Loyly
I have enjoyed the sauna for many years but the sauna ritual in
Austria turned me into a true fan. The procedure associated with the "aufguss" consists first of opening the sauna door to let in some fresh air. The leader of the aufguss may take a towel and using a vertical pinwheel motion, circulate fresh air into the sauna. The sauna door is then closed and the leader will poor a ladle of plain or aromatherapy oiled water on the hot stones. The leader will now take the towel and starting slowly circulate the air by pin wheeling the towel overhead to circulate all the moist air. Many sauna pros have their own aufguss dance that usually ends with holding the towel firmly between both hands and flapping or waving it into the participants faces. Some enthusiastic leaders snap the towel fiercely and this is like being hit with a hot wet wall. The procedure of wetting the rocks and circulating the air is done usually three times and can be a real endeavour to stay for the whole time. That said it is considered rude to leave after the door has been closed after letting in the fresh air. So if you have an opportunity to take part in a sauna ritual and you think it may get too hot for you take in a wet cloth to wipe your face and to breath into.
In the thermal resort of Loipersdorf, the business logo consists of a hand. In one of the saunas I sat in on, the leader was given a bucket of frozen hands. The leader broke the fingers off and handed them around and put the palm part on the rocks. We were able to rub the ice on our bodies as the steam was rising. An invigorating experience. DR
