Sweat Lodge Ceremony

Co-create Ceremony With Us!

Ceremonial Healing in Community: 

Mary West and I have re-initiated our community lodge tradition, now held on Mary’s land in Molalla, Oregon.

The power and wisdom of lodge has made an indelible imprint on many of our lives. I say thank you to my elders who have trained me, and to the First Nation peoples, who, in spite of all we as colonizers took from them, generously gifted us these ways. And, in the words of beloved Gilbert Walking Bull, shared over my lunch with him at Wilderness Awareness School, “just do it right”. So I listen, listen, listen, for the most potent ways to hold this tenderly-held ceremony to bless community and honor all of those who have come before me.

Invitations & Commitments

  • The power and wisdom are concentrating, focusing into our ceremony and our lives…
    The intention of most lodges is to be gentle, potent, transformative. 
    To be easy on our bodies, and/or reminding our bodies what they are beautifully capable of…
     
    And then the soul. Oh our dear souls…we come into community to tend our souls together.
     
    We bow to and remember, honor that the grandmother stones are in charge.
     
    We had a welcoming party ceremony with the grandmother stones that have been part of my lodge life at the lake. They circled the lodge and have been in sacred sanga together with the stones, trees, birds and other land spirits at Seelie Springs. They have become attuned to their new land and have shown us that they are so excited to be of service in their new home.
     
    Lodge is a unique ceremony that, on the surface, is very physical. It involves all of the elements in a big tangible visceral way, and our prayers are always the ascended forms of the elements are who come and play and prayer and significantly change us.  
    And our dance with the physical senses is transcended by the magical energetic, spiritual aspects of the lodge. 
     
     
     
    Your engagement in lodge:
    Contemplate what prayers and intentions you would like to set into motion. Especially what it is you would like to create. 
     
    The ceremony happens on both sides of the blankets—inside and outside. You can decide where you would like to participate once you arrive. This can especially important for those who can not fold their knees in the lodge which will likely be needed for this lodge. And also, how many people show up. It’s a moderate sized lodge! We have a ceremonial portal outside the lodge that assists with the healing of our time together.
     
    Bring a song in your heart. It may rise up to be sung, or it might just remain on the inner. All are powerful. 
     
    Cloths best for lodge that you can change into: cotton top and bottoms. Traditionally women wore skirts—this is not necessary.
     
    Something warm to change into afterwards.
     
    We always appreciate canopies (popups).
     
    Bring flip flops or other shoes that are easy to slip off and on while entering and exiting the lodge.
     
    Towel—you might want 2—one to bring in lodge, one for after wards
     
    PLEASE: for lodge clothes and lodge towels—I am very allergic to fabric softener fragrances and other fragrances for that matter so please, if you use them, run a wash with lodge clothes and towels without softener for this ceremony. For those who have not been in lodge, this is key for many others.
     
    Leave your jewelry at home—it is removed before we go in, and best to not have to keep track of it.
     
    If you are at all not feeling well, please stay home, and we will send you healing from afar!
     
    Offerings to the spirits (corn meal, tobacco, bird seeds, eg.) are always welcome;
     
    An altar item you would like to have as an anchor and beacon for compassionate power and wisdom for you.
     
    Gifts for fire tender, land tender, water pourer is traditional and always appreciated. Whatever you are called to bring. Examples of past gifts include feathers, chocolate, tobacco, corn meal, cash, stones. Offerings that say thank you for their service.
     
    Also to bring:
    Food to share at the feast, along with everything needed to serve it. Simple things that do not need cooking or big prep are best. 
     
    Your own plate and eating utensils can help minimize the host’s post lodge work. 
     
    Prayer tie making material etc is always a plus!
     
    Thank you.
    Again, please do a chick a dee dee dee call back to let me know if you are coming or not.
     
     
    List:
    Fragrance free Lodge clothes
    Fragrance free towels
    Flip flop/slip on shoes
    Food to share + serving utensil
    Plate and eating utensils
    Water for before and after lodge
    Offerings to spirits, land
    Gifts for ceremonial leaders (there are 5 or 6)
    Canopy if you have one and want to bring it
    Altar item
    Song in heart
     
     

    My commitment to you as water pourer includes

  • Facilitating a safe and a sacred soul-filled environment—spiritually, physically.
  • Holding solid in my heart the foundational ingredients and historical template of this sacred ceremony.
  • Being as clear a channel as I can be--Working with all of the helping spirits that come when this ceremony is done through me and our lineage.  The helping spirits—yours, ours. The big council of help that channel through the geometry, our hollow bones, our open hearts, to do the healing work.
  • Honoring the stones—grandmothers who have been on Earth since the beginning of Earth who bring healing and wisdom;
  • Honoring the fire that activates the grandmothers, and transmutes our suffering to freedom, grace, wellbeing;
  • Honoring the water, which changes form and dances with the grandmothers to facilitate our transformation and so the world’s;
  • Circulating Prayer and song, which frame our minds, empowered by our feelings, and along with breath, blow through our hearts and set manifestation into motion.
  • Holding in our hearts Togetherness