The Path to the Sauna

Last summer I attended a sauna talk where several experts in construction were speaking about things such as the type of wood to use, the height of ceiling and benches, ventilation considerations, etc. One remark that stood out to me among all of the technical details was that the path to the sauna is also important. I have thought about that remark since then. In our small backyard where Bad Sauna sits like a Lincoln Log toy house, we have created a path marked with stones in summer, shoveled out of the snow in winter. It is roughly 23 paces from the house door to the door of the sauna. It is a short walk but "private and uncomplicated," which is good, according to Buddhist teacher Sylvia Boorstein who writes about the Buddhist concept of walking meditation.

Pick a place to walk back and forth that is private and uncomplicated — one where the walking path can be ten to twenty feet long. If you walk outdoors, find a secluded spot so that you won’t feel self-conscious. If you walk indoors, find a furniture-free section of your room or an empty hallway. Then you can devote all your attention to the feelings in your feet as you walk.

For me, the path to the sauna is an opportunity for a walking meditation. If you feel, as I do, that the sauna is a sanctuary then approaching it with a mindful walk is good preparation. It brings a shift in awareness to feel the air on my skin, grass (or snow) beneath my feet. I love to look up past the branches of the towering alley cottonwood to evening clouds or stars. This is where I begin to slough off the residue of the day, to slip away from mental stimulation and open myself up to the relaxed stillness of the bench. It is a short mindful pilgrimage across a tiny oasis of green space in the middle of the city in the middle of a noisy world. It works wonders.

May the year ahead be like a path of wandering, following and experiencing the world in ways that bring you health, wonders and peace.I am starting off the new year with some new directions in which to wander.

I am so pleased to be a part of Heikinpäivä 2026, the mid-winter celebration in Copper Country, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I will be speaking, along with Karen Rue of Saunamekko (makers of all wool sauna wear with Nordic elegance), about the magic, history and importance of textiles we use in the sauna. 

If you can't make it to Hancock, along the snowy shores of Lake Superior in January, I will be part of National Sauna Week, Feb 15-21, 2026. This event is sponsored by Finlandia Foundation--they do amazing work on behalf of Finnish culture and heritage. It will be an online event to enjoy from the comfort of home. I will write more about this soon!