Looks more like a primitive Newgrange than a sweat lodge!
Mothers and Wombs and Fathers and Mating and Blood and Semen and Naked Bodies…
Dear god.
“…to enter the Lodge is to return to the Womb of The Mother and be as a newling in its soft nourishing embrace”?
Clearly, this is one sick fool who does not want to grow up.
“Let us choose a well-worn Path back to the Womb,” Tamarack advises.
Well, who do we know who already has worn a path well to the sacred spiritual rite of the sweat lodge? European-Americans? Hardly. Tamarack is plagiarizing damn near everything he knows (and perverts) about this sacred ceremony from American Indian sources. Don’t hold your breath for the credits, though. Tamarack fears you might just go straight to Native American elders and spiritual leaders for the truth, and he does not want you to do that; he wants you to make everything all about him.
We recognize that far better critiques than ours regarding New Age plastic shamans' cultural theft can be read at sites such as
Blue Corn Comics,
Oyate.org, and
more. But we would like to emphasize some points as well.
Note as you read the sweat lodge fake lore included in this post how often Tamarack fails to accept warning signs from nature about the dangerous risks he is taking, which easily could have killed one or more participants in his perverted, phony ceremonies.
Absolutely no source material for his historical assertions about the sweat lodge is given. We ask you to ponder - could Tamarack have written this same fake lore account using only European source materials? Of course not. Without stealing and remixing many ceremonial details from Lakota and Ojibwe peoples, he cannot write this corrupt trash. It’s a sales pitch, not a sacred text.
Please recognize that real sweat lodge ceremonies are not conducted in English, and never are instructions about the ceremony or participation in the ceremony for sale! Tamarack is only tossing in a smattering of Ojibwe words (which he labels Algonquian) throughout the text to give it that Indian ring of authenticity, which only a fake lore phony needs.
Lest there be any fact-checking with authentic cultural or spiritual leaders, Dan Konen completely eliminates from his fake-lore tall tale, any reference to specific First Nations' peoples - such as the Lakota - and their diverse approaches to the sweat lodge ceremony.
Eliminating origins does several other things for Tamarack as well:
1) it prevents indigenous community oversight, responsibility, and accountability for the safety and preservation of this religious ritual that has been handed down from generation to generation - often at great risk, 2) it allows a white man the racist pleasure of stealing a sacred ceremony from indigenous people, 3) it allows him to sell a corrupted version of the ceremony for profit on the internet or as a part of his Wilderness Guide program, and 4) it keeps all the attention on Tamarack as the official purveyor of the stolen wisdom.
Remember, Tamarack Song is always the point of anything written or run by Tamarack Song.
Eliminating this continent’s indigenous Nations as the originators and owners of their own ceremonies is always and everywhere an act of genocide. Unless you want to commit a war crime, don’t buy it! The sweat lodge is not for sale.
[Editor’s Note: This abomination was included in the Wilderness Guide program’s student packet from several years ago. Tamarack sells a newer version
here on the Teaching Drum website. We are reprinting the older copy in full for anti-racist educational purposes only.]
Gifting Path / Tamarack Song
The caterwauling carried on for nearly half the night - scratching, hooting, and wing-flapping. The thin walls of my friend’s tent might as well have been non-existent for all the sleep he got. He was a dozen paces from the Sweat Lodge, which served as that night’s wailing perch for the reputedly silent nocturnal hunter.
Around the campfire at breakfast my bleary-eyed friend bemusedly lamented his scant sleep. Feeling compelled to apologize for my winged brother, I explained to my friend that he was just in the wrong place at the right time. He ended up being the unwitting recipient of a scolding intended for me. But, I assured my friend, his full and colorful recounting of the episode made me feel just about as sleep-deprived as he was.
For some reason he found little comfort in my empathizing gesture. Yet, with more than a hint of a smile, he still found within himself the benevolence to whip us up a generous batch of the bannock he was noted for.
Whether my Dodem’s bluntness is because of his nature or mine I don’t know, but I do know enough to observe the wisdom of his word. I called a long-overdue Sweat Lodge Ceremony for the coming Moonphase.
During the Ceremony as I was addressing my Dodem, he landed on a branch above the Lodge and gave four calls four times in succession. That was the invocation to a Bird Clan Ritual that, unbeknown to the four of us, the Grandfather Rocks had planned for that evening.
As the Lodgeflap opened for the last time, the Loons who kept vigil on the Lake gave seven calls, and we knew to keep the silence of the Lodge!
The Sweat Lodge is the Mother Lodge; to enter the Lodge is to return to the Womb of The Mother and be as a newling in its soft nourishing embrace. To leave the Lodge is to be birthed - to begin anew. It is an opportunity to be cleansed of the soil and scars and burdens which have accumulated since we left the Womb - to leave the past behind - and to be reborn with a clean body and a clean slate. “Don’t look back”, was my direct instruction from one Elder. What we leave behind is kindly absorbed by The Mother; what we are given in return by Her and The Father is the blessing of their renewed presence within our Heart-of-Hearts.
