in the Russian sauna (banya) even if you arrive to banya alone it's common to pair up with another person so that they can strike each other with banny venik--t

in the Russian sauna (banya) even if you arrive to banya alone it's common to pair up with another person so that they can strike each other with banny venik--tree branches tied together in a bundle, white birch is probably the most common in Belarus. Particularly if you know well the other person (and know this is their preference) the striking can be quite vigorous. I suppose i would consider this both a form of socializing and meditation. does anyone know if there is a temperature threshold for inclusion in the study? Saunas in the United States (only been in a few, like at the 24-hour fitness club) are, to me, tepid--feels like i'm in a sauna in which someone put out the fire several hours ago. Russian saunas are are much, much hotter and i rarely see foreigners in them which suggests they are too hot for their tastes (though probably not for Turks or Finns). Saunas in villages or small cities in Russia and Belarus, which tend to adhere more to traditional recipes, are so hot (a little above 90 C, i've always been told is what they aim for) i can't tolerate them for more than a few minutes (and even the locals usually wear felt beanies while in there).