Sweatlodge ceremony basic info (I'll answer any questions you think of, either here or at the orientation Q/A)

First of all, this is completely voluntary! But there is a way to become a participant even if you choose not to (or cannot) go into the sweatlodge itself. Women are essential to this ceremony, and you can choose to remain outside the lodge while others go inside, and join in prayer, meditation, quiet journaling, etc. to support the cleansing prayers. Also, in Native American ceremonies, women who are "in their moon" (that is, on their period) do not join inside most ceremonies. That is NOT an exclusion based on any prejudices about women, but in fact is a form of recognition of women's unique holiness. Women are seen as the spiritual authorities over Indian ceremonies, and are seen as particularly strong, spiritually, at this time (in contrast to any notion of being unclean), and women are seen as having a purification ceremony build right into their own bodies. As a result, women at moon time are seen as having a particularly strong spiritual process within, and are exempt from needing ritual cleansings. It is considered good decorum, in this case, to remain outside the sweatlodge itself. But this does NOT mean exclusion; if this applies to you, then your presence is still greatly valued and even needed. Please attend, and if you do not enter the lodge for this reason you can still be considered part of the cleansing prayer ceremony as described above: join one another in prayer, journaling, meditation, and conversation at the lodge site with the rest of us. Though the role of your participation may be different, do NOT feel that you are not every bit a part of this process.

The sweatlodge is not a religion, it is a form of prayer. The holy person who will conduct the ceremony will pray in native language (Cheyenne) to Maheo, his word for God, and also to Jesus Christ; we see Jesus and Maheo as two expressions of our Creator, and this ceremony is consistent with the beliefs of any spiritual person, and does not ask you to set aside any personal beliefs to embark on a departure to a new form of religion. My church pastor, for example, specifically asked to come to this ceremony prior to accepting his charge as pastor in order to feel cleansed. Many people from all faiths and church denominations participate in this ceremony. There is nothing about this form of prayer that conflicts with a person's own expression of faith.

The sweatlodge is also modest. Because of the use of heat and water as symbols of our cleansing/purification, it is important to wear comfortable clothes. The best option is lightweight colored fabric, such as for exercise, with a fabric sports bra. Remember, you will be washed with clean steam in the lodge, so don 't wear a colored sports bra and white shirt--for obvious reasons. Duh! :)

Bring a towel (a cheap beach towel) and flipflops or non-fancy shoes. You won't wear shoes inside, but to walk there and back.

I'll try to describe this the best way I can, and will answer any questions.

The purpose of the sweatlodge is to cleanse, heal, and purify our bodies and spirits, extinguishing all the thin gs we carry in our hearts and minds that burden us. That is the sole purpose of this ceremony: to engage in prayer while becoming purified. It is regarded as the single oldest human ceremony on earth that is still in practice.

The lodge itself is a low dome-shaped structure. It is made of willows set into the ground and bent over and lashed together to make a frame, over which is layered canvas covering with a low door facing to the east. The lodge resembles a turtle in shape, and it is described as the womb of a mother; we are regarded as having become cleansed like a newborn as we complete the ceremony (notice again the prominence of women as representations of spirituality and purity). Inside the lodge is a shallow pit dug into the soil; we sit directly on the earth at the inner perimeter of the lodge around the pit.

Into this pit will be brought stones heated in our fire, which I will build outside several yards east of the lodge opening (we face our ceremonies to the east to represent the coming of dawn, new light, new growth, hope, and fresh beginning).

Once gathered inside, the stones will be brought in (by me, most likely) and arranged in place in the center pit by James, the holy man/healer who runs these ceremonies. James will speak to us to welcome us, remind us of our purpose in doing this prayer service, and ask us to be mindful of those who cannot be here with us. James will sprinkle pinches of medicinal plant (cedar, sweetgrass) over the stones, giving off a fragrant aroma which we regard as a healing medicine. He will ask us to bless ourselves with that medicine, which we do by reach hands into the wisps of smoke and pulling the fragrance to our bodies and faces through the air, like reaching into a waterfall to pull clean water to us. There is nothing intoxicating about these medicines; they are just an incense. They represent symbols of the blessings from God we will receive from our prayers, and we receive those blessings to ourselves.

The door will be called for, at which point we will close the lodge. This is the time when newcomers are often worried they will be uncomfortable in the dark, but I can attest that when you actually come to this point things feel quite comfortable: you are surrounded on each side by other women and loved ones, and things are very calm and peaceful. James will begin to pour dippers of water over the stones (think Sauna), and we begin to pray together. James may choose to sing songs in Cheyenne (if I know them, I will sing with him as well). But at this point you will feel the steam rise from the stones, roll over your back, and we will begin to pray together. At this point, do not wait to listen to anyone else; simply begin to pray. Pray in your heart or pray out loud--and we all pray at once, not taking turns. It is customary to hear many people in the lodge all praying at once, all voices overlapping as each person opens their hearts.

