Monday November 23, 2009, 6:37 am
ONEIDA — Ceremonial sweat lodges are an integral part of Native American cultures as a means to encourage spiritual and physical cleansing.

Sweat lodges — enclosed structures where heat from either steam or hot stones is used to make participants sweat as part of a cleansing ritual — are a staple of Native American cultures in North and Central America, said Johnny P. Flynn, an assistant professor of religious studies and director of the American Indian program at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Sweat lodges have received attention recently because of an investigation into the deaths of three people at a lodge led by a new-age guru in Arizona who charged thousands of dollars for his retreat.
Although sweat lodges are similar to saunas or Turkish baths, David Wilkins, a professor of American Indian studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, is quick to point out that the comparison isn't completely accurate.
"The sauna analogy is one that I frequently hear, and it's the one that Indians use to get a non-native person to comprehend it, but it's totally inadequate," said Wilkins.
Gerald Doxtator, a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians, participates in an area sweat lodge by pouring water over heated stones to release steam during the ceremonies. He describes the lodges as a mix of private and communal reflection.
"There's no protocol for what you have to do here," Doxtator said. "No one's forced to stay here or do anything. You can come and go as you please. It's really about walking a good life."
Native cultures have historically used sweat lodges principally for healing or cleansing. In the late 1800s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs began establishing restrictions on where these ceremonies could take place, pushing them underground. The practice resurged in the 1970s, Flynn said

Every sweat lodge is different — they don't have any governing guidelines — and each tribe and each lodge has its own set of practices. There's also no doctrine or priesthood as one might find in established religions, Flynn said.

"I've been to Navajo sweats where it's one or two people, so they'll have a dry stone heat," said Flynn, who is a member of the Potawatomi Nation from Oklahoma. "In California, I've seen dry fires. And, of course, there are the steam sweats."
They do, however, have some similarities. Lodges usually are round in structure and covered with some natural material, and the door of the lodge generally faces the fire where stones are heated. Some of them will have an altar structure, but Doxtator says it's not something necessarily used for worship.
Sweat leaders are asked to lead by tribal elders or others, but there is no universal process, Flynn said.
"You're sanctioned by having the experience or by having the elders ask you to run a sweat," Flynn said. "I'm not a spiritual leader. I don't consider myself a priest, but I know what to do, and I lead sweats."
Modern versions of the sweat lodge have percolated to other parts of society such as prisons and substance abuse centers, Flynn said.
Each sweat lodge session that Doxtator leads in Oneida has four rounds or "doors" — in between each the lodge door is opened — and someone manning the fire adds more stones. Usually Doxtator uses about 32 stones. He then pours water over the stones to release the steam, an action associated with cleansing the mind and body.
"We heat stones up, and once they get red, we bring them in seven or eight at a time into the lodge," Doxtator said. "People will focus on the heat, but it's not about that. It's not intense. And if kids are coming, it's pretty calm in there — we don't get it too hot for them."
Sweat lodges are put on as often as they're requested, and they can last from 40 minutes to four hours depending on the number of participants.
Prayer is encouraged, but not required, and songs are generally sung. The idea is to give people a place to reflect in an environment of support, Doxtator said.
"People come just to experience it," Doxtator said.

"If someone's struggling, we can pray together. We have people of all different races come here. They'll pray in their own languages."

Monday November 23, 2009, 6:50 am
Thannnxxx Sweetie... it is so unfortunate that the greedy "landlords" who run these sweat lodges have compromised saftey and given these places a reputation for being dangerous..

Monday November 23, 2009, 7:07 am
Thanks Kat, very interesting article.

Monday November 23, 2009, 7:09 am
it's crazy, have seen it before where soepeople claim this or that an have these lodges built and charge people to come in an they have weird or bad thingshappen in them. I believe in sweat lodges an the ceremonies can be very intense, healing and with many visions but what times I've brought others into them an friends have led the sweats that isn't what I tell them, the main focus asI was taught is you are going back into the womb and you need to humble yourselfand pray an the more seriousyou are the better that will work.

Monday November 23, 2009, 7:17 am
oh, how horrible, I am reading the article that started this and these people are beyond stupid, I have done mainly Lakota style sun dance sweats for about 25 years and have never seen more than 18, very tops people in the seat at a time, this lunatic had almost 50, the sweat leader is suppose to watch over eveyone in there on all levels there is no way anyone could have done this with a non use to it crew:http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/12/crimesider/entry5378668.shtml

Monday November 23, 2009, 7:27 am
This is a great article that many more people should read after the tragedy in Sedona.........Thanks Kat.

Monday November 23, 2009, 10:09 am
TY Kat

Monday November 23, 2009, 11:40 am
Noted with great interest!!!!!!! Ty Kat.

Monday November 23, 2009, 3:46 pm
Thanks Kat. Interesting article