A CONNECTION
TO THE PAST – AND A REBIRTH
(My
Unexpected Native Sweat Lodge Experience)
It
happened rather unexpectedly, and only through what I would refer as a
miraculous set of events. But there I
was, along with my wife, on the night of 9-12-17, helping 7 other people
construct a Native American sweat lodge under the direction of a Cheyenne
Medicine Man, who is also an active member and priesthood holder of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which I myself am a member.
What
started as some simple social media contact and a few text messages with a relatively
new Facebook friend, I suddenly found myself with an invitation to come help
and participate in this ancient traditional spiritual ritual which was taking
place for the first time (as far as I know) in this local area.
I
actually have some literal Native American blood flowing through my veins. Through my mother I have ties into the Creek
Indian Nation out of Oklahoma. I have
long been proud and interested in this connection, but had never been involved
in any such native practice throughout my life.
So the prospect was very intriguing and inviting to me.
Without
wanting to divulge the names of others who may wish to remain anonymous, I will
simply say that some very gracious people had offered up their land to conduct
the ceremony. They were friends with
this Medicine Man, named Shawn Littlebear, who is from Oklahoma and who was up
visiting in this area for some other business.
He is a wonderfully kind and humble man, with deep spiritual roots both
in the modern Latter Day Saint religion as well as his native Cheyenne
heritage.
To
give a little background, a Sweat Lodge is a hand constructed short domed hut,
made from natural materials (usually saplings stripped of their bark), which is
traditionally covered with animal hides or heavy blankets to both trap out any
sunlight as well as to contain the steam and heat within for the purification
rituals which take place inside, which are often referred to as “sweats”. The sweat is intended as a religious ceremony
– it is for prayer and healing, and the ceremony is only to be led by elders
who know the language, songs, traditions and
safety protocols. Otherwise, the ceremony can be dangerous if done
improperly – both physically and spiritually. As quoted from a Native American website, “With
the help of Medicine Men and Women, they could repair the damage done to their
spirits, their minds and their bodies. The Sweat Lodge is a place of spiritual
refuge and mental and physical healing, a place to get answers and guidance by
asking ancestral spiritual entities, the Creator and Mother Earth for the
needed wisdom and power.”
By
the time my wife and I arrived after work, some of the basic construction and
preparations were already well underway by the others, but we were recruited to
help finish some of the frame construction of the hut and some other preparations.
Within
the center of the hut is a dug out hole, which the Medicine Man had carefully
prepared beforehand, with stones carefully arranged in a Medicine Wheel pattern
with a cross formed in the middle (which can be seen in the center of the photograph
below). The dirt floor of the lodge was
also carefully swept clean and leveled as best as possible.
As
mentioned previously, the entire structure must be carefully covered to block
out any light with only a small doorway, through which the participants must
kneel and crawl to gain access, which is also then covered with a thick blanket
door once all are inside. The door
should also be constructed to face Eastward.
A
short distance away from the entrance a special fire is constructed which is
lined with specific types of rocks, which are then heated under an intense
burning pile of wood to heat them to red-hot temperatures. Between the fire and the entrance a special
mound of earth was formed by the Medicine Man, which he referred to as “the
Altar”. A bag of medicinal herbs
consisting of Cedar and Sweet grass was then placed upon the altar and
a line drawn in the dirt from there to the opening of the lodge.
It
was very clearly indicated that one should not cross over the line between the
altar and the doorway, but that you had to go around the altar and should only
enter the doorway and around the inside of the lodge in a clockwise manner. (I did
not take any further photographs as I did not want to interrupt with the
ceremony or have any distractions from what the experience would offer).
After
completion, he gave us some instructions about how the ceremony would be
performed along with some of the history behind it and what it represented. I will probably not do it justice with how I try
to describe it from my limited memory, but essentially the lodge and all the
outer components combined serve to join together all of the basic elements of
life: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Rocks within the lodge as a symbol of the womb
in which life is created, or in this case, spiritually recreated. We were also allowed to bring in small towels
and water to drink, but were instructed to leave outside anything that is not
natural, such as: watches, ear rings, gold, silver, eye glasses. Etc.… (I will refrain from going into further
details and explanations, but would encourage those interested to seek out the
history behind such events or go find a tribal site where you might be invited
to participate in a traditional ceremony and education).
Following
the Medicine Man, we each entered and crawled to our respective places inside
of the lodge, with one designated member remaining outside as the door keeper
and person who would help bring in the heated stones from the fire. We sat upon small mats upon the dirt away
from the pit in the center and there received some further instructions and
teachings. We were told that there would
be 4 sessions completed that night, and that if desired participants could
leave the lodge between each sessions to stretch, get fresh air, etc… If we got too hot, we could kneel or crouch
down closer to Mother Earth where the temperature would be cooler and ask the
earth to heal and provide strength to us.
After
the instruction, 10 rocks were brought to the entrance by the keeper outside
and rolled into the central pit. The
door was then closed and sealed, and in the dark, the Medicine Man offered
prayer, as described above, while cedar and sweet grass were successively
sprinkled upon the heated stones, providing a sweet aroma in the air. As the prayer and ceremony continued (which
details I will not discuss here as to not divulge anything considered sacred or
by doing it a significant disservice through my poor, inexperienced explanation),
but as it continued he intermittently scooped clean water from a bucket with a ladle
and poured it over the hot rocks, steaming the air and inducing the sweat. I am sure that the traditional methods were
modified or added upon somewhat by his Christian and Latter Day Saint religious
influences, but I do not feel they detracted at all from the traditional
methods, but rather enhanced them… at least for me and my background, as all of
us present were members of the Church ourselves.
