Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna

Memory Tree Productions
Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna

Do you know that Finland’s sauna culture has been officially added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity? Have you heard that people cook sausages in the sauna, or dunk themselves in freezing lakes during their sauna sessions? We invite you to listen to our podcast series, Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna with hosts Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell. Learn about how fellow sauna enthusiasts are expanding the idea of sauna, adding new twists on Finnish traditions, and more! Share a laugh, learn something new, and be part of this growing community. Check out our website Kivia.ca for more!

  1. 07/25/2024

    The Happiness Episode

    Does sauna make people happier? Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for seven straight years. There are also 3.3 million saunas in Finland for a population of 5.5 million people. Coincidence? We think not. In today’s episode — our Season 3 finale — we’re discussing the link between regular sauna use and happiness. We’re also sharing our own personal experiences with sauna and happiness, and looking back at some of our favourite insights on the subject from past guests. ...

    37 min

  2. 07/11/2024

    Making Waves in the UK Sauna Scene with Deborah Carr

    Sauna has exploded in popularity in the UK over the past five years, with more and more Brits seeking out authentic sauna experiences everywhere from five-star luxury spas to grassroots mobile saunas. Even more unexpected has been the rise of “aufguss” — the art of using rhythmic towel movements to circulate heat, air and essential oils in the sauna — and today’s guest has been leading the charge. Deborah Carr is a certified sauna master and the founder of Anada, which provides sauna master...

    31 min

  3. 06/27/2024

    Public Sweat: Where Art, Sauna & Community Collide

    Part art installation, part sauna village, Public Sweat took over Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre for close to two months last year using an unexpected medium: the sauna. Inspired by sauna and global sweat-bathing traditions, Public Sweat featured five different sweat-bathing spaces — each designed by a different artist — that attracted more than 6,000 people, many of whom had never set foot inside a sauna before. In this episode, we’re joined by Layne Hinton, the co-founder of Art Spin, whic...

    35 min

  4. 06/13/2024

    The Snowball Effect: Aufguss & Other Rituals at Thermëa Spa Village

    Nordik Spa-Nature in Chelsea, Quebec, has long been considered one of North America’s premiere destinations for authentic Nordic sauna. So when Groupe Nordik recently opened a sister location near Toronto, you know Alan was one of the first in line to try it out! With over five acres of thermotherapy — including North America’s largest aufguss event sauna — Thermëa Spa Village is already making a name for itself. Want the inside scoop? Consider this episode your exclusive tour with our gue...

    30 min

  5. 05/30/2024

    Is Cold-Water Swimming the Secret to a Happier Life?

    Finland has been named the world's happiest country for seven years in a row. It’s also home to 3 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million people. And roughly one-fifth of Finns take part in something called “cold water” or “winter” swimming. Coincidence? We think not, and our guest, Katja Pantzar, agrees. A Canadian-Finnish journalist based in Helsinki, Pantzar first discovered cold-water swimming a decade ago and now swims in the Baltic Sea almost every day — all year round. She’s ...

    38 min

  6. 05/16/2024

    How Eric Harkonen Created a Little Piece of Finland in Canada

    Sauna is just the beginning of the Finnish cultural experience that awaits visitors to Vettä Nordic Spa. Not only can you relax and recharge with Finnish-style thermal therapy, but you can enjoy farm-to-table Finnish fare, take part in a “vihta”-making workshop and even sauna with a Finnish guide. How did this authentic Finnish sauna oasis — located just one hour outside Toronto — come to be? In this episode, we’re joined by Vettä owner and founder Eric Harkonen, along wi...

    40 min

  7. 05/02/2024

    Smoke Sauna: The Original Hot Box with Saija Silen

    Today’s episode is smokin’ — literally! That’s because we’re talking about the original Finnish sauna: the smoke sauna, or “savusauna” as it’s known in Finland. While the modern saunas we’re familiar with today have only been around for the last 100 years, smoke saunas date back to the 9th century — over 1,000 years ago. So what exactly is a smoke sauna and where can you find one? To answer these questions and more, we’re joined by Saija Silen, a smoke sauna historian and chair of the Finni...

    48 min

  8. 04/18/2024

    The Irish Sauna Revival with Shirley Fitzpatrick

    A sweat-bathing renaissance is underway in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with saunas popping up from Dublin and Belfast to Cork and the Causeway Coast. How did all this happen? During Alan’s Irish sauna travels last year, one name kept coming up: Shirley Fitzpatrick. As the owner of Bosca Beatha — the first mobile sauna in Ireland back in 2012 — Shirley has been at the forefront of the Irish sauna movement for over a decade, touring the countryside and bringing her passion for sauna direct...

    36 min
See All (36)

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Do you know that Finland’s sauna culture has been officially added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity? Have you heard that people cook sausages in the sauna, or dunk themselves in freezing lakes during their sauna sessions? We invite you to listen to our podcast series, Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna with hosts Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell. Learn about how fellow sauna enthusiasts are expanding the idea of sauna, adding new twists on Finnish traditions, and more! Share a laugh, learn something new, and be part of this growing community. Check out our website Kivia.ca for more!

Information

  • Creator
    Memory Tree Productions
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna
  • Show Website
    Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna

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