When opportunities present themselves, we have two choices; we can say yes or we can say no.
After teaching an extra sweaty hot yoga class a few weeks ago and comparing it to a sweat lodge, one of my students, who is Native American asked me if I wanted to sweat with him?
“In a real sweat lodge I asked?”
“Yes!”
Without hesitation I jumped at the opportunity, “When can we do it? ”
We set up a day , I invited my teachers and some friends and we were set.
The evening of the Sweat Lodge as I arrived they were just getting the rocks ready. I thought how perfect is this? I get to watch the process from the ground up; the way each rock was selected put on the pallet and then how the branches were stacked to make a bonfire to heat the rocks.
As we all sat gathered together waiting for the rocks to heat up, it felt so peaceful on the reservation.
I said to one of my teachers what a beautiful life this was. The big yellow crescent moon hanging low in the sky and coyotes playing off in the distance. It is a life very different than the one I am living. I live in a neighborhood with houses all in a row and a road down the middle. I like to sit in my backyard and look up at the trees and it’s nice but it’s not wide open space.
The spiritual leader who was going to run the ceremony didn’t show up, so the fire builder called his Grandmother and asked her if she would lead it and she agreed.
I was excited to be in the company, wisdom and energy of his Grandmother. This Native Amercian woman, mother of 4 grandmother of 15 and great grandmother of 22 children arrived and took charge right away, “no water, no jewelry and no leaving, once we begin.”
She explained to us that this was a huge exception to allow non-natives into their Sacred space. This is something that just isn’t done, but because my student invited me, she allowed it.
I could sense her uneasiness as she looked at all of us. “There is a dress code you know, long skirts for women and covered up”. I looked down at my basketball shorts and tank top thinking this is not going to work.
It was time to go in… As we entered the sweat lodge we were asked to say “All my relations” meaning “All my relatives” or that “we are all related” It is a prayer of Harmony and oneness with all forms of life; plants birds, other people, mountains, rivers and sky.
We crawled in through the small opening and sat in a circle around the rock pit. Once we all were in, the flap door was closed and it was pitch black inside!
I closed my eyes and then opened my eyes and there was no difference…there was only darkness! I felt a little scared because I couldn’t see my teachers and I wanted to make sure they were safe. I had to let go of that fear and simply be present.
I began to smell the aroma of Sage that the Grandmother burned by dropping it on the rocks and I could feel the heat rising as I breathed it in to my lungs.
It would have been easy at that moment to let my mind get the best of me, but I stayed present and listened as she explained the ceremony; 4 rounds, at the beginning of each round the door flap would open and 10 more rocks would be added to the pit.
If we wanted to get out, we had to say “all my relations” and they would open the door.
She told us her story and struggles as a Native American Indian woman living on the reservation and how the “people on the other side of the road” meaning “us” took away so many things from her people and then she began to pray. She poured water on the rocks and the steam and heat filled the sweat lodge.
Round 1 was to pray for the unborn and newborn. I thought of my grand kids just beginning their life journey and of my friends with babies and sent prayers of health and abundance to them.
“I bent forward to find some relief from the heat and the sweat poured off my face and into my hands.”
At that moment someone called out “All my Relations” and just as Grandmother said would happen, the door flap opened and she was free to leave.
I thought to myself, I can do this, I reached over to where my friend was sitting and we found each other’s hand and squeezed it, briefly leaning together to re-affirm that we were alright.
At just that moment the round ended and the door opened. The fresh air and the porch light made it’s way in to the small opening in the sweat lodge. I looked around to see if everyone was still upright. I didn’t have my glasses on, making it very challenging. “I whispered, is everyone ok?” I heard whispers back, “yes”.
Round 2: 10 more rocks coming in.
This round was to pray for children and young adults. Grandmother prayed for her large family. I thought of my own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and sent prayers out for them.
Each time she poured the water on the rocks it sent the sound and steam throughout the sweat lodge. I could feel the sweat pouring off from every part of my drenched body.
If I stayed out of my head I would be fine, so I stuck with that plan.
The round was over and Grandmother asked for a water jug that she had inside the house. They brought it in and she poured some of the water on the rocks and then drank from the jug and them passed it to her left.
“Ahhhh water coming my way,” I thought to myself. She had softened, thank goodness from her original rules and was taking it easy on us non-natives. It felt awesome to drink and then to pass it on, like we were all part of the same family.
Round 3: We prayed for healing. As Grandmother prayed for so many in her family her tears and trembling voice touched my soul. I too prayed, but silently for my own family’s health and healing.
As she sang her Native songs her brother joined in. It was nice to hear another voice singing. More water on the rocks and more heat in the lodge.
Round 4: Prayer for the elders. I thought of my parents who have been gone for 8 years now. I still feel very close to them and miss their physical presence in my life so much.
I do see them in my dreams quite often and it feels as if they are still here, happy and healthy.
Round 4 ends and the door flap opens, the summer air feels cool against my sweat covered body and drifts in as we are told to exit one at a time.
When we got outside, we lined up so as each person exited they would shake the hand and or hug each person in the line, until the last person exited which was the Grandmother. She looked weak from the ceremony, she was the closest to the rock pit the entire time, I had scooted way back in the beginning, to the edge of the lodge to escape the heat.
She came out and immediately sat down on a tree stump that was right outside the sweat lodge. The ceremony seemed to be spiritually healing yet physically draining for her.
After being in her presence, listening to her story and hearing her prayers I saw her in a different light. I now understood her hesitancy to let us in. I went over to her and hugged her and thanked her again for the opportunity to experience something so sacred. She never looked up at me, but smiled and nodded her head.
We all sat around afterwards feeling very cleansed and refreshed, Grandmother asked that in the future when we heard people talk about Indians on the reservation, that we stand up for them, knowing their struggles and seeing their truth tonight.
I nodded and thought the same thing with us, perhaps after spending three hours in a sweat lodge with the “people” who took away their land and their water~ pretty much preventing them from living the life their ancestors lived, and observing our respect and gratitude, that she has a better feeling about us non-natives. Even more so, I hoped that she found some healing of the past.
I am so grateful to my student for inviting me to share in his culture. Each of us came away with different gifts from the sweat lodge experience.
I came away with a greater understanding and compassion for the Native American people, their struggles and their zest to live their life true to their ancestry.
So the next time you have a choice to do something new, even if it scares you, go for it! You’ll be grateful you did!
Karin xx
Epic Life Yogi 