When you’re drenched in sweat after physical activity, you often feel better. Knowing this, Native American cultures and other indigenous groups around the world have utilized the ancient practice of the sweat lodge for its physical and spiritual health benefits. Yet many holistic addiction treatment centers—like Defining Wellness Centers—are using sweat lodges as a modern form of therapy to heal your mind, body, wellness, and spirituality in the addiction recovery process. And as a result, patients are achieving the lasting healing they deserve.
What is a Sweat Lodge?
So what is the sweat lodge all about? The structure of a sweat lodge itself consists of a wooden framework usually covered in various materials, such as blankets, tarps, or even animal hides. The frame takes the shape of a dome and is large enough for multiple people to fit inside. Within the sweat lodge, hot rocks are gathered and stacked in a pit that may be dug out of the ground. From time to time, water gets poured onto the hot rocks to generate steam, helping to aid in the sweating process.
Once you visit a sweat lodge though, what should you expect? In many ways, a sweat lodge experience is defined by participating in the sweat lodge ceremony itself, also called a “sweat.” When you’re planning to participate in a sweat, you’re often asked to avoid alcohol, drugs, and other unhealthy substances as a way to prepare for the experience.
Inside the sweat lodge structure, you are usually guided by a leader, who also manages the steam. There may be short prayers, chants, and background music while you’re encouraged to meditate. This creates space for deep reflection and spiritual connection. The duration of a sweat lodge ceremony can vary, but it typically lasts for hours. As the experience unfolds, it can benefit both your physical and spiritual health.
A Cultural and Spiritual Practice
While the sweat lodge experience has been adopted by professional therapists as a holistic addiction recovery care practice, it is also still very much a significant spiritual practice in many Native American cultures. In fact, sweat lodges have been part of various Native American communities for thousands of years. As a traditional ritual, indigenous peoples use sweat lodges during certain purification rites and as a way to promote healthy living, shares The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Native American communities consider the sweat lodge as a sacred place, and the sweats themselves are deeply spiritual and cultural experiences. A sweat provides the opportunity for someone to connect with their higher power, as well as other spirits. Participating in a sweat may be mentally and physically taxing in the moment, but these communities view it as a way to:
- Reflect upon their personal struggles
- Restore order and balance to their lives
- Connect with their heritage and culture
- Receive healing
According to Harvard University, the sweat lodge encourages intertribal identity among Native American communities and plays a key role in personal and social healing, as well as reaffirming collective values. Sweat lodge ceremonies represent a kind of rebirth, purifying mind, body, spirit, and community.
Sweat Lodge vs. Sauna: What’s the Difference?
As you’re reading about sweat lodges, you may be reminded of something that on the surface looks very similar: the sauna. In fact, it may be hard to tell the difference between the sweat lodge vs. sauna. Both the sweat lodge and the sauna date back thousands of years (saunas themselves originated in Scandinavia), and both involve spending time sweating in enclosed spaces filled with steam. However, there are some specific distinctions between the two.
It’s important to remember that the sweat lodge holds major spiritual and cultural significance to Native American cultures. When participating in a sweat lodge, its purpose isn’t just physical, but rather, holistic. It engages your mind, body, and spirit. In many ways it’s an act of cleansing and purification. You can’t have a sweat lodge without this key spiritual component.
A sauna on the other hand primarily focuses on sitting in a modern, heated room for recreational or relaxation purposes. While it may be a time to connect with others sitting in the sauna with you, it’s primarily utilized for its physical health benefits. With that said, sitting in a sauna usually lasts for 10 to 30 minutes at the most, while participating in a sweat lodge ceremony may continue on for a few hours.
Sweat Lodges and Addiction Recovery Care
Because of its physical, spiritual, and emotional impact, sweat lodges are a powerful tool in holistic addiction treatment services. They provide a profound group therapy experience that helps you restore both your mind and your body. With that said, they’re often utilized alongside recreational therapy and other more traditional, evidence-based forms of therapy for a comprehensive treatment experience.
