Many of us have heard of the Turkish bath, a ritual that originated from ancient Turkey. In the ancient cultures bathing traditions were a community unifying force but practices such as nude bathing has lost it's appeal under pressure by the catholic church when they became a dominating force in Europe.
The modern day sauna's which has its origins in Finland, shows that even today's society does value such communal practices, with modifications to suit the current climate and times.
Thailand which has strong tradition and cultural roots can offer you the healing power of "spiritual bathing", encompassing the practises of yoga and meditation amidst the rain forest and natural settings; quite a contrast to what the modern day urban dweller is used to.
Communal bathing is a sacred ritual in Japan. You go to a "sento house", (read more) where you'll find this quite an amazing experience. In modern life, the public bath in these places provide an opportunity for interaction and communication just like the country club does for persons who like to entertain or play games.
In my home country Maldives where communities live on small islands surrounded by the sea all round, for community bathing you hit the beach and dive into the sea. It's the most therapeautic experience for beach lovers when you have pristine clear waters and bright sunshine to soak in as much or less to your heart's desire. Unfortunately uncontrolled development may see a day when we may lose the swimming lagoons as has happened in the nation's capital Male' and we may have to do with artificially created swimming pools that you so commonly see in countries that do not have the luxury of the beautiful sea.
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