Because one Walks a complete Life path - entering the Door of Death and emerging through the Door of Birth - within the Ceremony of the Mother Lodge, it is a unique Rite of Transition in that it can be repeatedly experienced. This is fortunate, as it is a strongly empowering renewal to the purpose and clarity of our Gifting Path.
The Grandfathers have told me that The Mother Lodge Ceremony itself is in need of renewal, as it has largely disappeared in the face of Civilized intolerance and repression. They said that Balance will be restored to the Land when Lodge Circles return to all the communities of People and their Sacred Fires again light the Breast of The Mother like Fireflies dotting a warm evening’s Meadow.
Some form of Rebirthing Ritual is common to virtually all Native Peoples, and remnants, adapted or newly-created forms exist with most Civilized Peoples. The Mother Lodge Ceremony is the form indigenous to the area in which most of us dwell. It appears to have originated in the Northcountry on one shore of the Atlantic in times long past, and was early on carried to the other shore, spreading inland on both sides.
An early form, which consists of enclosing a Fire in a small Lodge to create sweat-inducing heat, still exists on the western fringes of North America. It has been largely supplanted by the form which relies upon the pouring of water over preheated rocks to form steam. In pre-Civilized times this form was found in Northwestern Europe and the majority of North and Central America. (This, being my indigenous form, and the one with which most of you are familiar is what we’ll be referring to from here on).
In those times, the Mother Lodge on both shores of the Atlantic was of virtually identical form - small and dome-shaped, covered with hides or sod. As the People on the Western shore became Civilized and later Christianized, their Lodges became square in imitation of their houses, and their Ceremony became secularized as did the rest of their lives. Today it lives on as the Sauna, used mainly for communal socializing, stress relief, and muscle relaxation.
In the Old Way the Lodge could be used for either sacred purpose or physical cleansing (referred to by some Natives as Inner or Outer Sweats). Few Peoples use the Lodge for the express purpose of physical cleansing, yet it is one of the natural results of both Inner and Outer Sweats.
Sweat Lodge is the common contemporary term used to describe both the structure and associated Ceremony. Although I use the term in public for purposes of communication, I prefer other terms which are more appropriately descriptive. One does sweat in the Lodge - profusely, in fact. Being one of many results, it falls short of conveying the essential spirit of the Lodge. Other terms used are; Purification Lodge, Cleansing Lodge, Rebirthing Lodge, Stone People Lodge, Healing Lodge, Mother Lodge. I feel that all these terms give Honor to the Lodge. As you know, I personally prefer to use Mother Lodge, because it is Her Womb, no matter what the reason for entering.
In Ceremony the Mother Lodge is called upon to aid Healings, Dreamquesters and others in their Rites of Transition, Thanksgivings and Honorings, conflict resolution, Prophetdreaming, relations with Dodems and Gifting Objects, and ritual bonding, amongst other things. Here we will respect the place of each of these Ceremonies by leaving them to the People who take part in them. We will here come to know the ancient heart, or essence, of all Mother Lodge Ceremonies, bereft of its cultural flesh and specific purpose. I will speak a small generic part of what I have been given by the People of the Mother Lodge - the Native Northern Germanic, Slavic, Baltic and American Peoples.
The Preparation
The Lodgesite
First we seek a quiet place, preferably near Water, which engenders feelings of security and nourishment. Water is the Blood of the Mother and ritual cleanser. In lieu of such a place, it is more important that we have a Lodge than an ideal location. Friends of mine who live in the suburb of a large city have a Lodge in their back yard. Citing their constitutional right to Freedom of Religion, they have been given zoning and ordinance waivers to allow for the structure and associated open Fire.
Then we lay out a circle of Stones to mark the perimeter of the Lodge, which is basically a small, low-roofed Wigwam. The size is gauged to accommodate just the appropriate number of People, leaving enough clearance above and behind each for air circulation. Although usually small, Lodge size can vary dramatically, I’ve been in Lodges that fit just me, that held sixty People, and a variety of sizes in between.
A flap of hide or some other material is hung over the Door to make a tight seal. The Lodge is a complete sphere, comprised of all seven Realms (Directions). Half is unseen, symbolizing the twin - the ethereal aspect, the unknown, the unrevealed. The Lodgepoles, which are anchored in The Earth, reach up and bend to form the arching walls, then join in the center. They are the Cradling Earth, encompassing those inside with Her Blessing energy. Some Peoples build a new frame of live branches for each Ceremony so that Her Blessings will find an easy Path.
Poles reach out in all directions from the top of the Lodge, speaking of the Blessing Circle reaching beyond the bounds of the walls. Many Peoples have multiple doors in their Lodges, even though they only use one (sometimes a second door is used for egress) themselves. These Doors are so that the Realms can bestow their Gifts, and so that Those Who Walk Beyond feel welcome to come and sit amongst.
