A new world order and the benefits of a Swedish Sauna

In the winter months, which span from late October through May, the Swedes have a fail safe way to stay warm, which is to sweat. Kallbadhus technically means cold bath house, due to the fact that it’s placed out on a pier sticking out into the brisk wind and cold ocean waters. Shortened to “Kallis” it’s a place of reverence to Nordic folk.

The dry heat sauna or bastu is a small cedar clad house tucked out on the pier, heated with wood fire and coals to a fiery temperature that can easily make anyone sweat out all the toxins ever found in their body. Packed in like sardines, you sit together, naked, and sweat it out while voicing grievances, sharing gossip and discussing politics. Sometimes it’s also quiet, and all you hear is the crackling of the wood fire while looking out onto the blustery scene of ocean waves and birds. Just before you feel like you are going to pass out from heat exhaustion you exit the bastu, and submerge yourself into the icy waters of the north, just to feel your heart pounding, skin burning and your body filled with vigor. And then you repeat the ritual, again and again.

This is already the third winter I’m experiencing here in Sweden, and Kallis has become an essential survival tool. I can do a few hours at Kallis, and it keeps my internal heat for about a week, in which I have a “bring it on Sweden” attitude regarding the shit weather we endure here for months on end.

It also serves as a reminder that all that is, is now. It puts you right back into that-oh-so ephemeral body, refocusing any rogue energy and grounding you back to the basics.

(*note Brian is in both pictures! He's a Kallis regular!)

Which is extra important in light of the seemingly slow motion car crash we are collectively in at the moment, realizing we forgot to use the seatbelts, projectiling through the windshield.

It’s going to hurt, a lot.
What the hell, America.
Democracy replaced by autocracy. Like all major system failures, it’s not simple, nor is it one or two things. One can trace this election result back years if not decades of slow dismantling of education, protective systems in government, the judiciary, the corporations and the media. Dark money, Elon? Wow.

I wonder how everyone driving their Tesla is feeling right now, if they’re even feeling anything, having contributed to his millions and helping him get his man into the White House.

I hear Elon is coming out with a new super truck model….it runs on diesel. (that’s a joke)

(I hope)

The media….wow what a difference with the media here in Sweden. No emotional media here, no podcasts with heated fear-mongering white men, no news anchors spreading their personal opinions on the state of affairs. In general it’s pretty boring reporting but it’s careful and factual. On the other hand.. that Fox news can perpetuate lie after lie and not be accountable for it’s strange and reckless reporting is incredible. Opinion journalism. Rupert Murdoch’s fascist propaganda machine taking down America slowly and methodically. And it succeeded! WOW.

Meanwhile in Europe, right wing populism is also not all that uncommon, welcome to the reality of modern day Hungary, and now recovering from a right wing spell, Poland. France always teeters on the edge, Italy is well on its way. Even the Swedish parliament has to share the floor with extreme right wing trash. Israel under its maniacal right wing thug government, creating a one way lose-lose situation for the future.

Well so here we are.

A dangerous misogynist madman voted into a position of great power, power to change not only America, but also the rest of the world. That is a scary fact that many white men who voted for the Trump seem to have not considered, or maybe they just don’t care.

In Europe we are worried. A larger scale war feels uncomfortably close, looming over the not-so-distant horizon. NATO loses the support from its military superpower. Ukraine defiantly buckles to Russia. The climate crisis and ensuing weather and ocean patterns levels us completely. In America, it’s the price of eggs and tariffs.

And may I just go on the record saying- WOW America, a woman! A woman of color no less, qualified, diplomatic, and charismatic, what a different America that would be!
What the hell?
Instead, it’s abortion bans.

When you go to the movies here, there are pre show commercials around how to stay safe and prepared for war. What do you do when there is no water coming out of the tap? Or no heat? In good Swedish style, the infomercials are made with some dark Scandinavian humor, almost like a modern version of a Bergman film.
We hear air raid siren tests in Malmö. While driving, the radio emergency test interruptions work even when the radio is off (it suddenly turns on) currently delivering news of accidents and road closures.

Where do we go from here?

I’m sure we are all asking that question in one way or another.
At heart I’m really an optimist and I’m guessing that this collective experience will not only make us stronger, but the grief, the fight ahead, and the changes we all need to make will bring us closer as well. As friends, neighbors, and communities, far and close.

I’ll be looking to history to see what ways collective resistance showed up after fascist takeovers. We live in a time of historical bad guys, and remember, historically, bad guys never triumph in the end.
Slow and steady. Two steps up, one step down.

Resistance is always creative, it needs to adapt quickly to be effective and is ever changing. It can be small acts of defiance, networking, community altruism, mass organization… It’s visible in writing, music, film, theater and art. Document these times!

Do what you Do with that extra spitfire in your constitution. 
Let’s stay connected. Let’s hold each other closer in these times, stay informed, aware and diligent. Stay outraged! 

I have been in shock for two weeks now, and am coming out with a stoked fire in my heart. I miss my amazing community in the States, it almost hurts. I want to be close to all of you, hear the banter, sing Bella Ciao, drink up the plans for resistance and stand together to answer the call.

I am here though, in the land of even-tempered collectivism.

Our farm doors are open to any one of you, offering up a mental health break, a four year hiatus, or some respite. But most importantly, a visit to Kallis!


In solidarity,
Christina



Next post: List your "energy multipliers" inspired by Juleika Jaouad, favorite books/must reads, and I’ll share what’s new in the shop!