My friend Jenn Moon turned me on to the  healing power of a sweat lodge. In the Summer of 2010 I joined Jenn to experience my first sweat and the alchemy of a lodge pouring ceremony. A new dance chief would be pouring her first lodge and Jennifer was assembling an intimate group to honor her first official ceremony.

Before jumping full-in I did some homework including, fasting for the day, drinking lots of water and preparing my mind and body for a new adventure. Beyond that, I agreed to show up with out any expectations. The encounter rocked my world.

The magic began at an other-worldly space in Leelanau County in the late afternoon. The land was beautiful. A spacious meadow surrounded by stand  of Red Pines. A cacophony of Wood Thrushes, drumming and coyotes comprised the background music of the gathering.

Our temporary community was made up of 7 people. From my perspective, I met and became friends with 5 strangers, reconnected with 1 acquaintance and cemented the bond of friendship with 1 close friend. In the first couple of hours we set up camp, explored the land, got to know each other and made time for quiet contemplation.

The ritual of setting the fire was beautiful and included our entire group. The fire tenders, dance chief and lodge participants all added stones, kindling, paper and logs to the structure. Each stone representing a wish or intention for the ceremony. After setting the fire we sat in the forest and talked about what we could expect and had all of our questions answered. We learned how our bodies might react to the heat and what to do if we had trouble breathing or needed to get out the lodge.

After a couple of hours the fire was ready and we were prepared to enter the sweat lodge. I entered last with the intention of being close to the door. Never one to be in love with small spaces and hot temperatures, I needed to know I could exit quickly if I freaked out and needed to escape.

The ceremony began with several hot stones brought forth by fire tenders for placement in the lodge. Red hot stones heated up the small space very quickly. Then it was lights out. The door was closed up tight and the space became pitch black, and extremely hot. For a a few minutes I thought everything was going to be fine. No problems here – then the terror set in.

Pure unbridled terror of being in the dark, in the heat, in a confined space. Surely I would die.  What was I doing here? Thankfully something Jennifer shared during preparation helped me calm down and allow the experience to unfold, without bolting out the door. I welcomed the heat into my bones, I welcomed the healing. I repeated this mantra over and over throughout the experience to remain calm and centered.

Allowing the heat to penetrate my bones in combination with deep pranayama breathing made for a beautiful and cleansing experience. I had survived round one. Thankfully the hot stones need to be replaced in rounds to keep generating heat and steam inside the lodge. This means the lodge door is opened three times before the ceremony concludes. When the door opens the lodge is flooded with fresh air some light and drinking water is shared amongst the group.

When the 4th round was finished I lingered with no plan to leave the lodge in a hurry. I was content hanging out and letting the experience settle in before any sort of community reentry.

Upon coming out of the lodge I was invited to lay down on a big blanket in the meadow and settle in. The coolness of the meadow air was delightful. The well after sunset sky brilliant with stars so bright and close It felt as if I could reach up and touch the big dipper.

The healing power of a sweat lodge is powerful. Although I didn’t attend with an outcome or expectation in mind, I came away from the experience with more love, light and trust than I could have imagined. My fear of the unknown was met head-on with curiosity, wonder and trust.

What I learned from this rich sweat lodge encounter:

  • Face your fears and they will become your allies.
  • Remain curious and overcome any obstacle.
  • Trust your loved ones and remain open to new experience.
  • Enter gently without expectation and enjoy the unfolding.

I am grateful for this healing experience and walk a little lighter after shedding the rust that had settled into my bones. It was a blessing to be in the moment of a sublime other-worldly experience.

Last weekend I experienced building my first sweat lodge with a new tribe of women. From felling saplings to honoring and carrying out the sacred design we did it! Each of us feeling equally nervous and excited for our healing weekend at the end of the month. We are blessed to come together in community with Divine Feminine leadership for the deep healing of a sacred sweat lodge ceremony.

About Shann Vander Leek

Shann Vander Leek

Shann is a Transformational Leader, Award-Winning Podcaster, Best-Selling Author, Voice Over Talent, Podcast Coach, and Producer. She lives in the village of Suttons Bay, Michigan with her beloved husband and mouthy old cat. This Goddess Shines!

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Lisa Frideborg Lloyd Jun 13, 2012, 1:31 pm

    Sounds like a wonderful experience, Shanna! Blessings, Lisa

    • shannvanderleek Jun 20, 2012, 9:43 pm

      Thanks Lisa and Gin! I’m excited for this weekend!

  • Gin Jun 13, 2012, 3:05 pm

    This sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience…

    • Shann Jul 2, 2012, 1:02 pm

      Thanks Gin! The second time / sweat lodge experience was even more powerful than the first!