Sometimes the Human Door faces East, and sometimes West, depending upon culture and ceremony. In the Directions chapter we became more aware of the Gifts of these Realms, so we already have some understandings as to why the Doors are so placed.
A Firepit in which to heat the Rocks is prepared a short distance from the Lodge Door. Consideration is given to nearby vegetation and overhanging branches that might be scorched by the Fire. A firebed is laid and Rocks are added atop, their number depending on need and symbolism. The roundest Rocks are chosen, as angular Rocks are more prone to cracking because of uneven heating. Volcanic Rocks or those with a homogenous structure are much preferred to porous or layered (sedimentary) Rocks. The latter may either crumble from the heat or explode as the water within them turns to steam. Flying chunks of hot Rock are dangerous! To accommodate the Rocks, a small, shallow pit is dug either in the center of the Lodge or off to one side.
The Rocks might be periodically replaced to signify changes of season or cycle, or to meet the needs of a particular ceremony.
Some folks come early to help with preparations for an upcoming ceremony. They may bring firewood, Rocks, or food for the Feast. The area around the Lodge is cleaned up, any needed repairs are made to the Lodge and covering, old coals are raked from the Firepit, and new boughs are lain on the Lodge floor (Being plant related, this is usually done by women). Out of respect for the Motherwomb and the coming Grandfathers I remove all crumbled and sharded Rock from the Firepit and the pit within the Lodge.
For some Peoples, once the Fire is lit, the Ceremony has began. For others, a banner o the laying of a line of demarcation to signify the Ceremony’s beginning and the area to be avoided by non-participants and pets. When the Ceremony is ended, which may be indicated by the removing of the banner or the line of herbs or stones, etc., most Peoples no longer consider the site to be sacred and allow common access.
To empower the Fire, it may be lit just as The Sun Father rises. For certain ceremonies the Fire is lit just as Sun retires, to maintain His continuity of presence and bring His Gift to the center of the Ceremonial Circle. Lighting the Fire when Sun is still with us could be considered disrespectful of Him, as it would be competing with His sky-presence.
The sacredness of the Fire is respected by not randomly tossing in sticks or other debris, leaving care of the Fire to the Fire tender (if there is one), and asking her either for permission to lay on Offering on the Fire or to do it for us. We ask much of Fire, by feeding him well he will feed us well.
The Rocks are usually considered of The Earth, and therefore of female energy, until they are heated. They are then imbued with the Sun Father and emanate male energy. They are know variously as the Stone People or the Teachers or the Old Ones or the Grandfathers. The People honor them for their many Blessings, to some they are the returned Ancients who initially gifted the Mother Lodge to the People.
The Lodgecircle
I was tutored in the Ways and Ceremonies of the Mother Lodge for twenty Winters before I was first called upon to Pour the Water (our term for guiding the ritual) on the Grandfather Rocks. As if in affirmation of my tutelage being completed, twice at the conclusion of those first Ceremonies, Moon in Her pregnant splendor entered the Lodge and bathed the tired Grandfathers in Her lush, cool luminescence.
In that time I was Petitioned to Pour the Water for a Healing. I was anxious and fearful, as I wasn’t sure whether it was my time or place to do so. My Dream spoke of the type of Healing I might someday facilitate, but now?
The Wood burned with such an intense blue flame that we had to stand back from the Fire further than usual. It burned as though it was being fed underneath by natural gas. The Rocks sucked in the scorching heat as though they were insatiable, and kept demanding more Wood. (Later I found out that the Wood is from a rare type of Tree who ferments after dying, then releases alcohol when burned.)
Just as the Door was flung open at the end of the Healing, a powerful Wind came out of the East and entered the Lodge. The evening air was still before that, and grew calm again after that momentary blast.
Twice shortly after those early affirmations I was given powerful lessons about the tremendous responsibility I incurred. The first one came when I allowed someone into the Lodge who was not in Balance with our Circle. In my tradition, we are asked to not take any alterants for four days prior to Ceremony. I made an exception, feeling it was justified because this person was in dire need of return to The Loving Mother. Knowing I made a decision on behalf of the Lodge Circle, and that in doing so I subjected them to any repercussions, I asked to alone be held accountable.
Midway through the Ceremony the Grandfathers stilled and I felt an ominous, ghostly presence envelop the Lodge. I calmly asked everyone to slowly leave the Lodge and walk to the house. When we went in, a woman who was helping prepare the Feast told us that she just heard on the radio that we were in the direct path of an intense , violent Storm. She said they were calling it “deadly” before it even hit, and that she had never heard a Storm warning worded that way before.
Deadly it was. Trees were down all around us, blocking roads and destroying buildings. Somehow our immediate area was spared - with the exception of one large Fir Tree which fell just short of the Lodge, pointing directly at it.
