SWEAT LODGE
HEALING, CLEANSING, MEDITATION, PRAYER, CONNECTION
PURIFICATION VIA RITUAL SWEATING
Purification via ritual sweating is an ancient initiatory process that can be found cross-culturally across our earth.
Perhaps most well-known from Native American customs, this form of ritual purification not only has ties to physical cleansing and healing, but is largely intended as a ceremony for prayer and psycho-emotional / spiritual healing.
Depending on tradition and culture, there are various ways in which a sweat lodge may be facilitated, however the practicalities are often the same. Participants enter a dome-shaped dwelling where they sit in a circle, hot volcanic stones are placed in a dug-out pit in the center of the enclosed space, and water is periodically poured on top to produce steam and intense heat.
The hut itself is typically a structure made from pliable saplings or tree branches, or built using stone and mud. Blankets and tarps -or more traditionally, animal skins- are placed on top of and around the entirety of the structure to maintain a proper seal to enclose the heat, and, to ensure the ceremonial sweat is conducted in pure darkness.
At times, various herbs are utilized within the ceremony to facilitate the healing and purification process.
There are many reasons why one might be called to the sweat lodge; to prepare for parenthood, the birth of a child, birthday celebrations, solstice and equinox honourings, marriage, divine union, a change in life path, or to prepare for any other kind of initiatory event.
In essence, the sweat lodge is considered to be a sacred process for healing, cleansing, meditation, prayer, ceremonial preparation, rite of passage, and spiritual connection.
RETURNING TO THE WOMB OF THE EARTH
With a mythic mind, entering the purification lodge is akin to returning to the great womb of the earth.
On hands and knees, when one crawls into the sweat house, met with darkness, moisture and warmth, it opens an opportunity to offer something back in the name of respect, reverence and humility for the often intense ritual process of renewal and cleansing that may eventuate;
Life, growth, dying, death, rebirth.
These offerings are most often in the form of prayer, song, and gratitude; to the elemental forces that shape us, the ancient ones that guide us, our dearest beloveds, all those that help us remember our way home, and the great holy creator mystery for this gift of life and all that it brings.
The darkness is a necessity, forcing participants to turn the lens of awareness inside to confront one’s inner landscape, removing visual distractions and that all-too-familiar temptation to seek them out to try and avoid the discomfort of heat, claustrophobia and both the physiological and psycho-emotional processes that may arise.
As the Lakota Sioux sage, Black Elk, speaks in ‘The Sacred Pipe’:
“…This darkness represents the darkness of the soul, our ignorance, from which we must now purify ourselves so that we may have the light.”
Participants are encouraged to call upon their inner strength and courage to face the challenges of sweat lodge. The root of the word courage is linked directly to the heart, and indeed, like with any other sacred medicine process, we let the wisdom and qualities of the heart guide us through this purification ceremony.
Psycho-emotionally, many patterns and programs may arise to be processed in a new light, including anxieties, fears and traumas.
Physiologically, while often challenging and uncomfortable in the moment, the purification lodge can be beneficial in recalibrating the nervous system, helping to heal infections and inflammation, assisting with injuries and muscular soreness, offering a deeper and more restful sleep, alongside assisting other physical ailments and dysfunctions.
This purification ceremony is not a competitive experience to showcase one’s bravado and to see who can outlast others in the process. Quite the opposite, the lodge is a place for humility, and can serve as a powerful ally for instilling a sense of peace and wellbeing in one’s life, alongside gaining clarity and insights to life’s difficulties, and offering a reset and cleansing from the turbulence and toxins from modern day living, into a remembrance of the sacred and honouring the wisdom ways in daily life.
“The healing of the land and the purification of the human spirit is the same process.”
-Masanobu Fukuoka
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS & CONSIDERATIONS
Leading up to the purification sweat lodge ceremony, it’s advisable to avoid drugs and alcohol, and to stay well hydrated with high-quality, structured, mineralized water.
(ie - filtered water, sea salt, lemon and/or coconut water)
Dehydration and demineralization from intense sweating is certainly a possibility, as is exhaustion from the prolonged heat, so ensuring you’re well hydrated and mineralized is of great importance.
There are a number of people who the purification sweat lodge ceremony may not be suitable for.
If you have any of the following circumstances, or you’re taking any pharmaceutical medications for any kind of health issue, it’s a necessity to let your facilitator know to ensure that the sweat lodge is appropriate for you:
Women who are pregnant
People who have serious heart problems
People who have pacemakers
People who have had a stroke
People who are taking medication for low blood pressure
People who have had a brain haemorrhage
People who have aneurysms or blood clots
People taking any pharmaceutical medications for any kind of health issue
People with addictions to drugs and alcohol
People with diabetes
People with hepatitis
People with current and severe epilepsy
People who are recovering from a major surgical procedure within 8 weeks
Once again, to ensure sweat lodge is appropriate and safe for you, please discuss any of the above circumstances, conditions, or any other concerns that you may have with the ceremonial facilitator before you participate.
Send a message if you hear the call…
“It does not require many words to speak the truth.”
-Chief Joseph | Nez Perce