Sweat Lodges / Bush Saunas

[kindness]

It's getting on for the time of year that we build our sweats round here. Generally our construction is made with bamboo, plastic and whatever blankets, sheets etc that we can then throw over the top for insulation. We use granite for the stones which are heated till glowing on a fire that we all sit around, cook on etc.

Now, I know that this version of a 'sweat lodge' isn't along the lines of American Indians of various tribes versions. That is why we call them bush saunas. but they are done with intent and respect to the originators.

Does anyone else here have experience with sweats? How do you folk build them? Where do you choose to do them and what do you find they bring?

peace

[hebrew]

interesting topic

thanks for starting it

its interesting that sweats are created by many traditional people from all over the world as well, not jsut north america

there are some very interesting sweats from the UK where they build these cabins from stones that go underground.

i have only done a sweat once and it was very good, although the people running the sweat were a little too new agey for my liking, but still they did a great ceremony and was very cleansing.

[ThunderIdeal]

in finnland i've heard theres a sauna in nearly every house

never considered building my own. good idea.

[kindness]

I have loved the ones we've done. We usually do so near the beach, which means we get unbearably hot, sing songs, yell a bit and then run like crazy people down to the water, dive in and do it all over again... after an evening of doing that (a few rounds) I get really spaced out, or yeh, into liminal space. It's awesome - a for the weeks after things seem to shift in me a bit.

So good to get so hot while the weather is cooler!

Basic construction as I said before we do with bamboo which grows like a weed near a river here. I guess the best description i can give is it's a bit like an igloo with ribs running around horizonally and lengths going from ground to ground, (like a parabola?) and then builders black plastic wrapped over the top. the smaller it is the warmer. We generally get a maximum of 6 people in and it's all sort of crawling space. over the top we throw blankets to keep the heat in longer.

this is getting me frothing on building one!!! yew!

peace

[hebrew]

you should take some pics when you build next

[kindness]

Yeah, I will.

hmm... never really considered googling it b4 (der) the picture on this site

http://www.real-dream-catchers.com/Ojibwe_...d_symbolism.htm

fits very closely to what we've made.

basically, something low the is sealed and a bit insulated and put some fucking hot rocks in the middle and then pour water over them = sweat lodge

[MindExpansion]

Have to say this sound very cool.

Used to sneak into local hotel's spas for some heated relaxation but a sauna style room sounds even better.

I agree with velvet, post some pics after you build, would be interesting to see what you come up with!

Peace,

Mind

[kindness]

Part of the goodness is all the sweating that you get to do. Seems to get out all the toxins of the summer passed

[devance]

A solar powered one is alot easyier.

I was looking with the PBS program on how the last of the raindeer herders survive subzeros tempertures and is amazing simple.

They just use a candle in a tent within a tent.

So a solar powered sweat lodge would be a transparent tent with a smaller transparent. tent in it.

I a big fan of sweat lodges.

Should two times a week to get of toxins and can sleep like baby after.

[2b]

Just a quick warning about the dangers of this. There was a case of some one been killed in one in SA a few years back. I can remember this as the guy that died was a friend of a friend and there was alot of discussion of it on this forum at the time. I think the moral of the story was make sure you all look out for each other and watch for the signs of the effects of too much heat on those around you.

[kindness]

Yep, heard the story. Dehydration I believe. Not something we get into and we do all look out for each other. Thankyou for the caution though. I think it's good for anyone thinking of attempting a sweat who isn't entirely clued up. Drink plenty of fluids i.e. water. I don't think that I would take anything other than that into my body for a sweat lodge.

Will be having an early firing of the sweat this weekend, hopefully. Will take some pictures etc.

peace

[MindExpansion]

Look forward to seeing some pics meanies, sounds like it would be a great experience, enjoy.

Peace,

Mind

[Little Wolf]

This thread caught my attention, because I recently posted on the Australian Ethnobotany Forum, asking about sweat lodges in NSW.

I recently spent some time in Cusco, Peru, seeking to learn and experience more of Andean and Amazonian traditions/mysticism. One of the experiences I had was a "Temazcal"; the word for sweat lodge in one of the indigenous languages. We did this twice, once with a a large group (10 or so) of locals, and another time just myself, the shaman and his wife, and another American who was with us. This second time, we also ritually prepared and drank Huachuma (San Pedro).

These sweat lodges led to some of the most amazing experiences of my life. The second lodge, with the aid of the plant, in its entirety. The first lodge, well, certain aspects of it were amazing. I'll share two experiences/insights:

1. In the lodge, on the dirt floor, with the smell of vegetation in the air, lush humidity, clad in shorts, dirty from the ground, dirty from the fire outside, burned by the sun whilst tending the fire (to heat up the rocks) for hours - I was overcome by a feeling so primal, so connected to the Earth. I felt like the first savage (and I use this word deliberately, in a positive way) who just emerged from the ground? from who knows where? in Africa. I felt like a man-animal. And, especially for a Westerner who has in the past worked in a suit and tie, it was a good feeling :-)

2. The atmosphere in the lodge, as the ceremony progresses and heats up, and as we sing and chant, becomes one of a freeing of social boundaries. The participants feel more and more free to just be themselves, and do whatever feels right at the moment. Suddenly, we start making animal noises. And it builds and builds. Its not that I'm pretending "ooh, now an animal spirit has entered me" :-) Nor am I going through a really intellectual, wannabe process of, "it would be good to make like an animal now, so I'll force it". No, I simply responded to what I heard, and let what was inside come out. And when you're howling like a wolf or a dog, in hot pitch black darkness, on the dirt floor...well, interesting things start to happen to your identity and awareness :-)

Peace

Zevic

[ThunderIdeal]

i like your description :D

[mu!]

Thanks for sharing Little Wolf. The idea of san pedro & a sauna is now even more tempting Maybe i'll just have to settle with a hot bath

[kindness]

Had a great sweat on the weekend just passed. I didn't take any pictures cause, well, I just didn't. I think they help me shift stuff thats going on... feeling much more grounded or something after it.

In years gone by I have gone really hard with sweats, sessioning up to maybe 5 times in one night i.e. going in and out and in and out etc. I am getting a feel for them now though and really feel the drain they can put on your system. I think that sessioning over a period of a week or so could be really beneficial. It's a bit like a super detox/cleanse and there is only so much the body can handle at a time.

Definitely dropped me into a liminal state for about two days afterwards, and also takes intention and energy to carry the process out.

Further, in a community/culture that has lost a great deal of meaning around ritual I feel that by my friends, their families and mine doing this kind of thing taps into something quite old and right. I believe with the right intention their is no sullying or disrespecting other cultures ways of building/doing sweats.

peace

[MindExpansion]

Sounds great Meanies,

May have to look into doing this next time im back up the coast (Not sure one could pull it off in Sydney lol)

Peace,

Mind