The second lesson came deep in the following White Season, when again as Waterpourer I made a decision affecting the Circle. The Lodge was covered with a thick blanket of Snow, to which I didn’t give a second thought after I checked out the Lodge’s integrity prior to Ceremony.
Shortly before the roof caved in, the utter blackness of the Lodge interior turned a milky white, but this time I didn’t have the clarity to read the sign to Prophet-Shadow the event. (For more on Prophet-Shadowing - the ability to predict an imminent event - see the Primary Senses section of Book I’s Sensory Attunement chapter).
From outside, the Lodge looked like a doughnut - the center of the roof sagged down and rested above the Grandfathers. We were untouched inside, as the walls maintained their integrity. The Doorkeeper went out to scrape off some of the Snowload and brought in a couple sticks to prop up the interior just enough so that the Grandfathers weren’t smothered.
We then continued with the Ceremony, and I Gave Thanks to the Grandfathers for Honoring me with their patience and the opportunity to grow in wisdom.
Besides the Doorkeeper, Waterpourer and Firetender already mentioned, there may be a Lodgekeeper, who cares for the Lodge and immediate environs, and assures that there is an adequate supply of Wood, Water, and Rocks. In the event that someone outside of the Lodgecircle wishes to use the Lodge, this is the person who is petitioned for permission. If there be chance of disturbance during the Ceremony, a Lodgeguardian is petitioned to watch over the Lodge environs.
The Firetender has a number of other responsibilities associated directly with the Ceremony, such as passing the heated Rocks into the Lodge at the Waterpourer’s request, and assuring that the Ceremony is not interrupted or disturbed. The Waterpourer is the voice of the Circle and servant of the Ceremony. This person, as a facilitator and catalyst in Ceremony, must be attuned to the pulse of the Circle and the attendant Energies. She is the one who calls the Circle together for Ceremony. As representative for the Circle, Petitions are presented to her to conduct special Ceremonies.
Those who prepare the Feasts, watch the children, and keep the Homefires burning, even though not a physical part of the entire Ceremony, are still just as much a part of the Circle and are referred to in the Lodge as though they are present.
All are Honored and valued positions; rank and prestige have no place unless they are afforded to all. Each person is a helper and a keeper and a tender - a servant of each other, and of The Mother and Her Ceremonial Circle. Joined hands and shared spirits form the Circle; its strength is limited to that of the weakest hand or spirit, so each brings an equally vital Gift.
A person might have a great ability to share his Gift when acting alone, yet when in the Circle, his contribution will be limited to that which complements the Circle and what the Circle can support. If his Gift in its fullness is deemed necessary by the Waterpourer, she can possibly overcome this limiting factor if she is willing to extend herself and assume the debt of compensation for the ensuing imbalance within the Circle. In order to do so without exposing the Circle to more than it is capable of handling and at the same time not making herself vulnerable to repercussion, she must have the wisdom of perspective and the skills to later release what she has assumed.
There is a feeling of sharedness, a tugging at the marrow that gives a sense of something between those of the Circle that is thicker, more primal than their individual beings. Each person becomes an organ to a greater organism; they join and meld to become one ceremonial being, with one identity and one consciousness.
Amongst those of a Lodgecircle is the feeling of Kinship. Their sharing, though centered on the Mother Lodge, usually extends to other aspects of their lives as well. For example, a member in need of shelter, comfort, or support often finds it readily offered.
Usually, the larger the Lodgecircle, the more evolved is the division of labor. The smaller the Circle, the more apt is everone [sic] to chip where needed.
What we’ve just shared is as it exists in my tradition, and I haven’t found it to vary much in other traditions with which I’m familiar.
Personal Attunement
Personal preparations and considerations seem to be similar amongst varying traditions as well. Having passed out twice myself because of inadequate preparation, I’m glad for this opportunity to pass on some of what may help save you from the need to learn in the same way. Those new to our Circle usually hang around the perimeter for the first time of two before actually joining in Ceremony. So they gain much of the following by observation.
The physiological demands of a Lodge Ceremony are intense. Participating when tired, fatigued, overstressed, or just after eating, is inviting overload. Heartrate sometimes doubles and blood circulation increases (but not blood pressure), because vessels dilate to bring blood to the skin surface to cool the body. Organ function is stimulated and toxins are released. In particular, food in the stomach is best avoided, as it is yet another demand on this already hardworking system.
A half to a full day Fast, depending on the individual and what is eaten, is usually adequate, along with an hour’s Fast from water. Prior to that hour, a quantity of water should be drunk in preparation for profuse sweating.
Those with heart, circulatory, or respiratory imbalance, who are pregnant, or who are unable to Fast, need speak with the Waterpourer before coming to the Lodge. As the Motherlodge can be a place of healing, imbalances do not necessarily preclude joining the Lodge Ceremony. Those of us who are out of shape could have difficulty; which an aerobic exercise routine may take care of. If we smoke or have a physiological imbalance that might be aggravated by the Ceremony, we could be putting ourselves at great risk.
