MazeCard: Kneipp's water stepping

In Germany, I rediscovered a phenomenon that was very much a part of my growing up: cold water stepping in the middle of the woods. Sebastian Kneipp (1829-1897) developed a naturalistic approach to healing through movement in cold water. All over Germany, ice cold water basins filled knee-high can be found in the middle of forests. Here, people gather and rest after a walk. They take their shoes off and step into the water, wading through the cold in the way a stork would. During our vacation, we were able to visit two different Kneipp baths and feel the stimulating effect of the cold water on our bodies. My family went slightly crazy over these water baths. We think they are fabulous and slightly bizarre at the same time. It is the combination of being in nature and getting a spa treatment that is so unique and special. While we don't have anything like it in the US, I will try to emulate the effect by walking on cold, wet grass in the early morning. I'll let you know how that feels!