Participating in sweat lodge therapy as part of inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment may look similar to attending a sweat lodge ceremony in a Native American community. A professional practitioner will lead the entire experience, including keeping the fire to maintain a regular supply of steam. Temperatures inside the lodge will vary, but they can go above 100 degrees at times, even throughout the entire session.
Inside the lodge, you’ll typically wear loose-fitting clothing or a swimsuit to help keep you comfortable during the intense heat. The practitioner may sing songs or offer prayers. You’re often invited to participate and repeat specific prayers, songs, or chants to release your addiction. Many aspects of the sweat lodge experiences are symbolic, indicating the transition from addiction to healing. While participating, your goal is to remain present, giving you time to meditate and reflect on your past. This can create a unique spiritual experience that helps you better connect with yourself, others, the world around you, and your higher power.
The Benefits of Sweat Lodge Therapy
When properly incorporated into holistic addiction treatment, sweat lodge therapy can provide some unique recovery benefits that other addiction treatment methods don’t, including:
Removing Toxins Through Sweating
A key step within a substance abuse treatment plan is the medically-supervised detox, or removing your addiction’s toxins from your body. However, sweat lodges can also aid in further detoxification of any remaining harmful substances naturally through sweating. With these toxins out of your body, you’re in a better position to address the emotional and mental aspects of your addiction.
Providing an Emotional Reset
When you’re struggling with addiction, stress and other negative emotions often preoccupy your mind. However, a sweat lodge gives you the opportunity to let go of the shame, regret, or stress that’s weighing you down. Inside, you’re able to rest and reflect on your life, giving you greater mental and emotional clarity. Once completed, you leave with a sense of emotional renewal that can spur you on toward recovery.
Cultivating Resilience
Persevering through a sweat lodge ceremony can provide profound self-realization about your capabilities in recovery. Emerging from the heat and sweat can show that you can handle difficulties in a healthy way, helping you to cultivate resilience and self-confidence as a result. This equips you to better cope with challenges in the future, reducing the possibility of relapse.
Bringing Spirituality Into Recovery
In many 12-step programs, connecting with a higher power is a key part of your sobriety. However, this can feel difficult or unfamiliar to some, so the sweat lodge gives you an easy opportunity to bring spirituality into your recovery journey. By doing so, you’re able to feel more connected to yourself, to God, and to others—boosting your emotional wellness and overall well-being.
How the Sweat Lodge is Utilized at Defining Wellness
As you’ve probably realized, incorporating emotional wellness and spirituality in the addiction recovery process is highly beneficial to your long-term healing. The best addiction treatment centers prioritize this, and at Defining Wellness Centers, addressing your mind, body, and spirit is a major component of our treatment philosophy.
We take a holistic and individualized approach to your addiction treatment, and the sweat lodge is just one of the many experiential therapies we utilize to enhance your emotional and spiritual well-being. We understand that everyone’s path to healing is unique, especially when it comes to healing your spirit from addiction. That’s why we tailor our treatment to your specific needs with therapy options that resonate with you. Our Indigenous modalities include:
- Sweat lodge therapy
- Medicine wheel therapy
- Drum circle therapy
- Labyrinth therapy
Knowing that recovery is a journey of change and growth, we also offer additional experiential therapies designed to help you cultivate a healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally. Some of these modalities we use include:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
Ready to Heal Your Addiction and Achieve Long-Term Recovery?
By combining experiential therapies like sweat lodges with traditional, evidence-based programs like cognitive-behavioral therapy, you can finally overcome addiction and stay healthy long-term. At Defining Wellness Centers in Mississippi, our comprehensive addiction treatment extends beyond just your sobriety; we partner with you to strengthen your overall wellness and restore your sense of purpose. If you’re ready to experience true holistic healing—in your mind, body, and spirit—contact our team today to get started.