Jewelry is best removed, because it can attract heat and restrict circulation. Hairspray, perfume, nail polish, and scented deodorants ought to be avoided also, as the moist heat draws off and magnifies their essences, which can be nauseating to some.
People new to the Lodge are often concerned about proper dress; feelings range from uneasiness to actual fear. Native People are generally more accepting of the body and more trusting of each other than Civilized People, so in Old Way Circles attire is not a concern. Recognizing the Civilized imbalances and conditionings which have betaken us, my Circle encourages those who are more comfortable covered to remain so without imposing their way on the uncovered, and vice-versa. Some Circles follow a preexisting tradition and some establish their own. It works well for each Circle to discuss the issue and either set a policy or leave it up to personal preference, and convey that to newcomers so that everyone can feel at ease.
Barring other considerations, perhaps the best attire is no attire - to return to the Womb clad as we left it and to be reborn clad as we were when first born. The Blessing Steam can circulate and touch all of the body when uncovered and hair is loose. And sweat can flow freely to rinse the body. One customarily undresses before the beginning of the Ceremony, and because of the weather or consideration of prudence, one may wrap in something easy to drop once inside the Lodge.
If a Lodge is to be used repeatedly I would suggest using something absorbent to sit on lest the Lodge take on the odor of sweat. Those of my Circle each bring a heavy towel or something similar.
Those who know the Mother Lodge are less prone to physical imbalances (particularly viral, such as the common cold) than those who don’t. Yet those with more severe communicable imbalances, because of the close quarters may want to consider not joining the Circle. A return to the Womb may well help restore Balance, yet this is best done in a Healing Ceremony assisted by just the Medicine Person and whomever else she deems necessary.
Occasionally I hear concern voiced as to whether or not conditions inside the Lodge are conducive to the spread of infective organisms. Because factors other than the quantifiable contribute to the Lodge environment, I usually suggest that these People consider what their Heart-of-Hearts tells them and encourage them to act in accordance.
To their pondering I do contribute that many of the tiny People who find us to be a comfortable living place thrive only within the narrow temperature range of our bodies, and are killed by a rise in temperature (the reason we have fevers). The temperature inside the Lodge can rise to almost twice that of the body, making it safer in this respect than normal living environments.
Approaching a Lodge Ceremony properly attuned has much to do with what we can gift the Circle and what we receive. About 15 minutes before entering the Lodge I become quiet, breathe slower and deeper, and slow my pulse rate. By the time of the Ceremony I’m in Circle Attunement (when self-identity meshes with circle consciousness; more in Book I’s Circle Attunement chapter) and centered in my Heart-of-Hearts (Coming to Oneness, the meditation form covered near the end Book I’s of [sic] the Spiritual Attunement chapter, is a great aid.)
Entering Her Womb ill-attuned might be taken by Her as such a sign of disrespect that She could make us feel quite unwelcome. If so, the heat might become oppressive, we’ll feel faint and not able to catch our breath. Our heart will pound in our head and claustrophobic fear will trigger the urge to bolt for the door. The only respite will seem to be outside.
The Mother does not welcome Her children back into Her to have them suffer. Waterpourers generally check periodically to be sure that everyone is comfortable, and get a consensus opinion before the Lodgedoor is closed. So there is usually the opportunity to voice distress, and if not, it should be voiced anyway.
When we leave the Lodge out of turn we disrupt the Ceremony. This may be alright in some instances and not in others, such as certain Healings, which would have to be started over. (To avoid such, Medicine People usually ask those well-familiar with the Mother Lodge to be part of the Healing Circle.) Instead of disrupting a Ceremony we might first wish to welcome the imbalance and embrace its lesson.
Becoming attuned at this point is much more difficult than doing so beforehand, but it is possible. The first and most vital step is to consciously accept the steamy heat not as adversary, but as the healing, cleansing Breath of the Grandfathers. With acceptance and invitation we can become one with the warmth, let it become our breath and essence.
Then we need to regain centeredness. We can do so by feeling our breath and listening to its movement. Notice how our quick, arrested inhales and short, incomplete exhales reflect our agitated state. They also contribute to it.
Let us slow down; take a deliberate deep, relaxed, full breath, all the way down into our gut. Cup hands over mouth to temper the air if it feels too hot. Pause, then exhale slowly and completely. (Though we may slow our inhale we yet tend to exhale quickly and incompletely.) Relax a bit before taking the next breath. After several breaths, our balanced breathing will likely begin to draw our whole self back into Balance, and our discomforts will begin to alleviate. Then we can allow the Ceremony to draw us into attunement.
If, after a period, we are feeling better, we can lower our head, or lay down if necessary, as the air is cooler near the ground. The Waterpourer will probably assist, and if it appears as though we’re not able to attune and gain control, she’ll likely acknowledge that it be best for us to take our leave.
