The Sweat Lodge Ceremony
Together
with a community of friends, I have maintained a standing lodge at my home in Malvern, Pennsylvania since
1995. Here we do the sacred sweat lodge ceremony in
the way taught to us by Beautiful Painted Arrow, Joseph Rael, whose vision has inspired us. The Sweat Lodge is an ancient Native American Ceremony of prayer and
purification.
The Sweat Lodge is a very physical way to pray. It is a shamanic way in that we go away from the everyday world and go back to the mother, the earth, so that we can commune with spirit to bring healing and ritual back to our everyday world. We heat rocks in a fire and bring the glowing hot rocks into the center of the lodge. When the lodge is closed, we pour water on the rocks and pray. Our prayer may be in word or song or sometimes in silence. Afterward we gather for a pot luck feast.
Our Sweat Lodge prayers are guided by the four directions of the Medicine Wheel.
Each month we host sweat lodges on a regular basis, men only lodges, women lodges and lodges open to all genders. If you would to take part in this ceremony, read the questions below and then write an email of introduction. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register for a sweat lodge, first read the Q&A and then follow the directions there.
Questions: Click here for answers to some frequently asked questions: Sweat Lodge Q&A