Vihtlemine

To perform the act of vihtlemine, you use bunch of tree twigs bound together and spank yourself all over. Sounds mad? It isn't!

Being in a sauna turns your skin soft and more susceptible to outside effects. Slapping your arms, legs, your front and back with birch stigs cleanses your skin and promotes blood circulation. It is not support to hurt and is not used as a whip! It is supposed to be a comfortable sensation. Before using a viht, submerse it in warm water. The leaves and twigs will turn soft and soak up water.

The twigs are most commonly collected from birch trees - they are supposed to be around 4-9 millimeters in diameter and have leaves on them. Then they are bound together and hanged up for drying and used all year around. After using a viht for a couple weeks, some leaves fall off. If that happens, just take the next one. 

As an alternative, some people use juniper to bind their vihts. Unlike birch with a soft touch, the thorns of junipers make your skin tingle. It is perceived to be more healthy. 

As far as birch vihts go, you collect the twigs from trees during summertime when they are rich in leaves. Timing is critical. Collect too early in the summer, and the leaves are small and weak. Collect too late in the summer, leaves will start falling off. Many people suggest cutting the twigs from trees in June, just before the Midsummer's day. (This event is mostly celebrated by Northern European people, as the turning point of the summer when the days are the longest.)