The significance of this is that whatever we want to be cleansed from, we pray out and symbolically "leave" on those hot stones to be burned away. We recognize that those stones are ancient and were made by God, and we can leave our burdens with them rather than carrying them onward any farther. So we pray, and pray, from our hearts--even to the point of tears! The heat will swell, and we will cover our faces and bodies with our towels. If it feels intense, then we pray harder: we focus on our prayers, rather than on our bodies and comfort. The round lasts only about 4-5 minutes, and James will call for me to open the door. We are free to leave, cool off, and relax and chat outside.

And that's it! We do four rounds of this. The first round is the most uncomfortable one, because it is a new experience so our bodies have not adjusted; we are cleansing out our bodies and souls, and it feels powerful. Subsequent rounds are much less intense in their feeling (and I've asked James to run the ceremony moderately, because we have all ages and levels of physical health, and most of you have never done this before). The third round is a "healing round," and tends to be shorter than the others, and it is where we pray for healing for ourselves and others. The fourth round is a "women's round," and women speak without interruption about anything on your hearts, all before the door closes and the round begins. Whatever instruction, guidance, or other words you want to share can be spoken then.

After doing these four rounds, something remarkable happens, and I've seen it over and over: women who felt afraid to even participate emerge fearless, relaxed, confident, softened in their hearts, and feeling cleansed. There is a surge of endorphins, but also a deeper, spiritual sense of rekindled connection with one another, with God, with all of creation. There is a sense that you have faced darkness and emerged whole and courageous. You are able to leave incredible heaps of pain and fear on those glowing stones to swelter and burn away, while you emerge form the "womb" of prayer as a new person. It is not uncommon to see tears of joy afterward, even while we acknowledge how difficult the experience has been.

We will have plenty of cold water between rounds, and after we rest and recover we will enjoy our cookout lunch together, and hopefully it will be in the breezes and sunshine or a gorgeous day.

This is not considered a risky experience. In fact, a lot of medical studies remark on the physical health of sauna cleansing (and even suggest that sauna become part of a health regimen), and there is even research coming out about the emotional and spiritual positive effects of this. At first, you will be afraid, but you will not leave with fear. It will be dark, but it is not the darkness of uncertain danger or being alone and lost; it is the kind of darkness where one is safe, protected, bonded in connection on all sides to supporters and allies, all united in common purpose. Inside the sweatlodge, you find the place where you live.

Sweatlodge ceremony basic info (I'll answer any questions you think of, either here or at the orientation Q/A)

First of all, this is completely voluntary! But there is a way to become a participant even if you choose not to (or cannot) go into the sweatlodge itself. Women are essential to this ceremony, and you can choose to remain outside the lodge while others go inside, and join in prayer, meditation, quiet journaling, etc. to support the cleansing prayers. Also, in Native American ceremonies, women who are "in their moon" (that is, on their period) do not join inside most ceremonies. That is NOT an exclusion based on any prejudices about women, but in fact is a form of recognition of women's unique holiness. Women are seen as the spiritual authorities over Indian ceremonies, and are seen as particularly strong, spiritually, at this time (in contrast to any notion of being unclean), and women are seen as having a purification ceremony build right into their own bodies. As a result, women at moon time are seen as having a particularly strong spiritual process within, and are exempt from needing ritual cleansings. It is considered good decorum, in this case, to remain outside the sweatlodge itself. But this does NOT mean exclusion; if this applies to you, then your presence is still greatly valued and even needed. Please attend, and if you do not enter the lodge for this reason you can still be considered part of the cleansing prayer ceremony as described above: join one another in prayer, journaling, meditation, and conversation at the lodge site with the rest of us. Though the role of your participation may be different, do NOT feel that you are not every bit a part of this process.

The sweatlodge is not a religion, it is a form of prayer. The holy person who will conduct the ceremony will pray in native language (Cheyenne) to Maheo, his word for God, and also to Jesus Christ; we see Jesus and Maheo as two expressions of our Creator, and this ceremony is consistent with the beliefs of any spiritual person, and does not ask you to set aside any personal beliefs to embark on a departure to a new form of religion. My church pastor, for example, specifically asked to come to this ceremony prior to accepting his charge as pastor in order to feel cleansed. Many people from all faiths and church denominations participate in this ceremony. There is nothing about this form of prayer that conflicts with a person's own expression of faith.

