Sauna Times: Finnish Sauna Sayings and Language of the Sauna/Picture of sauna in MN and Finland. but not Finland, MN

Finnish sauna on shore of Lake Superior, Minnesota

sauna by lake in Finland

Finnish sauna sayings:

• In the sauna one must conduct himself as one would in church 
• The sauna is a poor man’s pharmacy 
• If a sick person is not cured by tar, spirits [alcohol] or sauna, then they will die 
• A woman looks her most beautiful after the sauna 
• All men are created equal; but nowhere more so than in a sauna 
• A house without a sauna is not a home 
• A sauna without a birch whisk is like food without salt 

Language of the sauna

• kiuas - sauna stove 
• kiuaskivet - stones in/on the sauna stove 
• loyly - steam, heat, humidity and temperature created by throwing water on hot stones 
• kiulu - water bucket, usually made of wood 
• loylykauha - ladle for throwing water on the stove 
• vihta/vasta - whisk made of fresh birch branches for beating the body to aid circulation. 
• laude - elevated platform to sit on 
• laudeliina - special towel or disposable paper for sitting on 
• lakeinen - opening in the ceiling of a smoke sauna where the smoke escapes during heating 
• saunatonttu - sauna elf who, if you behave badly in the sauna, will become angry and burn it down 

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