I know of two people who have suffocated in the Mother Lodge. Old Way Lodges are covered with natural materials which allow adequate ventilation. The use of contemporary materials could make an airtight structure, which does not allow air exchange. If anyone feels tired or falls asleep in the Lodge, it could be from lack of oxygen. Let us choose a well-worn Path back to the Womb.
The Grandfathers are usually blown or brushed off before being passed into the Lodge, yet the first steam that rises from them can contain some ash. And there may be some smoke from residual organic matter in the pit which the Grandfathers quickly burn off. So as not to be irritated, we can close our eyes and hold our breath or bend low until the air clears.
Water is poured on the Rocks for ceremonial reasons as well as to create steam to increase humidity and intensify the heat. Without Steam, the hot dry air could irritate the mucous membranes of the throat and lungs. The heat opens pores and increases perspiration, which cleans oils and dirt from the skin.
Depending on tradition, Water may or may not be drunk inside the Lodge. Some feel that not drinking Water helps to maintain the distinction between the Womb and the outside and that the Water is the intended sacred food of the Stone People. Others pass drinking Water during a specific Round or between Rounds (Also called Doors. A Ceremony may be one or several Rounds/Doors, between which the door flap is usually opened for a ritual break and for fresh air).
Those outside the Lodge who are giving support to the Ceremony usually don’t drink Water or smoke, so as to give Respect to the Water, Pipe, and/or sacred herbs being used inside the Lodge.
After the Ceremony a relaxing cool down period is customary, which may begin with a dip in the adjacent Lake or Stream, or a rinse with a bucket of Water. The White Season invites a roll in the Snow or a quick dunk in cold Water, which can feel great to a superheated body. However, those of us not in prime health know that such indulgence contracts the blood vessels, rapidly increasing blood pressure.
After a long ceremony a rinse off is probably unnecessary. The body is already well rinsed by sweat, which gets cleaner the longer it flows.
If one feels faint coming out of the Lodge, sit down immediately, as one stands a good chance of passing out. Sometimes ill-attunement can be struggled through in the Lodge, only to call its due when one makes the effort to stand up.
Occasionally someone will have a sore throat after a Lodge Ceremony, which could be caused by swollen lymph nodes. Circulation within the lymphatic system is slow, which makes it particularly sensitive to dehydration. More Water needs to be drunk before the Ceremony, and maybe in general.
Dehydration can also cause headaches which are experienced after the Ceremony.
Immediately after being so stimulated and its pores being so opened, the skin could be very sensitive. So brushing hair, for instance, might feel best done more softly than normal and we’ll want to be careful with what we put on our skin.
That all my [sic] maintain trust in the integrity of the Mother Lodge Ceremony, tradition asks that what occurs within the Lodge be left there - that we not later speak of it either within or outside the Circle. Some ceremonies are so fragile in their bestowing that the imparting of word or allusion in reference could shatter their Blessings.
When I was young to the Mother Lodge I thought I had a grasp of the above tradition. In short order it proved quite rudimentary. Further tutelage came about through my observation of the effect upon new participants of such statements as, “Did you see that light hovering near the top of the Lodge?”, “Did you feel the chill breeze when that spirit entered as Andy was chanting?”. These sharings (which more often than not strike me as being ego-serving and patently stereotypical) confuse and segregate many who are new to the Lodge. In the flush of their inexperience they might not realize the source or motivation of such statements and take them at face value. The newcomers could thus be made to feel spiritually unattuned or unworthy. A class distinction evolves: The new folks, not having their own experiences validated, become aspirants, wishing and praying for, and sometimes imagining, the same visions as those of the vocal veterans.
When new to the Lodge I was similarly confused by the role of heat in the Ceremony. I was convinced that the hotter the Grandfathers, the greater in the gifting. Therefore, the more intensity I could tolerate, the greater would be my blessing. That may well have been the case for me at the time, because I imagined it to be so and thereby in part created by my own reality.
In retrospect I now realize - just as with those who voiced their visions - that I was affecting the experience of the newcomers. Statements like, “Boy, that was a scorcher; I barely made it through the Door (or Round)!” or “I wish it was hotter”, gave a basis of comparison for the newcomers which again influenced their own experiences.
Yet I learned through my unwitting disrespect: What I consider intense or mild is not necessarily the experience of the next person. What I perceive as heat must have some gifting aspect other than straightforward quantifiable temperature; some of the ritual experience must not be dependent upon the degree of heat. My preoccupation with heat is interfering with my presence - my giving and receiving - and with the communion of the Circle. In emulation of the wise of the Circle, I may best serve by acceptance of what is intended.
In response to their first time in the Womb with the Grandfathers some express either feelings of euphoria or lament the fact that they do not feel such. My impression is that this is an expression of ego voicing its need to be in control. We who are Civilized often look to emotional sensation to confirm that we are having a spiritual experience (first words of Book I’s Spiritual Attunement chapter) No matter how profound, an emotional experience is not necessarily a spiritual experience. But it is an ego experience, so the ego is content - without having to relinquish control she has pleased our Beast (Our ego looks upon us as a plodding, inept being which she must protect, give purpose and guide. The ego has little sense of our whole being as exemplified in our Heart-of-Hearts, nor of the Greater being - our Lifecircle - of which its Beast is part.)
