How to make your own Sweat Hut easily, for detox, meditation, purification, visionary enlightenment.

Date:   2/24/2005 3:06:29 PM ( 19 y ago)

HISTORY AND BENEFITS



For centuries Indians have used sweat lodges and fasting as the best means to detox.
Of all the purification ceremonies , the sweat lodge was most used by all Indians.
A sweat lodge is much like a sauna, with the heat and moisture to help detox the body: mentally , physically and spiritually.
The smoke in the lodge,(and the ceremonies),
also contributed to the healing process.

There are a many health giving functions from using sweat lodges,

It is an opportunity to pray, speak and ask forgivenss from the Creator, as well as from other people that may have been hurt,
thus healing physical and emotional disorders.

The heat in a lodge increases temperature, and so also increases your enzyme activity.
This helps the body destoy virus bacteria, and stimulates your immune system.
Increased temps help a body burn away bacterial and viral agents and illness.
Physical sweating helps detox by opening clogged pores, and allowing the body to rid itself of internal toxins,
heavy metals, excessive urea, and metabolic by-products.

Endoctrine glandular function is increased as your temperature rises also, which helps cleanse and improve body function.
The heat dialates large blood cells, stimulating increased blood flow to the skin and increasing the rate at which toxins are elimanated from the bodys' organs.
The moist air improves lung function.
It dialates clogged respiratory passages,
thus giving relief for minor respiratory illness.

NOTE: if you have major respiratory problems,
you should never use a sweat lodge.

Hot water and steam created by pouring water over the rocks,
results in negative ion release.
Positive ions are related to tension, fatigue, allergies, imsomnia, asthyma and arthritis.

Sweat huts improve metabolic function by removing toxins,
and other waste product,
as well as improving
circulation, digestion, and absorptions
of herbs and other nutrients.

It can be a regenerative experience,
like being back in the womb of mother earth.


A sweat lodge can be any size, shape,
as well as constructed of different materials.
some Indians had undergound lodges,
others used mud, skins, wood, cedar planks,
buffalo skins, birch bark, with frames made from willow poles. some were even dug in sides of hills,
or built up into earth mounds.
The polar Indians used igloos.

A good size sweat hut normally holds 10-15 people comfortably,
and is made so that no light enters, to ensure total darkness.
Hot rocks are heated on a fire outside,
then brought inside the hut.
The leader then pours water on the rocks to produce the heat
and steam, thus encouraging sweating, cleansing and also
stimulating spiritual healing.

Prayers are recited, songs are sung,
and spirits are called in to purify the people in the hut.
The door is rarely opened during a ceremony,
because the heat and dark are important to help the people
focus on what they are doing.


HOW TO MAKE LODGE



First find a location to build your hut.
If possible, the best location is near a cool clear stream,
lake, river, or the ocean,
since there should be a place to cool the body
after being in a sweat lodge.
If this is not possible, then you may use your shower,
or bath after the sweat hut.

Dig the pit. It should be the very center of the hut,
about 2 feet deep and 2-3 ft wide.
This is symbolic and holy.
To the Indians it represents the center of the universe.

Gather poles to use as a frame.
Willows or other saplings work well.
Although there is no set size, gather enough poles
to build a lodge 2-4 ft high in center and 10 ft in diameter.

To make the frame, plant ends of pole in ground,
joining the ends in center (like a dome).
Use leather string or rope to tie ends together.
Be sure to point the entrance to Father Sun to the East,
who has enormous energy power.

Next, cover poles with material that will keep heat in,
and light out. Rather than animal skins of old,
you may use heavy duty canvas sheets.

To use the lodge you will need to heat the rocks.
The best way to do this is to use an outside pit.
Fire is used to heat the rocks, representing a portion of the Sun and as a symbol of the Creator.
The stones represent Earth as both mother and grandmother,
and symbolizes endurance, just as earth endures.

Once the rocks have been brought into the sweat lodge,
and placed in the pit,
water should be poured on them to produce the steam.
The water represents the life givng elements of water and air.
An offering should be made to the fire.
The indians often used tobacco.
You may choose to use sage or sweetgrass.

Drinking herbal teas in the lodge can encourage healthy sweating. Herbs used for this purpose include cayenne, elderberry, ginger,
pepper, peppermint, sage and wintergreen.
Drink as much tea as possible while you are sweating.
This will help replenish fluids lost during sweating.

Stay in the lodge 15-20 minutes.

After the sweat, wrap up in a blanket
and cool in a bed for 30-60 minutes.
Then plunge into cold water or shower or bath.




thanks for patience , I will add some tips and teas to drink as well, later today.
you can make hut smaller for 2- 4 people , it should never be high.
It is low to contain heat and steam.
People generally sat or reclined on mats during a sweat session, some laid down as well.

You know, I so much have often thought of wanting a private meditational out door spot.. but yet, neighbors and all you know?
Ireally like the idea of making even a 3 sided *taller teepeeish gazebo type thing, so Ihave more privacy , yet open air flow.
to use as a private outdoor grounding recharging hut.

There are no constraints, on how or what you use to build
your sauna, then main thing is keep it light tight and use teh steam water and try to keep it low to keep the heat and steam near you.

If you are a good carpenter, then make a wonderful wood one, etc .
If you dont have saplings to use to bend to a dome,
make a cubicle, etc.
there are no rigid rules..

I think also that the Indians held the core belief in that afterwards: you don't just go shock the body.
A rest time, a recovery time, was all part of the detox.
The cold water was reserved for revitalizing, and washing toxins completely off skin after the body had recovered from the intense sweat experience.

A most noteworthy piece of info to remember, is that the sweat ceremony did not exceed 15-20 minutes.
This is called responsible good health.
To go farther than that time in a heavy hot sweat hut, would be irresponsible and possibly lead to heat /shock exhaustion stroke possiblilities.

In your modern day saunas, generally there are warnings posted to only stay in x time as well.
The health conscious people that use them , do so with respect fo their bodies, and obey these rules.
If you do make your own sweat hut *sauna*, please use it responsibly, to gain the best health from it as well.




Ami Joi Benton

 

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