The+Evolution+of+the+Sweat+Lodge+Ceremony

Andrew Zeman Am In 283 4-4-11 Research Wiki **__The Evolution of the Sweat Lodge Ceremony__**  The Native Americans have used sweat lodges for centuries as a way to give thanks to their creator, to cleanse their bodies, and also to celebrate and mourn. To Native Americans, the sweat lodge and the ceremonies associated with it are sacred. There were guidelines in Indian tradition that explain how to construct and safely use a sweat lodge (Hunter, Amy). Today the revival of sweat lodge practices and the potential profit associated with them have attracted many nonnative copycats. As a result, individuals that do not know how to properly construct or run a sweat lodge have injured and even killed their patrons.  The use of sweat lodges dates back more than 2000 years and the practice is rich in tradition (Aaland, Mikkel). The Native Americans used sweat lodges as a way to purify their body and soul. Indian warriors would go through a sweat ceremony before they were to go into battle as a way to prepare their souls for the possibility death in battle (Traditional Healing). Sweat lodges were built in several variations. First, if the tribe that was building the lodge were constantly on the move they would most often build a portable sweat lodge. These portable lodges used the wood from a willow tree to create the frame or skeleton of the structure. These portable structures were covered with deer, elk, or moose hides (Wikipedia Sweat Lodges). A tribe that was stationary often used clay or mud to create their sweat lodge. The process of building the lodge was just as sacred as the ceremony itself (Crystalinks). As a way of showing respect, builders of the sweat lodge often fasted for the duration of the construction process. Some tribes completed the process in silence while others sang prayers and used drums. In many Native American Traditions, the sweat ceremony itself was quite similar across tribes. The entrance to the sweat lodge traditionally faced towards the east. The entrance also faced the fire pit that was to be used in the ceremony (Crane, Dancing). Building the entrance to face the east had a significant meaning to Native Americans. The Father Sun rises in the east and symbolizes a new beginning, power, strength and wisdom. Along with a sense of new beginning from the sun, the sweat ceremony represented being reborn spiritually (Spirit Walk Ministry). In the center of the lodge, a shallow pit was dug that would contain the sacred rocks heated red-hot by the sacred fire. The fire keepers, who were there to maintain safety, would pour water over the hot rocks, which created steam (Mendoza, Monica). A sacred altar placed between the rocks and the entrance, held sage, tobacco, and sweet grass. These items were thrown on top of the rocks as an offering to the Great Spirit. The participants were usually nude and mostly male. Some tribes allowed women to participate as long as she was not on her “moon”. Traditionally, sweats lasted about four rounds. A round could range from thirty to sixty minutes. A prayer to the Great Spirit usually started the first round. In between rounds, the participants were allowed to leave the lodge to cool themselves in a stream or river. The vast majority of tribes had a specific etiquette that was to be followed. Before entering the lodge, many cultures had participants spin “sun wise” at the entrance and “earth wise” once inside the lodge. Some sweats were to be conducted in silence. Some tribes forbid the use of clothing if it did not have ceremonial significance. If women were allowed to participate, they were to wear a loose fitting dress. Today, there appears to be a revival of the ancient sweat lodge ceremony by Native Americans tribes. Tribes today still practice the ritual in much the same way that past Native Americans used to. Since hides have become increasingly more scarce and expensive, many tribes have begun using heavy gauge canvas and tarps to cover their lodges. Many of the tribes have also become more open to women using sweat lodges, although the majority of the ceremonies are still separated by gender (Carmeen). Recent medical reviews claim that participating in sweat lodge ceremonies may have several health benefits (Berger, Lawrence). Some of the benefits include enhanced immunity due to high temperatures, potential anti cancer benefits, and detoxification (Spirit Walk Ministry). As outsiders have become aware of these practices many of them have a developed an interest in the ceremony (Wikipedia James Arthur Ray). As a result some people that are not qualified to lead sweats have decided to exploit the practice to make a profit. In Native American culture, the sweat lodge ceremony was a sacred practice that was for the betterment of the people (Joseph, Gayle). Native Americans never charged people to participate in the ceremony because it was considered distasteful and contradictory the ritual’s purpose (Creno, Glen).  Nonnative people, who have no training with sweat lodges, have tried to duplicate the ceremony and in several with horrendous results (Byard, Roger, and Karen Riches p.236-239). Probably the most famous instance of exploitation gone wrong was that of “self-help” guru, James Arthur Ray and his “Spiritual Warrior” retreat (O'Neill, Ann). The Arizona retreat resulted in Mr. Ray being charged with three counts of reckless manslaughter (Dougherty, John, and Gregory Roth). Along with the deaths of three people, at least fifteen others fell extremely ill (Desy, Phylameana Lila). Mr. Ray also charges his patrons around $ 10,000 per person to participate in the retreat (Sweat Lodge Deaths). Sweat lodges can be a safe and meaningful ceremony when conducted by someone that knows what they are doing. It can also have deadly results when conducted by someone more concerned with making a profit, than with safety and tradition.  Sweat Lodges have been around for centuries as way for people to cleanse their bodies and souls (Desy, Phylameana Lila). Native Americans have used them for thousands of years and continue to use them today. A revival of sweats in recent years has brought back a certain amount of culture and pride in Native American tribes. Unfortunately, people that exploit the ceremony for their own financial gain have attracted negative attention to the ritual in recent years. The Sweat Lodge is a deep-rooted tradition in many Native American cultures and will continue to be so for centuries more.

