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One Day Retreats - Sweat Lodges

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Available Dates
Oct 24th

Nov 21st

Dec 12th

Location
Filston Farm, Shoreham, Kent

Start time
9:00 am

Finish time
4:00 pm

Cost
£120

For first time attendees:
A preparatory consultation is required before your first sweat lodge which can be arranged either remotely or face to face at triyoga

Further reading:
Death and Rebirth: The Transformative Power of the Sweat Lodge

Bookings
info@mayamedicine.co.uk

The sweat lodge is a purification ceremony; it relieves stress, cleanses toxins from the body, provides a cure for illness, releases negativity and revitalises the life force. It also helps to remove obstacles obstructing one’s spiritual path. The lodge is also responsible for expelling the cold and harmful winds from the body and reinstating warm and vital energy.

It was originally employed to heal mother and child after childbirth and is often referred to as The Womb of the Earth as its energy is distinctly nurturing and maternal, drawing us closer to earth and the female principle in nature.  It is an integral part of traditional Maya medicine, used for the treatment and prevention of disease.

Essentially it is a natural steam bath, made by driving pliant willow into the ground and covered with blankets. Hot volcanic basalt stones are heated on a fire outside then placed in a hole in the centre and dowsed with water and herbs. The medicinal steam and the healing power of the elements help one to open and cleanse.

Each ceremony has a distinct theme or teaching which is explored through the different rounds with prayer, song, meditation, story telling, visualisation and purifying practices. The lodge ends when all the rocks from the fire are used up which may take up to five hours.

FAQ

Why the consultation before the sweat lodge?

The sweat lodge is a powerful purifier and brings to the surface deeply buried psycho-emotional material. In order that we can process this in a safe and empowered way it is important we are prepared to embark upon such a journey and we have some idea of how to work with this material when is arises.  During the consultation we will look at your current state of being and gain a better understanding of what unconscious forces may be underlying your emotional patterns and state of mind so that when you are in the sweat lodge you feel relaxed and confident to work through these challenges and unprocessed material in a safe and grounded way.

Please note, there are no exceptions, regardless of whether you have attended sweat lodges elsewhere before.


How long is the sweat lodge?

5 hours approx


Should I eat beforehand?

Yes, a light breakfast.


How will I feel afterwards?

Everyone has a different reaction depending on what one is processing.  It’s important to have a restful night after the lodge and a good sleep.  Keep hydrated and relaxed.


Is it beneficial to come to more than one sweat lodge?

Just as with any therapeutic practice it is of limited benefit to come to one lodge and expect a huge shift.  Just we would not expect to feel a significant difference after one yoga class or meditation session, nor should we after a single sweat lodge. The sweat lodge should be viewed as an auxiliary practice to a long term healing process with regular one to one sessions to help one open and liberate deeply held emotional and energetic patterns.  Optimum health and wellbeing can be achieved but this takes time and dedicated practice, so as with any practice, only through consistency can we hope to make progress.


Are there are medicinal plants or psychotropic substances used in the ceremony?

No foreign elements are introduced.  We are encouraged to work only with what is already here: our current state of mind, state of body and emotional material.  This is an earthy practice: how to make friends with ourselves and the world we create.


Maya Medicine  
info@mayamedicine.co.uk