HISTORY OF BANYA
Apostle Andrew wrote in 11:13: "Wondrous to relate, I saw the land of the Slavs, and while I was among them, I noticed their wooden bath-houses. They warm themselves to extreme heat, then undress, and after anointing themselves with tallow, take young reeds and lash their bodies. They actually lash themselves so violently that they barely escape alive. They then drench themselves with cold water, and thus are revived. They think nothing of doing this every day and actually inflict such voluntary torture upon themselves. They make of the act not a mere washing but a veritable torment."

Going to the banya is a well-aged Russian custom. Even during the medieval times it was seen as a universally popular and national past-time. To not bathe in a banya at least three times a week was practically taken as sheer evidence of foreign origins.

Most villagers in Russia had a bathhouse (also known as a sauna in today’s world) and every noble household had its own steam house as well. Another important even called a communal bath was held at many towns and villages where men and women sat steaming themselves, beating one another with veniks (bundled twigs) and rolling around together in the snow. Peter the Great attempted to stamp out the banya as a relic of medieval Russia and encouraged the building of Western bathrooms in the palaces and mansions of St. Petersburg. Despite heavy taxes placed on the traditional Russian Sauna, noblemen continued to prefer the elder, well aged Russian bath and by the end of the eighteenth century, nearly every palace in St. Petersburg had one.

Going to the bathhouse often was regarded as a way of getting rid of many illnesses. It was called the “people's first doctor” (vodka was the second, raw garlic the third). There were also a variety of magical beliefs associated with it in folklore. To go to the banya was to give both your body and your soul a good cleaning and it was the custom to perform this purge as a part of important rituals. The bathhouse was the place for the ritual pre-marriage bathe as well as for the delivery of babies. It was warm and clean and private, in a series of bathing rituals that lasted forty days, it purified the mother from the bleeding of birth.

The banya’s role in prenuptial rituals was also to ensure the woman's purity: the bride was washed in the banya by her maids on the eve of her wedding. It was a custom in some places for the bride and the groom to go to the bath house before their wedding night. These were not just peasant rituals however; they were shared by the provincial nobility and even by the court in the final decades of the seventeenth century. This intermingling of pagan bathing rites with Christian rituals was equally pronounced as the “Clean Monday”. On these holy days it was customary for the Russian family to clean the house, washing all the floors, clearing out the cupboards, purging the establishment of any rotten or unholy foods, and then, when this was all done, to visit the bath house and clean the body.

During the next few hundred years that led into the modern times, almost all of the old rituals and traditions have died out. However, one thing remains true: banya is as popular as ever. With the fall of the Soviet Union and the proof of health benefits of steam bathing, the banya steadily and continually makes its way into the Western Culture and is a highly desirable form of a sauna.

SKIN – YOUR BODY'S ARMOR
The skin protects you from nasty micro-organisms, evil little devils that dwell on the surface, waiting for any chance to infiltrate your body's defenses. If you're not getting enough exercise or find yourself constantly fatigued, it could be that your skin's ability to fight these micro-organisms has been diminished.

But there's good news. The intense heat and steam of the banya, along with the sweating it causes, helps remove and destroy those nasty bacteria and improves the skin's ability to defend your body from the little buggers. This results in faster healing of scratches and wounds, the easiest way for bacteria to enter the body.

The banya's heat opens pores and helps sweat glands work more efficiently. Regular banya sessions cleanse the skin of dead cells and cleans and open your pores. Clean pores increase the body's ability to naturally clean and defend itself.

BE COOL
Expert banyaphiles know that heat has to be contrasted with cold to get the best benefit. That's why every proper banya needs the Cold Plunge. It might seem intimidating at first, "you want me to jump into what???", but the cold plunge is essential to getting the most of your banya experience. Following the sauna with a quick cold plunge will help your skin look fresh and improve elasticity (hear that ladies?).

WHIP YOURSELF INTO SHAPE
The next thing the skin needs is a good venik lashing. A visit to any authentic Russian bath will be replete with veniks for you to maximize the many health benefits of the banya. Don't be afraid, the voluntary torture is not nearly as brutal as it sounds … though it could be if you like.

The lashing of the body with a venik improves blood flow and releases phytoncides which defeat pathogens and have a healing effect on the body. Your capillaries haven't ever had it so good as this. Stimulating venik massage is an essential part of the banya experience; make sure to grab a bundle next time you come.

Of course, like any proper banya, Downtown Banya offers venik massage to enhance your visit. Improve circulation, boost metabolism and suppress the growth of harmful pathogens with our "Platza Treatment." Every Russian knows that the venik is an essential part of the banya. 4 sessions are only $30.

BATH LIKE A PRO
Most people don't sweat enough, and that's a shame. Sweating eliminates toxins, regulates body temperature and helps keep our skin clean and elastic. It's no coincidence that we opened Downtown Banya in the chilly Pacific Northwest, Russia is notoriously cold in the winter and without the sauna, they wouldn't sweat at all.

Americans don't sweat enough either. We use antiperspirants full of chemicals to prevent sweating, and we don't get nearly enough physical activity. Most of us spend hours at a desk working and then finish our evenings in front of the TV. The air we breathe is polluted with toxins and even our food creates metabolic byproducts that are difficult to eliminate.

