One Day Retreats | Maya Medicine

Available Dates

2024

Nov 23rd
Dec 7th

Location
Filston Farm, Shoreham, Kent

Start time
9:00 am

Finish time
4:00 pm

Cost
£150

Bookings

Please book your place through eventbrite

Book ticket here

Preparatory Consultation:
A preparatory consultation is required before attending your first sweat lodge with Maya Medicine which can be arranged either online or in person at triyoga Shoreditch

The cost of the preparatory consultation is £150 for 60 minutes

IN PERSON
triyoga Shoreditch
Wednesdays 3.00 – 9.00pm
Book here
or call 020 3362 0677

ONLINE CONSULTATIONS
Book here

The sweat lodge is a purification ceremony; it relieves stress, cleanses toxins from the body, helps process emotions, releases negativity and revitalizes the life force. It also helps to cut through obstacles obstructing one’s spiritual path. The lodge is responsible for expelling the cold and harmful winds from the body and reinstating warmth and vital energy flow.

In the Mayan highland tradition of Chiapas, it was originally employed to heal mother and child after childbirth and is often referred to as The Womb of the Earth as its medicine is nurturing and maternal, drawing us closer to earth and the female principle in nature. It is an integral part of Maya medicine, used for the treatment and prevention of disease and works alongside regular one to one sessions over time to help build the proper foundations of the healing process.

Essentially it is a natural steam bath, made by driving pliant willow into the ground and covered with blankets. Hot volcanic basalt stones are heated on a fire outside then placed in a hole in the centre and dowsed with water and herbs. The medicinal steam and the healing power of the elements help one to open and cleanse.

Each ceremony has a distinct theme or teaching which is explored through the different rounds with prayer, song, meditation, story telling, visualization and purifying practices. The lodge ends when all the rocks from the fire are used up which may take up to five hours.

Further reading:
Death and Rebirth: The Transformative Power of the Sweat Lodge

FAQ

Why the consultation before the sweat lodge?

The sweat lodge is a powerful purifier and brings to the surface deeply buried psycho-emotional material. In order that we can process this in a safe and empowered way it is important we are prepared to embark upon such a journey and we have some idea of how to work with this material when is arises. During the consultation we will look at your current state of being and gain a better understanding of what unconscious forces may be underlying your emotional patterns and state of mind so that when you are in the sweat lodge you feel relaxed and confident to work through these challenges and unprocessed material in a safe and grounded way.

Please note, there are no exceptions, regardless of whether you have attended sweat lodges before.

How long is the sweat lodge?

5 hours approx

Should I eat beforehand?

Yes, a light breakfast.

How will I feel afterwards?

Everyone has a different reaction depending on what one is processing. It’s important to have a restful night after the lodge and a good sleep. Keep hydrated and relaxed.

Is it beneficial to come to more than one sweat lodge?

Just as with any therapeutic practice it is of limited benefit to come to one lodge and expect a huge shift. Just as we would not expect to feel a significant difference after one yoga class or meditation session, nor should we after a single sweat lodge. The sweat lodge should be viewed as an auxiliary practice to a long term healing process with regular one to one sessions to help one open and liberate deeply held emotional and energetic patterns. Optimum health and wellbeing can be achieved but this takes time and dedicated practice, so as with any practice, only through consistency can we hope to make progress.

Are there are medicinal plants or psychotropic substances used in the ceremony?

No foreign elements are introduced. We are encouraged to work only with what is already here: our current state of mind, state of body and emotional material. This is an earthy practice: how to make friends with ourselves and the world we create.

One Day Retreats Sweat Lodges, Shoreham, Kent