Description

In this episode, you'll hear our host, Justin Juntunen, connect with Mayor Emily Larson of Duluth, MN. They cover their shared love for sauna and the city of Duluth, and how connection, relationship, and sauna can impact the flourishing of your city.

03:15 How Mayor Larson's leadership has impacted Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna

08:15 A love letter to Duluth, Minnesota

11:10 Connecting in the heat

19:15 Duluth Sauna History

24:00 Connecting with your local politicians as a small business owner

About Emily Larson

Emily Larson was elected Mayor of Duluth in November 2015 with 72% of the vote. She was inaugurated on January 4th, 2016. Prior to becoming Mayor, Emily was President of the Duluth City Council, served as a commissioner on the Duluth Economic Development Authority and was the Council Conduit to Parks and Libraries.

Currently, Mayor Larson serves as a member of the Young Women's Initiative of Minnesota, and sits on the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund Board. As Mayor, her priorities include sustainable energy, increasing and improving our housing stock, addressing the opioid epidemic, developing a stable and reliable long-term streets funding plan, and continuing to grow Duluth's robust and unique economy.

Emily earned an undergraduate degree from the College of St. Scholastica, A master's degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth and is a graduate of Intermedia Arts Creative Community Leadership Institute.

She is an active trail runner and full-time admirer of Lake Superior. Emily is married to Doug Zaun and together they have two sons.

Follow Mayor Larson:

Facebook: @emilylarsonduluthmayor

Twitter: @LarsonForDuluth

Instagram: @larsonforduluth

In this episode of Sauna Culture, you'll hear Leigha and Travis share their process of co-founding Silvae Spiritus. They unpack the history and wellness benefits of forest bathing, the inspiration, beauty, and challenge of transplanting from city life, and gush about all the wonders you can expect at their nature retreat center in MN. From sauna, to outdoor hot and cold tubs, to forest bathing - transformation awaits you at Silvae Spiritus. 03:45 Leigha and Travis talk about putting down roots as they launch Silvae Spiritus

12:03 Being drawn to the forest

19:18 What is forest bathing?

23:51 Why forest bathing?

29:40 Creating space for transformation, connection, and evolution

About Silvae Spiritus

Leigha Horton and Travis Norman are the co-founders of Silvae Spriritus Nature and Forest Therapy, which has recently expanded to a Northwoods Nature Retreat featuring a wood-fired sauna and wood-fired hot tub, nestled on 30 acres of woods, meadows, and ponds in Finlayson, Minnesota. There they guide Forest Bathing walks, sauna sessions, and host immersive Nature Retreats to reconnect us with ourselves, each other, and our living world.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram: @silvaespiritus

In this episode of Sauna Culture, you'll hear Annette and Justin unpack how to cultivate vulnerability, belonging, and healing into wellness spaces. Approaching wellness through holistic, psychological, and neuroscience lenses, Annette shares why Tampa, Florida is as fit for sauna as any northern climate. You'll also hear Annette and Justin share their experiences as wellness entrepreneurs, giving wellness business owners (and the dreamers thereof) an abundance of inspiration and food for thought.

00:04:06:27 Annette's journey to becoming a wellness entrepreneur

00:11:44:24 Vulnerability in wellness practices

00:19:40:20 Finding the wellness practice that works for you

00:25:31:22 Sauna and community

00:44:41:10 Being a wellness entrepreneur

About Annette Scott

Annette has been teaching conscious movement and personal development since 2004. As a licensed massage therapist, yoga teacher, sauna lead and practitioner, doula, aromatherapist and Reiki practitioner - she creates intimate sacred and healing spaces for those who desire to (re)align their hearts and minds. Annette points the way for you to heal from whatever is holding you back from living in alignment with loving kindness and your dharma. She intuitively offers an organic space to "sync in and up" to whatever is present in your life at the moment.

Annette's offerings are based in mindfulness with a dynamic interplay of deep listening, radical respect and acceptance for oneself (and others) while establishing a conscious, compassionate presence. Expect an emphasis on breath and felt sensation.

Her career has been spent integrating her love of healing toward wholeness through yoga, bodywork, Buddhist and Yogic philosophy, aromatherapy, energy work and functional and dynamic exercise. Conveying the beauty of presence and awareness, in its raw wholeness, her offerings serve to expand your horizon, and encourage anyone interested in their own growth to find new ways of self-discovery.