The ego is even more pleased if her Beast is displeased for lack of euphoric experience, for she wasn’t forced to step aside by her Beast’s communion with the Greater Circle. No emotional high means that her Beast could desist from further participation in the Ceremony.
On occasion we may feel out-of-sorts, moody, depressed - we just don’t feel like joining the Lodgecircle. For me such feelings are my cue that I need to join the Circle; I’m weighed down with debris and could benefit greatly by giving effort on my part that I might receive the gift of cleansing.
We have just gained a fuller awareness of the Gift of the Mother Lodge Ceremony and of the personal involvement she requests of us. As with other activities of similar intensity, we face little risk and have no need to fear when we are attuned and prudently prepared. In fact, we may know more risk and fear by not Returning to The Mother-Belly. For countless generations our Ancestors have gained nourishment of spirit and renewed strength in the deep, gentle Cradle-Womb of the Earth. Now they are honored as we again join with them.
The Ceremony
The Gift of the Mother Lodge Ceremony comes from the Fertile Union of The Father and The Mother - the Mating of Earth and Sky that occurs when the Rocks are placed in the pit in the Lodge.
The glow within the Grandfather Rocks is the living Semen, and the oval of the Grandmother Pit is the living Egg. The Semen travels the Sacred Path - the Gissis Mikana (Algonquian for Sun Trail), from hot, bright, open Fire to cool, dark, secluded Earth. The eternal rhythm of union and parting, the endless Loop which draws everything upon itself, is contained in the Ceremony of the Mother Lodge.
The child of the Union is the rising Steam, which is imbued with the balance of energies from both Parents, and infused with the Gifts of the Realms. The Steam is the breath of the Stone People, the potent Living Air (see Sacred Sites chapter) which can pass through a person and knows not the bounds of the Lodge.
Water, Fire, Rock, and Air - the four Elements - come together in the Lodge in a ritual of which we are but the servants and peripheral observers. We hear the Elements’ Song of Balance in the Grandfathers’ low chant upon being gifted with Water.
Some begin the Ceremony with a Smudge - of the Lodgetools, the Lodge, and perhaps themselves. Depending on the reason for the Ceremony, other preparatory rites may be performed.
Now that we are prepared to enter, some of us might feel some shyness or apprehension. This is typical when standing at the doorway of a Rite of Transition, as it is a major turn in the Hoop of Life. Some say the feeling is similar to that on the eve of their Marriage or Dreamquest.
We reenter the Womb close to The Earth, just as when we were first born from the Womb. By crawling in we acknowledge our humility and reverence for The Great Mother, returning to Her as the little children we are. This also helps eliminate whatever may have distinguished us from each other out in the world, as we all enter on the same level and in the same garb. In the absolute dark of the Lodge all are aspirations of the same Breath.
In my tradition, and in some other familiar to me, an expression of our relationship to Bimadisiwin (all Life; Algonquian) is uttered when crossing the threshold, either going in or out of the Lodge. This giving of our different voices to the same recognition helps to put individual identity into perspective while drawing into the Circle.
In most of the Lodges of my experience, the circular motion of all things is honored after entering by crawling Sunwise around the perimeter and taking the farthest place. The Lodge is exited by either retracing the entry or continuing Sunwise to the Door. The ceremonial sharing rotates Sunwise (another reason the parts of the are called Rounds) and ritual items passed into the Lodge are handed Sunwise completely around the Circle to reach the Waterpourer. In this way also everyone takes part in the providing and presenting of the ritual items.
The Waterpourer may have some preference as to the order of seating within the Lodge. She could select individuals attuned to particular Realms to sit at their Doors, so that those energies would have the best mediums for entering the Circle. She will ask one to be Doorkeeper, who is to open and close the door flap when appropriate, tend to the needs of the one who pours the water and be her intermediary if anything is needed form outside the Lodge. Perhaps she would have women sit on one side of the Lodge and men on the other, as is the custom with some People. (As I know the Realms, women are of the South and men are of the North. In my way, Balance comes to the Circle when men sit in the women’s Realm and women sit in the men’s.)
With both men and women in the Lodge the Waterpourer might choose a couple in Balance or a person of both female and male energy to sit between men and women. This helps to form a continuum within the Circle.
The Pourer of the Water usually enters either first or last, although certain ceremonies require that he sit in other places in the Lodge. This is particularly true of a Healing, where the Medicine Person may choose a place that will align himself with the Gift most conducive to the Healing. In this case he might not be the Waterpourer; he could have others assisting.
There are ceremonies that also require people to take certain positions outside the Lodge, perhaps performing particular functions or touching the Lodge to help feed the Ritual Circle inside.
