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!
Episodes
36 episodes
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 tod...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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36:33
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 ri...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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30:50
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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35:01
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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29:53
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” swimm...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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38:26
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 par...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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39:58
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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47:33
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 c...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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36:23
Sauna & Nudity: The Naked Truth with Dr. Ruth Barcan
Can you imagine being naked in a sauna with strangers? Or maybe you can’t imagine it any other way? Nudity in the sauna is a polarizing topic. For some, the idea of going “au naturel” is unthinkable, while for others, “textile-free” is ...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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40:21
The Art of Aufguss with Jade Coulombe
It’s taken the European sauna world by storm, and it’s starting to make waves in North America, too. Aufguss is the art of using rhythmic towel movements to circulate heat, air and essential oils in the sauna, creating a thermal experie...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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29:10
Can Sauna Save Your Marriage?
Christopher and Julie Rice were at a low point in their relationship. After 10 years of marriage and four kids, the Minnesota couple had lost their spark, and were increasingly growing apart. Then they discovered sauna — and everything ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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40:14
Checking Off Our Sauna Bucket List
We’re BACK! The Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna podcast returns for Season 3 — with hosts Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell bringing you 12 new episodes packed with sauna hot topics, expert guests and so much more.Where in the world have we ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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44:48
The KW Sauna Experience
During this episode of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna, Alan and Elissa get to do more than just talk about sauna... For this, our special season two finale, Alan takes Elissa to one of his favourite local sauna houses: <...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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33:17
Letting Go with Hamam Magazine's Ekin & Steve
During this episode of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna, your hosts Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell are thrilled to take a virtual sauna with co-founders of Hamam: The Magazine of Letting G...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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34:40
Sauna w. Mikkel Aaland, Global Sweat Bathing Authority, Author & Artist
"Sauna satisfies the social, spiritual, and physical under one roof. There aren't a lot of things that do that." - Mikkel Aaland In this episode of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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49:24
Heat Seeker Lisa Jaster of The Lost Faucet Sauna House
We are thrilled to take a virtual sauna with Lisa Jaster! A self-described Heat Seeker, and the founder of The Lost Faucet Sauna House located in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada.Join your...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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32:44
Sauna from Finland Founder & Author of Saunafulness, Carita Harju
We are honoured to have the Sauna Superwoman joining us on this episode of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna. Your hosts Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell take a virtual sauna with
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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25:43
Secret Sauna w. Special Guests Dave and Tim
Dave Inglis and Tim Muza began Secret Sauna as a way to bring the authentic sauna experience to people in southwestern Ontario. Secret Sauna was available for rent and delivery and was a great way for many to have their first sauna ...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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35:56
All About Indoor Saunas w. Expert Alan Jalasjaa
Welcome to the second half of the two-part 'everything you need to know' when building, buying, or installing a residential sauna episode! Previously, we focused on the outdoor sauna, and now we turn our sights indoors.
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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28:33
All About Outdoor Saunas w. Expert Alan Jalasjaa
Is your garden shed begging to be turned into a backyard sauna?Maybe you're interested in an adorable pre-fab barrel sauna? Or building one with your own two hands... In any case, if you are considering the addition of a ...
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32:27
Alan Answers All Your Burning Sauna Questions
To fear the unknown is normal, but if it is preventing you from enjoying the sauna, then Alan has a big problem with that. This episode of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna is dedicated to squashing those fears by answering all of you...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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38:22
Author of The Joy of Sweat, Sarah Everts
To sauna is to sweat, and to sweat, as we'll learn, is fundamentally human... and yet, most of us know very little about it. What is sweat, why do our bodies do it, and why do we spend a collective fortu...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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34:10
Finnmark Sauna in the UK's Jake & Max Newport
Welcome to Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna!Joining our hosts, Alan Jalasjaa and Elissa Lansdell, from Finnmark Sauna, the UK's sole official distributor of the world's leading Finnish sauna brands, ar...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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48:31
International Movie Star, Environmentalist and Sauna Enthusiast, Jasper Pääkkönen
We are back with our second season of Kivia: The Spirit of Sauna, and things are really heating up! Helping to kick off season two, all the way from Helsinki Finland is our very special guest, award-winning, international...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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39:59