“As fall ends and it is the morning of the winter solstice, Oya prepares us for
the inevitable death that lies before us and within us.”
Deanna Oloyade Lowman ”
read entire article on Oya and the solstice at http://spiderwhosings.dragonheadmusic.com
“The Lodge is constructed from the inside out”. Spider Who Sings. Learn more on the structure of the plains style lodge at http://songsforthelodge.dragonheadmusic.com/lodge-structure/
We find that the blogging still going on tying the sweat lodge deaths to the anger around cultural appropriation issues inappropriate and heartless. No participant deserved this to happen.
We know that lodges are safe when facilitated by individuals who know the cultural, spiritual and safety practices of the purification ceremony. Lodges facilitated by non First-Nations people are also beneficial, when conducted with cultural-spiritual integrity and strict adherence to safety protocol. Spirit is not limited by our cultural-racial identities and is not mono-lingual. A friend of mine has an ancestor that speaks Twee. I understand and can interpret only when I listen with my higer emotions.
I am often asked, why do people do sweat lodges? The purpose of the lodge, better known as a purification ceremony, is just that, to purify the body, mind and spirit. Modern health advocates have long recognized the effectiveness of steam in helping to release toxins from the body through sweating. The process of heating, steaming, cooling the body in progressively longer periods provokes a rapid release of toxins from the body core. The intervals of heating and cooling the body over several cycles has also been proven to boost the immune system. The process of going in and out of a hot tub or sauna, progressively heating then cooling the body, has similar effects.
The ceremony, because of the heat and steam, causes the body to release endorphins; the “feel good ” hormone. I recall reading studies in my earlier years that Native American clientele had higher success rates of recovery from alcohol addiction when they regularly participated in traditional purification ceremonies. Success was, in part, attributed to higher self esteem due to reclaiming cultural identity. Also critically important to this success was that the stimulated endorphin release gave a natural chemical alternative to alcohol.
We send our condolences to the family and friends of the individuals that died in the Sedona, AZ sweat lodge tragedy. We know that lodges are safe when facilitated by individuals who know the cultural, spiritual and safety practices of the purification ceremony. We pray that all peoples receive healing through this loss and support thorugh this time of crisis..