The floor of the Lodge may be covered with an herb, such as evergreen boughs who release their essence and vitality to the Ceremony as they are rested upon. By assuming an erect posture and not using the Lodge as a backrest we, Honorably address the Stone People, encourage alertness and allow for good circulation and breathing.
Mood and manners within the Lodge are in keeping with the sacred presence. The atmosphere is deep and meditative, and can be spiritually and emotionally intense. (This is not to imply that levity has no place.) Words are addressed only to the Stone People. We are their guests, their servants.
At the request of the Waterpourer, the Firekeeper will pass Stone People into the Lodge at the time and in the number appropriate to the ceremony. Each Stone Person may be given a greeting (Some of us of the Bird Clans raise our wings in salutation, as well as to catch the Gift of the First Steam), and may be festooned with sacred herb or anointed with a drop of sacred oil. The Stone People could be placed in a special order in the pit, perhaps in Honor of the Realms or to help empower a specific ceremony.
If a Stone Person is dropped on the ground in transit from Fire to Lodge, the fertilizing flow of Sun into Earth into Sun has been interfered with. The Stone may be returned to the Fire and another taken.
On occasion, a Stone Person breaks into pieces in the Fire, choosing not to Walk the Sun Trail. This could mean the Stone has a Teaching for someone in the Lodge, or different Teachings for more than one. The Stone Person decided that the Teaching was of such value and timeliness that he gave his life to empower it. By the end of the Ceremony, the Teaching will have been received by the intended.
In its essence, the Mother Lodge Ceremony is a Water Ceremony. Women, being the Keepers of the Water, often provide and perform ritual on the Water for the Ceremony. Like the Grandfathers, Water may be greeted upon entering the Lodge. In some traditions the Grandfathers themselves greet water. In Honor, Water is the last thing brought into some Lodges and is passed out before new Stone People are brought in and before anyone (Human or otherwise) enters or leaves. Some Lodge Ceremonies are begun and ended with a Water Smudge.
When Drum is in the Circle, He is the facilitator and the Waterpourer is Drum’s helper. Drum’s unifying heartbeat is a powerful force in helping us to let go of our personal needs and draw into the givingness of Circle awareness. Our goal is to rest the ego, to become as one in voice and body. In this way we lend ourselves fully to the intent of the ceremony, which may well be beyond our understanding of the moment. In trusting we are entrusted; the Wisdom of the lodge knows the greater need and will gift accordingly.
When Drum is in the Circle, He is the facilitator and the Waterpourer is Drum’s helper. Drum’s unifying heartbeat is a powerful force in helping us to let go of our personal needs and draw into the givingness of Circle awareness. Our goal is to rest the ego, to become as one in voice and body. In this way we lend ourselves fully to the intent of the ceremony, which may well be beyond our understanding of the moment. in trusting we are entrusted; the Wisdom of the lodge knows the greater need and will gift accordingly.
As beyond self as some of us strive to be, some of us still succumb to plying the grandfathers with a personal question. Perhaps we are so desirous of guidance that we overlook the fact that a question can get in the way of the answer. The question sets up an expectation which could color what we hear in response. Yet more elemental, our question is usually not what we actually want to ask, either because we are not fully in touch with our need or because we are too shy to voice what actually needs asking. As we know, the greater Wisdom knows our need, whether we do or not; what we need to know is trust.
Those new to the Lodge have a tendency to speak and chant at a fast pace, which can dominate and accelerate the flow of the Circle. it can also pull people out of Circle attunement. When we give ourselves time to find our place within Drum’s rhythm, we better speak as one.
Our perceptions in the Womb are not as they would be outside the Womb. Bodily smells are not noticeable. What we hear as crying is not for pain or hurt, but for cleansing. Some of what is spoken seems to make no sense to another, yet it gifts the Circle. What we see may still be seen when we close our eyes. it may not be visible to the next person, or to that person it might look entirely different or appear at a different time.
For example, the illustration which began this Journey - chapter is an imaginative rendering bearing little resemblance to what anyone actually saw and experienced in the Lodge. if it was a graphic depiction it would not appear here, as it could put some of the experience’s Blessings up for grabs. Francene, the artist, and I created the illustration to give a non-verbal feel for the Rebirthing Energy of the Mother Lodge Ceremony.
As the Ceremony nears its end, the way of the Lodge to which I belong is to wait through the Stone People’s ever-quieting voice until they have spoken their last. This is out of Respect for their giving efforts, and because we do not want to miss a single word.
A Feast follows - a Celebration of Birth!
In leaving this step I again feel regret for not being able to share more with you. I know the need, and I know some of you are ready for more at this time. Yet this is as far as words can take us. I ask you not to attempt a Mother Lodge Ceremony on the basis of these scant notes. Go to the Elders in your area, or find a Lodge Circle which honors the Traditions.
Labels: Tamarack's Fakelore, Tamarack's Sweat Lodge
