Sweat Lodge Ceremony

This Sweat lodge ceremony is poured following Lakota traditions. All are welcome as long as come with open/positive mind and respectful heart.

Please show up in work clothes to help build the fire and clean up grounds. Please bring a rake if you have one. As our elders taught us, “work is worship”. Thus, the building of the lodge and making relations with our grounds is part of the ceremony.

To go into the lodge, please bring 1 or two towels and appropriate clothes to wear into lodge. Men should wear shorts and women should have long skirt and shirt covering shoulders. Traditionally, you bring a tobacco offering for the fire, the intercessor and the firekeeper.

There is no charge for this ceremony, but each person should bring something to contribute to our feast afterwards. Here are other things our center would appreciate:

1. Firewood (aged)
2. Rocks (suitable for heating in lodge)
3. Sage, Sweet grass, Flat cedar, Tobacco
4. Personal Blankets
5. Paperware (plates, cups, napkins, utensils, paper towels, toilet paper)
6. Candles (and size unscented)
7. Solar lights

We will begin prepping for ceremony around 8pm but you are welcome to come as early as 6pm if you’d like to help around our facility. We will also be practicing songs and learning how to make prayer ties. We will likely go into the lodge around 1130 so the ceremony will not conclude until after midnight (after the meal). We have electricity in case you want to bring a crockpot.

Please understand that if this is your first time, part of the teachings of this way of life our respect, patience and generosity.  So, there may be several reasons you are asked to offer support and pray outside the lodge. If it is crowded and we have enough supplies, we may pour back to back lodges. We will practice safe social distancing and encourage the wearing of a mask when possible. Please do not come if you have any flu-like symptoms.

With Love & Gratitude. Mitakua Oyasin