'm looking into this seriously. It works...maybe!
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

Where I live, all you have to do is go out for a walk around two in the afternoon. After an hour, you'll be wet all over.

[jbeegoode]

Consecrating the Sweat:
Last Friday, more than 20 people showed up excited for the consecration of the new sweat. It was Passover, which is about a time of liberation from a long restrictive period. It was a Christian Easter rebirth time and a full moon shown down on us with Goddess Ester’s bunny form of new life on it. That’s what it felt like, loved ones, the tribe gathering and catching up after a long separation, smiles hugs, reunited, with love and eyes here and into the future.

As DF facilitated, we gathered holding hands in the circle during a colorful sunset and making intentions. Much of those intentions and thoughts were based on what we knew and remembered as the heart of the old sweat. The family, the support, the prayer, the song and music, the cleansing, the refuge, spirituality, comradery, sharing, the health and hope, all were mentioned. We had that in our thoughts, and just naturally, it all turned to demonstrative deeds of the intentions that evening. So, delightfully wonderful it was for everyone!

The sweat functioned well. It gets hot quickly; it can easily get very hot. Breeze and I placed a candelabrum in there, as the sun’s light gave way to that of the ever-present full moon. The good ‘ol days it felt, were back, all the way back to things like the two forgotten towels left laying behind. We went on, some of us quite late, because it felt so damn good.

We have to get forms printed and at ready, or sent out, some insurance, pick out five more 2x6x10’ slats. The board has to have a meeting to keep our tax exempt status and officially pass a few details. After that, we’ll start a regular Sunday sweat for starters. Probably, it will take a couple of more weeks.

I’ve got a special post to make on the Facebook page eventually, to acknowledge the volunteer help that has come forward to make this happen. This brings us to another project. We need a volunteer list. We need to set up hosts, and there are, of course other needs for us to make this happen every week. For now, I’m the coordinator and keeper of the list.

The sweat is functioning, not complete. There is a list including stucco, a pair of buttresses, a place to stack firewood, painting the lockers, an actual shower to replace the garden hose, erect and secure the gazebo, some pavers and carpet…I’ll let the community know, as it moves along…and there’s more to do.

Friday, we were gifted several chairs, nice wood to burn and a couple of artifacts from the beloved ‘ol sweat. We’re ba-ack…with heart!
Jbee

[nuduke]

A great achievement, Jbee.
Any photos?
One day you might post what you actually do during a session with the sweat.  For instance, do you stay in there for ages, go in and come out frequently etc.  Does it make you ill if you do too much?  Is it a sauna by another name or a different sort of heat box.
Were the people that turned up at the opening session the same as formerly ran/used the old sweat?
Has there been an 'interim' sweat between the old one closing and your new one opening? 
Is it in your backyard?
John

[jbeegoode]

Lots of questions, Nuduke! Here goes:

 {Any photos?} There’s a few. I’ll do a couple of articles for the site and a naturist magazine. The mag insists on never seen photos. We’ve snapped a few during construction and the consecration.

{One day you might post what you actually do during a session with the sweat.} The sweat activity varies and is generally spontaneous. So far, there have been songs and excitement in there. It is great to be reunited with everyone after two years of covid. We are running tests to see how much wood and water spread where and how hot, and there have been many gifts including scents, like sage, cedar, combinations and oils in heated waters.

It has been therapeutic letting go ceremonies, yule, songs from many spiritual traditions, music, sound  vibrations, therapeutic talk and support during crisis. Community gathering, silent meditation. It functions often much like what one gets at churches. There can be health, dance, veneki bashing, socializing, in and out.

 {For instance, do you stay in there for ages, go in and come out frequently etc.} It depends on the heat and mood. Sometimes we are in there for hours with a few short breaks. Sometimes it is so hot one may be good in there only for a ten of fifteen minutes, traditional Native American sweat ceremonies tend to follow the heat and steam in shorter terms of time.

{Does it make you ill if you do too much?} Yup, dizzy, dehydrated, flushed. You have to get out when it is uncomfortable. When a leader doesn’t allow that relief, then it can cause injury. One doof kept someone in there and they died in Sedona.   “

{Is it a sauna by another name or a different sort of heat box.} It definitely can be defined as a sauna, hot, or wet, or steamroom, it makes people sweat and cleanse.

{Were the people that turned up at the opening session the same as formerly ran/used the old sweat?} Yes. These were the ones who could be there on a couple of days’ notice and were inclined to make ritual to honor and declare it as a sacred space to pass into it intentions and wishes for it and the community.

{Has there been an 'interim' sweat between the old one closing and your new one opening?} My old one “The Tortolita Temple.” The turtle out at Terra Sante has been occurring, but none in town. The one in town to this one has been several years.

{Is it in your backyard?} My front yard actually. It is a fenced in. They were calling it a “compound” yesterday. The house is set back with little backyard. The front is walled and I’m building a nude meditation garden and gathering areas where cars used to drive and park.
John

[nuduke]

Thank you for the full response, Jbee
That clarifies somewhat my ignorance of what sweats are about.
John