The sweatlodge is also modest. Because of the use of heat and water as symbols of our cleansing/purification, it is important to wear comfortable clothes. The best option is lightweight colored fabric, such as for exercise, with a fabric sports bra. Remember, you will be washed with clean steam in the lodge, so don 't wear a colored sports bra and white shirt--for obvious reasons. Duh! :)

Bring a towel (a cheap beach towel) and flipflops or non-fancy shoes. You won't wear shoes inside, but to walk there and back.

I'll try to describe this the best way I can, and will answer any questions.

The purpose of the sweatlodge is to cleanse, heal, and purify our bodies and spirits, extinguishing all the things we carry in our hearts and minds that burden us. That is the sole purpose of this ceremony: to engage in prayer while becoming purified. It is regarded as the single oldest human ceremony on earth that is still in practice.

The lodge itself is a low dome-shaped structure. It is made of willows set into the ground and bent over and lashed together to make a frame, over which is layered canvas covering with a low door facing to the east. The lodge resembles a turtle in shape, and it is described as the womb of a mother; we are regarded as having become cleansed like a newborn as we complete the ceremony (notice again the prominence of women as representations of spirituality and purity). Inside the lodge is a shallow pit dug into the soil; we sit directly on the earth at the inner perimeter of the lodge around the pit.

Into this pit will be brought stones heated in our fire, which I will build outside several yards east of the lodge opening (we face our ceremonies to the east to represent the coming of dawn, new light, new growth, hope, and fresh beginning).

Once gathered inside, the stones will be brought in (by me, most likely) and arranged in place in the center pit by James, the holy man/healer who runs these ceremonies. James will speak to us to welcome us, remind us of our purpose in doing this prayer service, and ask us to be mindful of those who cannot be here with us. James will sprinkle pinches of medicinal plant (cedar, sweetgrass) over the stones, giving off a fragrant aroma which we regard as a healing medicine. He will ask us to bless ourselves with that medicine, which we do by reaching hands into the wisps of smoke and pulling the fragrance to our bodies and faces through the air, like reaching into a waterfall to pull clean water to us. There is nothing intoxicating about these medicines; they are just an incense. They represent symbols of the blessings from God we will receive from our prayers, and we receive those blessings to ourselves.

The door will be called for, at which point we will close the lodge. This is the time when newcomers are often worried they will be uncomfortable in the dark, but I can attest that when you actually come to this point things feel quite comfortable: you are surrounded on each side by other women and loved ones, and things are very calm and peaceful. James will begin to pour dippers of water over the stones (think Sauna), and we begin to pray together. James may choose to sing songs in Cheyenne (if I know them, I will sing with him as well). But at this point you will feel the steam rise from the stones, roll over your back, and we will begin to pray together. At this point, do not wait to listen to anyone else; simply begin to pray. Pray in your heart or pray out loud--and we all pray at once, not taking turns. It is customary to hear many people in the lodge all praying at once, all voices overlapping as each person opens their hearts.

The significance of this is that whatever we want to be cleansed from, we pray out and symbolically "leave" on those hot stones to be burned away. We recognize that those stones are ancient and were made by God, and we can leave our burdens with them rather than carrying them onward any farther. So we pray, and pray, from our hearts--even to the point of tears! The heat will swell, and we will cover our faces and bodies with our towels. If it feels intense, then we pray harder: we focus on our prayers, rather than on our bodies and comfort. The round lasts only about 4-5 minutes, and James will call for me to open the door. We are free to leave, cool off, and relax and chat outside.

And that's it! We do four rounds of this. The first round is the most uncomfortable one, because it is a new experience so our bodies have not adjusted; we are cleansing out our bodies and souls, and it feels powerful. Subsequent rounds are much less intense in their feeling (and I've asked James to run the ceremony moderately, because we have all ages and levels of physical health, and most of you have never done this before). The third round is a "healing round," and tends to be shorter than the others, and it is where we pray for healing for ourselves and others. The fourth round is a "women's round," and women speak without interruption about anything on your hearts, all before the door closes and the round begins. Whatever instruction, guidance, or other words you want to share can be spoken then.

After doing these four rounds, something remarkable happens, and I've seen it over and over: women who felt afraid to even participate emerge fearless, relaxed, confident, softened in their hearts, and feeling cleansed. There is a surge of endorphins, but also a deeper, spiritual sense of rekindled connection with one another, with God, with all of creation. There is a sense that you have faced darkness and emerged whole and courageous. You are able to leave incredible heaps of pain and fear on those glowing stones to swelter and burn away, while you emerge from the "womb" of prayer as a new person. It is not uncommon to see tears of joy afterward, even while we acknowledge how difficult the experience has been. I have brought a very few select women/survivors into this ceremony, and all of them remarked that it was "life-changing."

