Woman Dies in Az Sweat Lodge .... words of advice

[barb dwyer]

{ moderators - I didn't know where to put this - if more appropriate someplace else, please move it there? thank you!}


I don't know how many here are delving into Native American Spirituality as part of their 11th step stuff... or how many *do* think about having a 'sweat lodge experience' ...

You can google the incident I'm talking about ...
just say 'sweat lodge deaths in az'


Hi.
My name is Deb.
In *some* circles, I'm more often known as Falling Leaves.

I've been running sweats for over 25 years and there's a few rules of thumb I'd like to pass on to my firends here in SR. I confess this only to show qualification for what I'm about to advise.

First and foremost -

If you're on anti-depressants - do NOT sweat.
Go and watch - help carry stones ... but do NOT go inside the lodge.
If you've EVER had a heart problem -
High blood pressure
if you're on Kolonipin, ultram, or other type pain medication...
thyroid medication, anything ANYTHING ....

do NOT go into the lodge.

Not unless you can medically supervised go OFF the meds
and even then - you need a few weeks OFF it
before your body can properly react to the amazingly INTENSE heat
of a Sweat Lodge Ceremony.

If you got drunk the night before -
stay OUT of the lodge.
You risk immediate liver and kidney failure
to enter a sweat with a polluted liver

I read that article ....
and I just got MAD.
Flat out angry.

I've heard people compare the heat of a sweat lodge
to a high sauna.
The two are NOTHING alike.
NOTHING alike.

two places
you go into
and theres heated rocks.
THAT ... is where the similarity ends.

Please please PLEASE consult a doctor
before trying something
as intense and as complicated
as a Sweat Lodge.

RUN AWAY from anyone who tries
o charge you money to sweat.
(I read these people paid 10,000.00 each for a week of this)

P.T. Barnum is proven right again.

It's ... well, it's blasphemy is what it is.

This is a Sacred Ceremony dreamed into this world by our Native American Ancestors. I was YEARS on a path of knowledge before my teachers decided that I, as part-blood would be able to hold the space to Chief a Lodge. It was an honor that I earned, and never EVER has money exchanged hands for the privilidge of running a sweat.

Wow.
Those poor people.

Thank you for letting me rant for a minute.

I like most everyone I co-respond with here on SR
and I'd HATE to lose someone
because of irresponsibility.

[barb dwyer]

*still reading articles - THREE people have died so far!*

NEVER get in a lodge that's got carpet on it-
the intense heat releases formaldehyde gasses from the plastics in the fibers of carpet.

NEVER get in a lodge that's covered in plastic !

unlike other coverings -
usually liiterally blankets, people... and a LOT of 'em
but still -

plastic doesn't 'breathe' -
getting that hot in an enclosure
with no fresh oxygen able to get in...
people's breathing increases with the heat ...
it fills with carbon dioxide
and oxygen can't come in except when the open the flap...

omg.

it's a wonder they ALL aren't dead.

BTW-

there's NO SUCH THING as an 'authentic' sweat lodge
that's 415 feet in diameter!
Holy cow - SUNDANCE LODGES aren't even that big!

what a shame.
what a waste.

please please please be careful, y'all.

There's no reason for this to have happened.

[Ann]

Thanks for this post, and to me, it is a reminder to trust my instinct. If something doesn't feel right, if something makes me feel unwell, it's time to skeedaddle out of there.

I am careful where and to whom I trust my mind and body. Even doctors can screw up. We know our bodies better than anyone. And I know to check things out first, get a second opinion if I am uncertain, and when in doubt...don't.

Hugs

[north]

Originally Posted by barb dwyer

...
I've heard people compare the heat of a sweat lodge
to a high sauna.
The two are NOTHING alike.
NOTHING alike.

two places
you go into
and theres heated rocks.
THAT ... is where the similarity ends.

Please please PLEASE consult a doctor
before trying something
as intense and as complicated
as a Sweat Lodge.
....

Hi Deb,

Thank you for your post.

I was curious - could you please tell me the difference from a sauna? Is the temperature and/or relative humidity much higher?

If it's as different as you indicate the problem is that most doctors I know would probably know whether to advise a patient on whether they might try a sauna, but I don't know too many who'd know what a sweat lodge is.

I've done saunas in both Finland and Japan - both done in the buff and end up with a dip in freezing cold water.

North

[indigo]

Thanks for that info.

[barb dwyer]

Thank you for your postive responses, I got home (no computer there, you see) and I felt guilty for ranting, but also uncomfortable about talking about something that for the last 32 years (I forgot to include the years I was drinking... LOL) has been 'something you don't go around talking about.'

Kinda went against everything, there.

People *do* often ask me how it was that I was in my early 40's before I ever drank like the alcoholic I turned out to be. Well, this is how. I led a heavily spiritual life. One of my sponsees called it a 'majickal life' ... *shrug* may have been.

North asked:

I was curious - could you please tell me the difference from a sauna? Is the temperature and/or relative humidity much higher?

There really *is* no comparing the two. Like I said, they are both enclosures with hot rocks you pour water on.
Past that ... they are nothing alike.

If you don't mind, I'll PM you with some more details, I'm not comfortable spelling it all out publicly like this.

Sorry -
it's how I was taught.

[indigo]

I saw it reported on TV that 3 people have died how sad.

[Overman]

I think it's also important to be skeptical of these self-proclaimed 'spiritual gurus' that offer such practices.

A genuine, traditional sweat lodge wouldn't have ended in such tragedy.

[barb dwyer]

indigo -

I saw that, too -
am keeping an eye on the reporting of it -
I was sure it had plastic on it.
The pic on the CNN site shows it.
the blue patch right by the door.
one of those tarps you buy at walmart.

it's not a 'traditional' lodge by any stretch of the imagination.

but it's also not as big
as they first reported, either.

just needless.

how do they charge someon with self-importance?
should at least be manslughter.

[blackbirdsing]

Thank you for posting this. I must have missed this story in the news while I was abroad this summer/fall. So incredibly sad.

I haven't been to a sweat in years; but just made a call to a friend today looking for one.

Been thinking it would be a good step in cleansing and reconnecting.

Sober 21 days today, maybe I should give my liver and kidneys a bit more time to detox.

Nice to know that I am not the only one around SR who leans this way though