   **__ Annotative Bibliography __** Aaland, Mikkel. "Native American Sweat Lodge." //Cyber Bohemia//. Cyber Bohemia, 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2011. . This article gives historical accounts of how different tribes used sweat lodges. The articles go in depth as to how the lodges were constructed. Mikkel describes how sweat lodges have been around longer than written history. Berger, Lawrence. "Native American Sweat Lodge Ceremony Sage Smudge Stick History | High Desert Sage Smudge Sticks." //Smudging - Smudge - Smudge Sticks - Smudging Sticks - High Desert Sage Sticks - White Sage - Smudge Ceremony Sticks- Cleansing, Purification, Abalone Shell, Incense, Incense Warehouse Salvia Apiana, Artemisia Tridentata//. 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . This article written by Dr. Lawrence suggests that there may be several health benefits of participating in sweats. Some of the benefits include anti cancer, detoxification, and enhanced immunity. Byard, Roger, and Karen Riches. "Dehydration and Heat-Related Death: Sweat Lodge Syndrome : The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology." //Dehydration and Heat-Related Death: Sweat Lodge Syndrome// 26.3 (2005): 236-39. //LWW Journals - Beginning with A//. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc, Sept. 2005. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . This journal excerpt gives a medical explanation as to why people can die from sweat lodges. Ill prepared and executed sweats are a main cause of deaths in these instances. The article explains that adopting and not fully understanding rituals from other cultures unfortunately may not be safe. Carmeen. "Sweat Lodge Etiquette." //World Council of Elders//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . Carmeen describes some different forms of etiquette used for sweats. Some of them are gender specific. Many of them deal with the ritual itself and how to conduct yourself in a reverent way. Crane, Dancing. "A Spiritalk Gathering." //Native Americans- Spirit Talk Gathering//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . Dancing Crane's article firstly describes his first experience in a sweat lodge. He discusses the various aspects of the sweat and what objects in nature the fire pit symbolizes. He concludes by saying that the ceremony is very old and powerful and that it has been kept alive by Native Americans. Creno, Glen. "Sweat-lodge Commercialization Appalls Native Americans." //Arizona Local News - Phoenix Arizona News - Phoenix Breaking News - Azcentral.com//. Arizona Republic, 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . This article discusses how sweat lodge commercialization appalls Native American people. Glen also discusses how trying to run a sweat lodge can be deadly when individuals do not know what they are doing. He brings us James Arthur Ray as an example. Desy, Phylameana Lila. "Sweat Lodges - My Sweat Lodge Experience." //About Holistic Healing - Body Mind Spirit - Chakras - Energy Medicine//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . The article on about.com discusses the author's first experience in a sweat. She discusses the process that she went through to prepare herself mentally and physically for the sweat. The Author describes the types of prayers that were used in her particular instance. "Documents in Fatal Arizona Sweat Lodge Case Reveal Past Problems - FoxNews.com." //FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News//. Fox News, 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. . This article by fox news describes the types of injuries that patrons of James Arthur Ray's spiritual warrior retreat suffered. It describes in detail how Ray was informed that several of his participants were unconscious but he refused to react. It tells of accounts of people passing out and vomiting to which Ray said was normal Dougherty, John, and Gregory Roth. "Questions About ‘Sweat Lodge’ Rite Where 2 Died - NYTimes.com." //The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia//. 12 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . The webpage elaborates on what went wrong in Arizona when James Arthur Ray had his sweat lodge. The article said that the ceremony had about 55-65 people compared to the traditional 8-12. This meant that all those people were fighting for the same oxygen. Hunter, Amy. "HowStuffWorks "Sweat Lodge Hazards"" //Howstuffworks "Adventure"// 03 Feb. 2009. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sweat-lodge3.htm>. The Article by Amy describes the uses of sweat lodges for purification of the body. She describes the more technical aspect of what goes on during a sweat. The article also briefly lays out the different types of sweat lodge construction used. "James Arthur Ray." