In these anxious times there has been a huge uptick in the amount of people discovering the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. Science has shown that there is a correlation between meditation and positive mental effects. But are there additional benefits to meditating in the sauna?
Meditation and Mindfulness
Although it has a rising profile in the west many people are still confused as to what proper meditation is. Although there are a number of different methods coming from a variety of different sources at its most basic, meditation is simply detaching from the stimulus around us and detaching from our thoughts, noticing thoughts as they appear but allowing them to pass. In many cases the attention is put on the breath and this causes us to not necessarily control our thoughts but not allow our thoughts to control us.
Meditating in the Sauna
Many high profile sauna fans are also outspoken meditation fans. People like Wim Hoff, Pete Holmes, Rick Rubin, and Rhonda Patrick for instance are big fans of both. It begs the question on if combining the two is the best of both worlds. Having lived in Korea and participated regularly in saunas and jimjilbangs very regularly I noticed many of the patrons going into the sauna quietly in the lotus position and sitting with focus in meditation.
While there is little scientific research on the benefits there are plenty of people who are sure that they have found benefit in combining these practices. According to Minnisota sauna enthusiast and writer Blake Huth:
“Some people think that sitting in the sauna is easy, it’s not. When you are about 10 minutes in, you WILL begin to struggle. Your heart rate will be up, and you will likely be sweating bullets. This very state is what makes it so powerful for meditation. Instead of having your mind wander into la la land while trying to meditate, it will be relatively clear — regardless of whether you are meditating or not.”
Some seasoned meditators feel there are some potential drawbacks such as creating an attachment to using the sauna for meditation so that meditation outside the sauna may begin to feel incomplete. In these cases meditation can come before or after the sauna session. Many others feel that the sauna works to relax the body, and provide a clear and neutral space where people are away from their stressors and distractions. It has been shown that sauna use has a proven effect on our brains, making us both happier and less prone to anxiety.
How to meditate in the Sauna
While there are many ways of meditating the process can be simplified as follows:
- Prepare the space: Get the sauna to your desired temperature, bring some water to drink and a towel.
- Assume a good posture with a straight back and hands on your lap with your eyes closed.
- Focus on the breath, since the breath is a hinge point between your mind and body it is useful for this to be what we pay attention to, deep natural breathing and relaxation. When the mind starts to wander bring attention back to the breath and learn to get comfortable and relaxed with this process.
The Buddha himself supposedly said the heart of a fire was the best place to meditate, maybe the sauna is the next best thing.
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