Every first sunday of the month, a community of people gather on some land near Mt. Hood to participate in a Lakota Native American tribe sweat lodge. A former JV, and current Jesuit Priest who is very involved with Portland area JV's and JVC NW - he spoke at orientation - has been very involved in the spiritual practices of the Lakota tribe and tends fire for the sweats. Current Portland JV, my friend Jeremy, has been very intrigued and involved in the sweats this year and goes every month. JV's are always welcome and invited, and my roommates have gone a few times. So I decided to go to the March Sweat.
The sweat is an all day experience. You show up in the morning to work the land: we spread "hogs fire" -mulch - over the rock path, cut wood for the fire that would heat the stones for the sweat, or prepare cedar "leaves" for the smudge (a blessing/washing with smoke). We dropped off our stuff in the community yurt and set to work. After a few hours of work, everyone prepares for the lodge. Women change into t-shirts and long skirts while the men can be shirtless with shorts. If your shirt has a logo, it is best to wear it inside out. You want to enter and exit the lodge as purely and naturally as possible. If you have any metal you can't remove, you tie a red piece of yarn around them so that the bad spirits stay away - or just pray I don't get burned by the heat conducted through the metal rods going through my ears.
Just before the lodge, new comers are given an explanation of what to expect. There are rules and what way to turn (always clockwise), Gifts are given to the leader - Numpa - meaning loose tobacco for rolling cigarettes.
I feel an explanation of the actual lodge is necessary. When I first got there, my friend Emily asked "so where's the lodge?" and the boys pointed to a small, round hut that probably reached to my waste an was maybe 10 feet in diameter. "That's IT?!" we responded. Sweats are not for the claustrophobic, that's for sure.
So as the sweat began, we entered the lodge on our hands and knees to the beat of the drum. Women first, making two rows on the right side of the lodge, followed by the men making tow rows in the left. Finally Numpa enters. When the stones are ready, Numpa calls for how many stones he wants. They fill the pit in the middle of the lodge, and the door is shut. We sit in complete darkness and focus on our "intention" as the water condenses on our skin - half Sweat, half water vapor from the stones - trying to focus on the cries of the Native American chants being sung rather than the scalding air as it fills our lungs.
There were four rounds: each of varying lengths and temperatures. The third was the most intense - 16 stones - but also the shortest. Sighs of relief fill the lodge after the end of each round. We were sweating for 2 hours, though it felt much shorter.
When the sweat was finally over, we crawl out of the lodge, exhausted and drenched to our bones. Everyone pathetically collapsed on the ground or stumps encircling the fire outside. We thank our leader, breath deep, then retreat to the yurt to change.
Once everyone is cleaned up, the yurt fills with food people have brought to share. The leaders and elders eat first, next the women, and finally the men. As we sat and enjoyed amazing salads, chicken, breads, cookies the talk circle commenced. We passed the eagle feather around the circle and everyone has a change to talk about what they experience during the sweat. Personally, the sweat had been tough. I didn't have a specific intention, it was uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but the talk circle made it worth it. To hear about everyone's experiences and to become a part of this community of people who craved for a spirit beyond themselves, was so fulfilling. And to share this experience with my roommates and fellow JV's - pretty great.