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray>. Wikipedia goes in depth as to who James Arthur Ray is and describes how he became involves in retreats, like the one that killed three people in Arizona back in 2009. The wiki describes Ray as self-help guru. They also list some witness accounts of the days events in Arizona. Joseph, Gayle. "Traditional Healing Sweat Lodge Ceremonies." //Body, Mind, Spiritual Coaching, Reiki Healing, Holistic Health Classes//. Cedar Water Healing Lodge, 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.gaylejoseph.com/Traditional_Healing_Sweat_Lodge_Ceremonies.html>. Gayle describes some of the reasons why someone would want to participate in a sweat. He tells the potential participants what processes will be involved and tells them what supplies to bring. Gayle also briefly describes the etiquette that is involved in the process. Mendoza, Monica. "Sweat Lodges Traditional Part of Native American Culture, Purification Ceremonies." //Peterson Air Force Base - Home//. United States Air Force, 3 Aug. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.peterson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123216085>. This article written for the U.S. Air Force tell of how some U.S. soldiers were going to participate in a sweat lodge ceremony to pray in a traditional Native American way. The leader of the sweat was Michael Hackwith who was a United States Marine and who is a member of the Lakota tribe. O'Neill, Ann. "Inside the Sweat Lodge: Witnesses Describe a Ritual Gone Wrong - CNN." //Featured Articles from CNN//. Cable News Network, 14 Mar. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2011. <http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-14/justice/ray.sweat.lodge.witnesses_1_james-arthur-ray-sweat-lodge-kirby-brown?_s=PM:CRIME>. CNN's Article titled Inside the sweat lodge tell how participants of James Arthur Ray's retreat had to pay a $10,000 fee. The article said that the occupations of the patrons ranged from doctors, engineers to sales people and small business owners. The article goes on to say that Ray could go to prison for 30 years for his actions. "Spirit Walk Ministry - Sweat Lodges." //Spirit Walk Ministry - The Spirit Walk//. 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.spiritwalkministry.com/native_american_spirituality/sweat_lodges>. Spirit Walk Ministry describes in depth the ceremony of sweat lodges. They describe the different variations in construction of the lodges and the different materials used. They also tell the reader the various reasons that people participate in sweats. "Sweat Lodge - Crystalinks." //Crystalinks Home Page//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.crystalinks.com/sweatlodge.html>. This webpage explains the different cultures that used sweat lodge practices. The page also describe the benefits and risks that are involved in a sweat lodge ceremony. "Sweat Lodge Deaths Investigated as Homicides - CNN." //Featured Articles from CNN//. CNN, 15 Oct. 2009. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. <http://articles.cnn.com/2009-10-15/us/arizona.sweat.lodge_1_james-arthur-ray-sweat-lodge-spiritual-warrior?_s=PM:US>. The CNN article discusses the events at the "Spiritual Warrior" event that was lead by James Arthur Ray, a self-help guru, in Arizona. As a result of Ray's inexperience and incompetence two people dies and several became very ill. "Sweat Lodge." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. 5 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_lodge>. This Wikipedia article on sweat lodges provides a decent overview of the subject. The wiki lists the different tribes and peoples that used sweat lodges. It also describes the construction and ceremony of the sweat lodge. "Sweat Lodges, Native American Sweat Lodges, What Are Sweat Lodges? . . ." //Holistic, Alternative, Complementary Health Care ~Dr. Loretta Standley//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.drstandley.com/nativeamerican_sweat_lodges.shtml>. This article describes the author's first sweat that he attended. He describes the different aspects associated with a sweat lodge. The author tells the audience that real Native American sweat lodges do not charge a fee. He goes on to describe some of the traditions associated with the ceremony. "Traditional Healing - Behavioral Health." //Native American Connections, Inc.// 2009. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nativeconnections.org/behavioral-health/traditional-healing>. The Native American Connections Inc. website describes why they continue to use sweat lodge practices. They describe the process as sacred and as an essential part of their tradition.

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