30 November
2007
The Russian Banya
Washington, Tom. Steaming the Cold Away. The Moscow News 11/29/07.
The banya is a firmly established part of Russian culture. "Every year on New Year's Eve, my friends and I go to the banya." So starts that familiar cinematographic favorite of the New Year season, Irony of Fate. The banya is a recognizable point of cultural reference, everyone knows what it is and what it involves. They are typically the setting for male bonding and/or forging of business deals. In the dark criminal beginnings of New Russia they were the choice meeting places for corrupt officials and Mafiosi. Although these murky dealings are now seen as things of the past, many do argue that a good number of important decisions in Russia take place in the steamy shadows of exclusive banyas. Something which excludes women from the real business of power broking.
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12 November
2007
Sweat Therapy Theory
Our Sweat Therapy Theoretical Model explains the mechanism for how sweat practices work to cause therapeutic effects. Our model begins with examination of cultural priming. Beyond a cultural predisposition toward the activity, four main factors are hypothesized to account for the psychotherapeutic benefits: (1) Exercise, (2) Self-Regulation, (3) Interpersonal Factors, and (4) Metaphorical Contextual Elements. These factors interact in a reciprocal manner to produce positive effects upon the body, mind, and spirit.
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06 August
2007
Introducing: The Sweat Therapy Sauna
Colmant, S. (2007). Introducing: The Sweat Therapy Sauna. In Sweat Therapy [On-Line]. Available www.PsychSymposium.com
The world’s first Sweat Therapy Sauna was completed today! Click on pictures to enlarge view.
“What the hell is a Sweat Therapy Sauna,” you ask? The Sweat Therapy Sauna was designed specifically for group work. The design was influenced by the Finnish Sauna, the American Indian Sweat Lodge, and modern technology.
Like a common sauna, it was built with conventional wood-framed construction with insulation between vertical studs, the interior lined with cedar walls and benches. It is heated with an electric heater. Like an American Indian sweat lodge, the Sweat Therapy Sauna allows people to sit in a circle to promote group cohesion. The heating element is placed in the center. It is windowless to control lighting to promote intimacy and introspection and contains a stereo system to make use of the therapeutic benefits of music.
The dimensions of the Sweat Therapy Sauna are 10’ x 10’ x 7’ and can accommodate about 12 people. The 15 KW electric heater is a stainless steel floor model purchased from Finlandia Sauna. Four recessed ceiling lights operate on a dimmer switch. The stereo is a waterproof marine audio system that includes an amplifier, MP3 connector, and four speakers purchased from Poly-Planar. A shower is installed on the outside of the right front wall.
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12 May
2007
Sweat Rituals in Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is often considered the mother of Western civilization. Its legacy in the arts and sciences are inestimable. The Greeks used a variety of baths, from hot water baths to hot-air baths, which were available throughout Greece states. According to archeologist, Monika Truemper, the Greeks sweated in rooms with circular designs that are found in agonistic buildings, public bath complexes, private dwellings, and other contexts. The 34 securely dated sweat baths were all installed in the 2nd or 1st centuries BC thus testifying to an emergence of this bathing form in the 2nd century BC. The geographical distribution of sweat baths demonstrates that they were not restricted to specific regions, but quickly spread all over the Late Hellenistic Mediterranean world (Truemper, 2005).
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