2 Lesson Five: Sweat Lodge

Overview

(Bettmann/Getty Images, n.d.).

Sweat lodges are a traditional practice by Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States. The purpose of the practice is to encourage health and well-being by excreting toxins and negative energy through sweating. The lodges are wood or branches, creating a domed structure, typically covered by animal hides or other fabrics. The lodge size can vary, some for only single-person use and others much larger for group ceremonies. Rocks are typically heated by a fire outside the lodge, then transported into the centre of the lodge. Water is then poured onto these rocks to generate steam.

Process:

• Before entering a sweat lodge, you typically will offer a gift of tobacco to Mother Earth to thank her for providing you with the water, rocks, fire, etc.
• If you are participating in a larger ceremony with an Elder or a group leader, you can offer them an offering.
• Upon entering the sweat lodge, in the proper attire of a top and skirt (for females) or a top and shorts (for males), you can sit on the ground in a crisscrossed position.
• Ceremonies can be conducted differently depending on the Elder’s conduct or personal preference, but some could include prayers, storytelling, or simply sitting in silence.

Advantages of a sweat lodge ceremony:

• Mental benefits- clearing one’s mind, a safe space to think and heal.
• Spiritual benefits- feeling connected to both oneself, Mother Earth, and those around you (culture and community).
• Physical benefits- purges toxins from one’s body, help wounds heal, helpful for some with chronic illnesses.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Toronto, ON) created its own sweat lodge, a sacred fire, and gardens to grow sacred medicines. It allows people to participate in spiritual activities while undergoing their healing process at CAMH.

• Video: https://youtu.be/RvADMeqoUKI