Hot Water Health and Enjoyment
The naturally occurring holistic phenomenon of hot water was discovered long ago and through its history, has been adopted and refined by many of the world's great civilizations.
Experimentation and scientific studies continue to reveal more and more benefits of hot water therapy and have further developed these age-old practices for broader use. Modern technology and innovation has brought us better facilities in which to enjoy them all.
Man and Water inscribed on the
Sarcophagus of Nectanebo II.
Hot Water History
According to one of the world’s first known forms of writing, hieroglyphs, the ancient Egyptians used sacred stone pools, both in temples and at home, for therapy. These practices often included aromatherapy with the essential oils of cedarwood and myrrh.
The ancient Greeks further developed the idea of hydrotherapy (water-therapy) with the teachings of Hippocrates, often regarded as the Father of Medicine. Accounts of his great success in healing patients with a variety of natural hot spring treatments lay the foundation for the growth of hydrotherapy. These natural hot springs were commonly a site of pilgrimages for many ill people in this age. On arrival, priests treated the ill by the application of different hydrotherapy techniques using the hot springs. 
In so many words, Hippocrates preached that achieving greater wellness is about re-establishing balance in the body, which was done through water, healthy living, light, diet, massage and psychic calm; all values that have proved timeless. Hydrotherapy was considered by Hippocrates the best therapeutic method and he, alone, made popular a wide range of different application techniques: hot water baths, water streams and steam baths. These and other techniques can still be found in modern-day spas nearly two millennia later.
Did You Know- During this age, spas were called "ascelepias", derived from Aesculepius, the god of medicine.
The Romans developed hydrotherapy even further by incorporating it into everyday life. Public baths showcased amazing architecture and signified the cultural importance of the baths and the use of hydrotherapy to improve health and balance in their lifestyles. These expansive facilities were often built around natural hot springs just as the Greeks had. The expanse of the Roman Empire brought the popularity of these baths all over Europe where many still exist.
In Japanese culture, water plays an important role and is an essential component of many purification rites associated with the Shinto religion. ‘Onsens’, natural hot springs, and ‘Sentos’, communal baths, have played and continue to play a central role in Japanese culture and traditions of health, healing and focus on balance. Along with bringing one’s life greater balance, Japanese traditions seek to achieve harmony with nature and its natural healing capabilities.
The history of hydrotherapy in America, while not as extensive as in Europe, originates with the Mohawk Indians in present day New York long before European settlers had arrived. They too discovered the healing powers of natural hot springs and used them extensively. They assigned them the esteemed name of Saratoga meaning “place of miraculous water in rock”. The “sweat lodge” was another form of hydrotherapy that used steam created by pouring water on hot stones to release heat and steam. Both practices were used to detoxify the body and elevate the users to a more balanced and contemplative state.
A now well-known figure in the field of hydrotherapy is the Bavarian monk, Father Sebastian Kneipp, who at the end of the 19th century began a movement to recognize the healing benefits of water. In 1886, Father Kneipp wrote a book, My Water Cure, about benefits and methods of hydrotherapy. His book has been translated into a myriad of languages and his methods are still being used today all over the world. Wikipedia article
The 21st Century
Fun Fact - The very word “spa” is an acronym for the Latin “salus per aquam”, which means health from water.
The increasing pace of modern lifestyles in the Western world and the associated stresses have brought a rise in the popularity of hydrotherapy as more people seek stress relief, greater sense of wellbeing, and a better quality of life. This resurgence in popularity reveals itself most notably with the development of the modern hot tub. While natural hot springs do exist around the world, they exist only where the earth’s crust is thin and are not generally accessible to the most citizens. The modern hot tub has brought the benefits of hot spring therapy home to the backyards of health conscious Americans. Innovation has made hot water therapy more accessible and more readily available for all to enjoy. Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, the age-old therapeutic healing of nature’s forces of water and heat exists to help you achieve greater wellness and balance between mind and body.