I would like to take this moment to offer my personal condolences, healing energies, and blessings to the families of the two people who died, 38-year-old Kirby Brown of Westtown, N.Y, and 40-year-old James Shore of Milwaukee. Also, my prayers go out to everyone who became ill and also to the event organizers and everyone who were at the scene for the anguish that they must have felt at the time and are still feeling because of this tragic happening.
I think is important that we open ourselves up and share with people who have never experienced a sweat for themselves what it is like. So, this morning I set up a page for readers to be able to share personal sweat stories -good or bad- If you have ever participated in a sweat or served as a lodge leader during a sweat event please share your thoughts. You can also read about my first sweat experience here.
I have the right to choose what I what for my self. If doctors kill people through any means the AMA keep it quiet. When thousands of priests molested children no one went to prison. We live in a Control State not by the People or for the people but by the Corporations and Media/ the Media creates FEAR and makes ratings for $$$$ there is no other agenda. We had a drug cartel gang assassination in the quiet theme park where my studio is located recently.. HOME LAND security? A NAME. I agree. When the Snake handles die all around me in Sand Mountain Alabama they just call them crazy, and they have young children in there holding them but DHR does not take their children, but if you discipline your children by a spanking an leave a little red mark they gang busting your door down. We live in a BROWN SHIRT SOCIETY GOVERNMENT. Namaste, Silvershaman, much blessings. Accidents will always happen.
Sweat lodge Screwup - Why are white people always trying to play Indians? Stick with your religious ceremonies. Please don’t screw with ours. If you do not know what you are doing and are doing it for the right reason you need to rethink it.
Keep it True – I am Cherokee and white and although I’ve never experienced an actual sweat due to physical limitations, I have spoken to many who have and read alot through the years about it. Sadly, this situation seems to be one of merchandising truth not unlike what goes on in organized religion everyday. Too bad the people did not have discernment to see this. May God bring the seekers into understanding and wisdom in this and alll things spiritual.
..when people don’t fully understand, what the lodge is, what it represents, what it’s there for, people get hurt, in this case, some people paid a hefty price for someone else’s ignorance. Some people spend a lifetime, just learning about lodge, and not be a conductor. This is something that’s very close to the people, it’s a part of them, has been always will be…Nothing but good has come from the lodge…take responsibility for what happen, don’t blame the people or the culture for what happen…my heart and condolences go out to those who lost a love one… for the Love of the Creator…do not, let some else’s mistake/ignorance jade your view on a culture and people that is alive and vibrant, proud, strong, resilient, loving…and healing… Chi Miig
When I read this article I thought the term ‘commercial sweatlodge’ seemed very strange but when I visited the website this seemed a good description of what went on.
The Sweat here on this continent belongs to the Native Americans. Anyone who leads a Sweat ceremony should be a bona fide Native American religious leader. Generally the participants are Native also, although close friends may be welcome.
The Scandanavians also practice a form of the Sweat in their land, and newage pagans sometimes practice a hybrid form of this ceremony. The spirits are generally very helpful and forgiving as long as the people involved are respectful and knowledgable. Certain commonsense and ritual precautions are always observed. Purity of intent is of paramount importance; much can be forgiven of those who are already pure. In particular, one does not sweat for personal gain!!! This is one of the alarm bells that went off for me when I read the “spiritual warrior” website.
Until the news reports are released it is impossible to say what went wrong. I’ve been in a few sweats and although it does get uncomfortable in there I”ve never felt that there was any physical danger. People are always supposed to know that they can leave if they need to; maybe with so many people in there no one could leave? I can stretch my imagination and think of a few crazy / foolhardy things that people might do in sweats to prove what “spiritual warriors” they are, and if people do things like this then there might be physical danger. 60 people in there is way too many, maybe they got aphyxiated? Who knows?
May the guardians of the afterlife be merciful with those who died, help them to make amends for whatever they may have done wrong in there, and help them to find whatever it is that they need. And may this be a warning to all plastic medicine men out there, to leave this stuff alone. There are many things that can be readily forgiven, but selling the Sacred is not one of them.
I have been to several sweat lodges, since 1995. Some are drawn to the ways of the Natives. Who are we to keep them away because they don’t have proof they are Native? There was so much fear & anger when people were forced to the rez; & in any attempt to enter the society, bloodlines were lost and mixed. To hold the wisdom of the Native ways secret would not make the Elders of long ago proud. We are to set examples; teach our youth about the Red Road. The work to do prior to the sweat is vast & needs to be taken seriously. Any type of illness or medication can alter the subject’s experience in a sweat as well as not being hydrated or having fasted. It appears those building this lodge did not use breathable material. At 65 plus, too many people were in this lodge. I saw that these subjects paid $8000 to $10,000.00 dollars to participate in this weekend; that made me very sad. This new age “guru” made over a half a million dollars off these people, a sure error of the Native way.
A very informative & intelligent podcast by a woman who was onsite:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ShawnaBowen/2009/10/13/Support-and-Insight-for-Parents-with-troubled-Teen