4
progressive sessions of this ensued with breaks and further discussion and
lessons taught between each one, with each subsequent session including more
hot rocks and gradually increased heat and sweating. During this process, I noticed and
experienced several profound things, which is what I would like to discuss.
Physically,
especially for a bigger man like myself, it was somewhat uncomfortable sitting
on the ground in the confined space, which when combined with the profound heat
made it difficult to relax initially, but I had determined before entering to
embrace the entire experience with an open mind and heart, willing to endure
any discomforts as a form of “sacrifice” if you want to call it that, in order
to reap whatever benefit might be available through the practice. What I found was that as the heat and sweat
began to pour through me, my muscles relaxed and the posture became much more
tolerable. This allowed me to open my
mind and heart in silent prayer and meditation as I listened and learned.
Although
it was completely dark within the lodge, I became aware through my other senses
how each participant was having their own unique experience and their reactions
to it were all different. Some were very
emotional and could be heard softly weeping.
Others were felt to be gently rocking back and forth in rhythmic patterns. Still others were heard deeply breathing in
controlled manner, while others quietly mumbled their own prayers or mantras. I
simply tried to hold still and quietly control my breathing and let the
experience happen physically, emotionally and spiritually. I have to admit that it deeply moved me.
During
the initial session or two, I was concentrating more on myself, my own
reactions to it all, and caught up in prayer about and thought about myself and
what I would experience as I personally tried to open to the physical and
spiritual aspect of it all. I prayed for
my own loved ones and family members, including my wife next to me. But as the
sessions progressed, my thoughts and prayers also began to extend out to those
in the circle around me. I found myself concerned
about their well-being and trials, and praying that they might receive what
they had come seeking for in faith.
Here
we were, with others who were practically strangers to my wife and I, yet at
the same time, in very different ways, we were joined together as ONE. Each of us had our own reactions and
different levels of spiritual connectedness to the Divine, yet we were all
joined together in a common purpose in reaching out for healing, cleansing,
renewal and wisdom as to how we could better help others to do the same. It was very primal and visceral, but also
deeply spiritual – and it affected me.
There
were NO tobacco pipes or peyote or any such sensation inducing elements
involved whatsoever. It was simply a
stripping away of everything worldly and literally get back down to the basics
of existence in a way I had not experienced before. The sweating involved was not anything like
the type of sweat you experience during a workout at the gym or by doing hard
yardwork. I am very familiar with such
sensations, and this was something totally different. It literally felt like a purging from the
inside out rather than a force induced reaction from exertion. It was also different from a normal sauna
experience, perhaps because of the very basic connection to the earth and
elements around us as well as the spiritual components involved in the
experience. It felt cleansing and
lightening in a way I have difficulty describing, and it was very intense and
profuse.
These
bouts of physical and spiritual connectedness, interspersed with breaks when
the door was opened and the fresh renewing air poured in deeply rejuvenated me. And after nearly two hours I did emerged a
changed man. I felt lighter and
refreshed. The stars were brighter in
the heavens above as if my vision had been cleared. I felt a bond with others to whom just hours
before had been strangers, as well as more connected with both the earth below
my bare feet and the Heavens above me and the cool night air swirling around
me. We had all passed through an
experience together and woven and unseen thread of commonality among us in some
small way because of it.
Would
this experience be something I would recommend to everyone I knew?… I don’t
know. I think it would be something you
would have to determine for yourself, and I can imagine that it may be
performed differently depending on where you went to experience it and who was
offering it. I would offer some caution and recommend doing your research and talking to others to ensure it was done safely and in a manner appropriate for your religious beliefs.
Did
it have the effect I expected?… No, it actually surpassed that in every
way. I had been expecting something like
sitting quietly in the dark and meditating without much interaction, but
instead it was a very connecting experience with interaction with those around
me as well as I believe others from beyond the veil that I could feel although not see. And despite the physical darkness of the
environment, there was nothing spiritually dark about it at all… it was
completely full of spiritual Light.
After
it was all over, we gathered in our hosts home and partook of a very simple and
refreshing meal as we conversed about our different experiences and shared our
new bonds of friendship.
Another
thing the experience reminded me of, is that although each of us is at very
different levels on our own journey, with different ways of reaction and being
connected to the divine, we are all on the journey together. We each have a lot to offer to those around
us, and when we are all heading in the same direction, with the same underlying
purpose, and are asking for the heavenly help available to us… then there is a
profound power that can be tapped into which can enrich us and help us be “Reborn”
each day into a new life full of purpose and meaning.
I
know that this form of re-commitment, connection, change and rebirth can occur
through many different manners, and is not limited to only a properly guided sweat
lodge practice. I have found very
similar and even more powerful experiences in many other circumstances,
especially within the temple ordinances of my religion. But I am grateful for the unique opportunity
I had to experience this ancient practice, become more connected with the ways
of my Native American ancestors, and feel to be a better man because of it.
“AHO!” – (which is
a Cheyenne word for “Amen” which is uttered at the end of a prayer)
