Perhaps Örtfabriken's followers know that we love Latvia! I lived in Latvia for a long time and discovered the deep and highly alive herbal tradition. Almost by chance I took part in a Latvian sauna tradition and became deeply fascinated. The Latvian sauna (so-called pirts ) is a spiritual experience. Together with a "Pirts Master" (a type of sauna master), you are guided through the different phases of the sauna. Herbs are present in every step.
Read more about the Latvian sauna tradition here.
An important tool for the Pirts Master is brooms made from different trees. It is now in June and July that you can pick your own brooms. Pick and dry them now and store them well sealed and you will be completely overwhelmed when you use your summer-scented broom this winter. You are practically bringing a part of the forest into your sauna.
Örtfabriken has arranged several sauna ceremonies together with Latvian herbalist Ilga. When Ilga was last in Sweden, she taught us how to make ruskos according to Latvian tradition.
The most common trees that Latvians use to make sauna sticks are birch and oak. But also linden, willow, maple and conifers. Each tree carries its own power and symbolism. For example, birch contains essential oils, tannins and vitamins that are released when the sauna sticks are shaken in the sauna. Birch purifies the air.
Oak is used for inflammation. Perfect for oily skin as it makes it clean and soft. Thanks to the tannin in oak leaves, it is recommended for those who sweat a lot to use oak leaves.
How do you make your own ruska?
Harvest twigs when the tree's leaves are vibrant green. Make brooms that are not too long. The broom should be comfortable to hold in your hand. During the sauna, you will use it as a tool, so it cannot be too long and heavy.
Use a string to tie your ruska together. Traditionally, it should be made of jute. Feel free to round the ends of the twigs, as in the picture below. This will prevent scratches on your arms and hands from the branches when working with the ruska in the sauna.
Latvian sticks are shorter than others. Our herbalist Ilga prefers to use short sticks that are easy to hold in the hand. It takes a lot of strength to work with the sticks in the sauna, hour after hour. That's why she prefers short sticks. In other words, you should make the handle long enough to be comfortable to hold.
One of the most important steps is to dry and store your rusks properly. Dry them thoroughly. They are ready when the leaves are dry and crispy. Store them in paper bags in a dark room. Some people freeze them. Some use plastic bags to store them. We prefer paper bags.
When it's time to take a sauna, you should first soak your sauna towel for 2-3 hours.
Then you use the rocker as a tool for massage and to circulate the air element in the sauna. But this is its own separate blog post :-).
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You will be surprised how the scent of summer finds its way back to you. How is it possible that the essential oils of birch are there, well preserved for us to enjoy in the darkest of winter? With the birch bark, you definitely bring a part of the forest and nature into your sauna. Hope you have the same experience!