We will have plenty of cold water between rounds, and after we rest and recover we will enjoy our cookout lunch together, and hopefully it will be in the breezes and sunshine or a gorgeous day.

This is not considered a risky experience. In fact, a lot of medical studies remark on the physical health of sauna cleansing (and even suggest that sauna become part of a health regimen), and there is even research coming out about the emotional and spiritual positive effects of this. At first, you will be afraid, but you will not leave with fear. It will be dark, but it is not the darkness of uncertain danger or being alone and lost; it is the kind of darkness where one is safe, protected, bonded in connection on all sides to supporters and allies, all united in common purpose. Inside the sweatlodge, you find the place where you live.

I'm thinking that now I won't be able to come inside the sweatlodge because I recently learned that I'm PREGNANT with my first baby! I've read that sauna-type situations are no good for the baby because it would/could raise my body temperature too high, and therefore raise the temp inside the womb and potentially harm the baby. Does anyone have insight about this? I am going to ask my OB, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to sit outside.

BTW, my partner and I had been "trying" for several months, but I seriously never thought it would happen for me naturally because of previous gyno problems and surgery. I am surprised but absolutely THRILLED! I am a tad nervous about having a miscarriage, but all I can do is try to remain healthy and take care of my body. I will be a few weeks away from turning 35 when I give birth, so that is also a concern since it's considered "advanced maternal age." LOL...that really makes me feel old!

Also, I believe that I'm the only one who will be driving to the retreat (instead of flying). I'm a little nervous since it will be my first solo longish road trip. I think it will take me about 7 hours to get there from central Texas. I'm hoping and praying that morning sickness won't be a problem for my journey. I have had some nausea, but no vomiting yet. Yea!

Anyway, I've been looking forward to this retreat for several months, and I can't wait to meet everyone!!

-Jen :-)

WOW!!! I don't want to give medical advice, of course, so please do consult with your doctor. But that is joyous news, and will add a lot of meaning to you being there with us!

Congrats!!!!!! That's SO awesome!

Congratulations, I'm so happy for you!

Yes Jen, congratulations!

I have a question about the sweatlodge itself, and you may have discussed this elsewhere, and, it may have no bearing or significance at all, but...I am curious about the use of willow. Is it just because it is flexible enough to make the bends required, or is there a more significant reason for it's use. I thought I had remembered it being used in the dreamcatchers, so, I was just curious. I love the way you explained the ceremony here. I am so appreciative you went to this trouble, it not only puts me more at ease, it makes me crave the ceremony, so - thanks! Oh, and the pictures make it even more comfortable. Is a lodge usually left up and used over and over, or is it more of a single-use type of thing? There is so much symbolism in Native American culture, and it is all interesting to me. Thanks for sharing.

The lodge is usually left up to be used over and over, but this one will be used once only. I'm traveling up on Thursday to build it with James before the camp, and we'll have to take it down when we're done. If someone would like to have a small piece of the willow, or a tiny chip of the stones, to keep, that would be appropriate. James sent me a message earlier today that he has just returned from the mountains to gather rocks just for this. Be sure to thank him, because that's a lot of time and work!

We use willow because it is a water tree, and as such it represents femininity and growth. Growing near water is what accounts for its flexibility, but willow is considered a healing plant, and thus a women's plant. Aspirin, for example, is derived from inner bark of willow, and willow bark can be chewed or boiled to a tea to treat pain.

I didn't know this, but, last year, in May...I planted a willow tree in my front yard, I mean right in the front. I like knowing this. Makes the tree even more special. I will be sure to thank James, for so much.

I plan on making a memory frame from the retreat. I would love to have a piece of the willow and the rock fragment. I was planning on gahtering leaves to use for it.

I have taken in three former patients, each of whom was very special to me at that time, for the sweat lodge ceremony. And each of them received a small piece of the rocks used in their ceremonies as a keepsake.

I would be honored to have the opportunity to take a piece of anything as a treasure from the weekend and I can't wait to thank james a hundred times for everything

I would love to have a keepsake as well! I'm such a scrapbooker and plan on making a few different things as a commemoration for this. I am so entirely excited!

So much has already gone into you, and your wife and friends making this a success. Details we don't even think of - like going to gather the rocks, and building the lodge itself, and visits to the camp, and arranging the rooming. Shadow speaks of being honored, and I agree, we are each honored by these tasks that we don't even know are happening. God Bless you all, and extend traveling mercies to each person attending.

This sounds wonderful. I am sorry I missed the chance to attend. I wish everyone peace

I am emailing a .pdf of information about the retreat to anyone who has mailed in a registration form, but you can also download it here: http://www.resurrectionafterrape.org/retreat.html