In this episode, you'll be taken on a journey through the exceptional life of Arne Vainio, as he shares stories of growing up Finnish and Ojibwe, his journey to becoming a physician, and how sauna has shaped his life. Arne's origin story: 00:05:02:00

Arne on his family history: 00:15:18:12

Arne's journey to become a physician: 00:39:50:23

Why sauna? : 00:52:19:29

Arne's sweet, sweet wisdom: 01:03:01:19

About Arne Vainio

Arne Vainio, M.D. was born to a Finnish father and an Ojibwe mother, one of seven children. When he was four years old, his father died by suicide and poverty for his family followed. He credits less than a double handful of people for changing his course and advises we are all that person for someone who might be lost.

-Bartender, auto body shop worker, lumberjack, sawmill worker, farmhand in high school through early twenties.

-Heavy equipment operator age 18-27. Superintendent for a construction company working in multiple states.

-Professional firefighter/Paramedic 1985-1988, Virginia, Minnesota.

-University of Minnesota, Duluth Medical School 1990-1994.

-Seattle Indian Health Board//Providence Hospital family practice residency 1994-1997.

-Family Practice physician on the Fond du Lac reservation 1997-present.

-IHS National Directors Award 2008-2009.

-National Diabetes Physicians Recognition Award 2010.

-Early Distinguished Career Alumni Award, Minnesota Medical Foundation, 2008.

-KBJR Making a Difference Award 2013.

-Virginia McKnight Binger Unsung Hero Award 2016

-Finalist for Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Physician of the Year 2017

-Association of American Indian Physicians Physician of the Year 2017

-Columnist for News From Indian Country 2007 through 2019.

-Featured in the 2009 Emmy nominated American Indian Health documentary film "Walking into the Unknown"

-Featured on We Are Healers, video segments aimed at getting Native American students into health professions

-Columnist for Indianz.com 2016-2021.

-Health Matters segment on Native Report on Public Television since early 2016

-In the Spirit of Medicine Radio program since April, 2018- November, 2021.

-Member at Large on the Board of Directors for the Association of American Indian Physicians 2019-2020.

-Board of Directors WDSE Public Television in Duluth, Minnesota 2012-present.

In this episode, you'll hear Katja share her story of finding her roots and falling in love with Finnish culture, and how sauna and cold swimming changed her life. Through the lens of her books (The Finnish Way, Everyday Sisu), Justin and Katja unpack what it means to carry and practice sisu, how integrating hot and cold practices can change your life. Order Katja's new book, Everyday Sisu, and The Finnish Way.

00:05:00:00 - Katja shares her story, falling in love with Finnish culture

00:11:00:00 Justin and Katja discuss sauna and equality

00:13:36:00 What is sisu?

00:17:00:00 Justin reads a selection from Katja's new book, Everyday Sisu

00:20:00:00 Finding your sisu practice

00:25:00:00 Why would someone go winter swimming?

00:41:45:00 Getting your sisu practice started

About Katja Pantzar

Helsinki-based writer, editor and broadcast journalist Katja Pantzar was raised in Canada with stints in New Zealand and the UK. Her areas of specialism range from wellbeing and resilience to sustainability, design and business. Her 2018 book, The Finnish Way, has been translated into 23 different languages and published in countries including the US, the UK, Germany, China, Japan and France. It takes readers on a journey to Finland and explores simple and sensible ways to boost well-being inspired by the Nordic lifestyle through a unique concept of courage and strength called sisu. Her newest book, Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life, was published on March 15th by Penguin Random House US. Through expert interviews and fact-based information, Everyday Sisu examines how we can better support our mental and physical health while taking care of each other and our planet.

Our lives or stressful, sauna changes that.

This is the show about the wellness practice, science, and design of sauna. You'll hear stories of those shaping this culture all over the world and how sauna is transforming people's lives.

Welcome to sauna culture.

Sauna Culture is brought to you by Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna.

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Music Credit: Song: Going North Artist: Johnny Gorillas Album: Coming Home Licensed through artlist.io Song: Calm Artist: Zimpzon Licensed through Uppbeat, license code KR4FZK21TVYF2LYO