GET YOUR SWEAT ON
Most of the people we know go to the banya for the camaraderie, the relaxing atmosphere and because afterwards, they sleep like babies.

But the people who get the most out of the banya know the secrets of sweating.

Unless you're lucky enough to grow up in Europe (or have family who did) you probably don't know the best way to get your sweat on.

BANYA TO THE RESCUE!
Your goal when visiting any sauna should be to sweat as much as possible. Don't worry, it's not hard. Just bring some friends and we'll take care of everything else.

Here are some of the benefits you can expect from an optimum banya session:

•  Release sodium from the bloodstream and improve blood pressure
•  Eliminate by-products of metabolism that cause headaches
•  Total relaxation from the release of lactic acid - the primary cause of muscle fatigue
•  15 minutes in the banya releases as many toxins as the liver does in 24 hours!

Sweat is the best way to cool off, so when you're in the banya your body works overtime. The banya is kept at 80-100° Celsius (176-212°F) and 15-25% humidity - the best possible sweat conditions.

GET THE MOST OUT OF THE BANYA

1.    Take a shower first, but don't use soap.
2.    Stay long enough to start sweating good (about 10 mins), but don't stay longer than your body can handle. We advise no more than 15 minutes per session.
3.    Take a cold plunge between sauna sessions for maximum benefits.
4.    Drink water or tea in moderate amounts between sessions.
5.    Wear a sauna hat (or towel on your head). The head heats up quicker than the rest of the body and without a hat, you won't be able to stay as long.
6.    4-6 sessions per visit is best. Make sure that you get plenty of rest time between your stays in steam room.
7.    More friends = more fun!

VENIK 101
When the Apostle Andrew visited the land that would become Russia, he observed their ritual bathing practices and remarked that they lashed themselves so violently they "barely escaped alive."

Well, the ancient Slavs were beating themselves and each other with veniks - bundles of birch, oak or eucalyptus. A visit to any authentic Russian bath will be replete with veniks for you to maximize the many health benefits of the banya. Don't be afraid, the voluntary torture Andrew described is not nearly as brutal as it sounds … though it could be if you like.

The lashing of the body with a venik improves blood flow and releases phytoncides which defeat pathogens and have a healing effect on the body. Your capillaries haven't ever had it so good as this. Stimulating venik massage is an essential part of the banya experience; make sure to grab a bundle next time you come.

Of course, like any proper banya, Downtown Banya offers venik massage to enhance your visit. Improve circulation, boost metabolism and suppress the growth of harmful pathogens with our "Platza Treatment." Every Russian knows that the venik is an essential part of the banya. 4 sessions are only $30.

VENIK MASSAGE (PLATZA TECHNIQUES)
The Venik has to be properly prepared before use. It must be soaked for a minimum of 20 minutes in warm water, followed by 10 minutes in hot water until the leafs become soft. A good Venik should last you several lashing sessions, but the loss of many leafs and twigs indicates the need for a new one. There are several Venik massage techniques. These include: waggling, compression, stroking, lashing, rubbing and stretching. Our recommended approach would be to carry out these techniques one after another to discover the technique most desirable.

Waggling: lightly flutter the Venik just above the body, gently touching the skin with the tips of leaves. This creates an air flow that warms up the body and prepares it for more intense procedures.

Stroking: gently press the Venik against the body in a long wavy motion, draw the Venik from neck to toes and back to the neck, repeat. The Venik's handle should always be ahead of the bundle while in motion.

Compression: raise Venik up where the temperature is higher, shake for a moment to gather the heat, firmly press the Venik against the waist, shoulders, feet or knees for 2-3 seconds. While pressing, you may use your second hand to make contact tighter. This is particularly helpful against muscle and joint pains.

Stroking may then be alternated with lashing – simultaneous light hits while sliding along the body with the Venik.

You may now begin combining compression with lashing - elevate Venik to allow soaking up of heat, lash the body two or three times and then press against the body for 2-3 seconds.

After your second round in the steam room, short lashing may be followed by rubbing. Hold the Venik by the handle in one hand and press it against the body with a palm of your other hand. Then rub the body while making steady strokes and circular movements. Keep the Venik tightly pressed against the skin throughout this entire process.

For a good finish, consider placing two Veniks on the waist and while pressing them onto the body, slide the Veniks apart, one to the head and the other to the feet.

VENIK TYPES
The most common types of Venik are made from birch or oak. The Birch Venik helps with muscle and joint pains. It cleans the skin, accelerates healing of wounds and scratches, have we mentioned that it smells wonderful? Its special virtue is that it widens small bronchi, this helps with removal of phlegm and improves ventilation of lungs. You’ll notice just how much more effortless breathing will be right after your stay. Birch leaves have essential oils, tanning substances and vitamins C and A. It is a great idea to wash one's head with the infusion of the Venik, since it strengthens hair and destroys dandruff.

Oak Venik is most suitable for people with oily skin. It makes the skin smooth and resilient and creates strong anti-inflammatory impact. The smell of the Oak Venik creates a sedative effect and removes stress. Its leaves have a lot of tanning substances. Oak extract is used as a therapeutic agent for some skin problems and when an individual may experience excessive sweating of feet.

You can always find a great selections of veniks in Downtown Banya. Price range is between $20 - $25, depending on size and type.