🌱 When I arrived in Mexico last year, it was the first time I heard about Temazcal as a deep purifying ritual. I always loved to visit a sauna, especially in the Netherlands, because these are beautiful and luxurious retreat places with delicious food and senses awakening rituals.
Who doesn’t love to relax in the cozy warm cabins with magical scents and be spoiled by high-end cuisine?
Well, the Mayan Temazcal ritual is nothing like that. But the magic of it is something I would not exchange for the luxury spa anymore.
Temazcal is not just a sweatlodge as so many people present it. Especially here in the tourist area, it is being offered in many places by all kinds of people. And as much as I wanted to try it I never really received the call. Until now.
I wrote in my previous article about how I got to this magical jungle retreat place. I felt strongly the need to purify my body and my life from toxicity and release my emotional attachment to food. For past years previous to my coming to Mexico I gained so much extra weight due to a lot of stress that it was impossible for me to love my body. But I was determined to change my habits, eat only healthy nourishing foods and return to love.
And here in Xibalba my journey to reach all of that has just begun.
🌱 The ceremony of Temazcal was held by the owner of the center, an Colombian shaman with a pure heart full of love and passion. The ritual started with a prayer to the sacred tobacco plant and putting our intentions in it’s healing and cleansing powers. The whole ritual has a very specific setting and nothing happens without a reason. Every step of the ritual, every prayer, and each movement is connected to ancient knowledge and contains deep meaning.
The tobacco ritual was followed by asking permission from 10 directions and lighting up the fire with gratitude to all spirits. Then it was sealed by ceremonial inhaling of the tobacco in three inhales and speaking out three intentions. This whole took place for several hours and I fully innerstood the importance of all the permissions and support asked by the shaman. It was very beautiful and humbling.
🌱 We were ready to receive the healing spirit of tobacco in Rapé. Another, now personalized, ritual was being performed. The shaman asked me if I wanted to receive top, medium, or low experience. I was ready to go all the way and when I said so he was very surprised. “You want that?” he asked looking at me with his big dark eyes. “I give you top medium for the first time. Next time you get maximum, ” he promised and prepared his Rapé. After three deep inhalations, he put the Rapé in my nose and blowed in it. The burning sensation of tobacco mixed with some other herbs sharply burned in my brain and tears flew out of my eyes. The he blew second time into the other nose drill and again the pain traveled almost to the back of my head. I felt it settle in my throat and had to swallow a few times to free my throat and not cough it out. I was a little bit dizzy and so he brought me to sit on the stone chair at the fire. I felt amazing and was very clear in my head. This feeling didn't leave me for the next days.
When everyone was done, it was the time to be cleansed by the fire-man with copal, and one by one enter the Temazcal.
🌱 Temazcal in Mayan tradition represents the womb of Mother Earth and this ritual carries the deep meaning of going past your mind’s limits, surrendering, and being reborn.
While we were singing the fire-man brought one by one the hot stones that were burning in the ceremonial fire for a few hours. They are called Abuelitas, grandmothers, and they bring the wisdom into the little hot place so that everyone can release what no longer serves them. This by itself is a beautiful ritual. To watch the fire-man being totally surrendered to serving the purpose, with no ego, no own will, just deep respect and love for the world, is magical in a world full of macho men.
This fire-man is a beautiful being from Aztec lineage who is devoted to healing the world through this ancient work. I was touched by the purity of everyone involved.
Bringing Abuelitas traditionally happens in four cycles and mostly it is 8 stones each time. Meanwhile, we got to drink water and the “door” got opened for a while so the fresh air could come in.
🌱 Then everything started again. Prayers, chanting, naming the names of our ancestors, breathwork. All beautiful and very meaningful. At the same time, the shaman kept pouring water on the hot stones with herbs like rosemary, lemongrass, sage, and others.
The fourth time was very difficult for some people but I just wanted more. I love this heat and I am very much used to it from the Löyly sessions in the saunas.
But the end came and one by one we exited the womb, being reborn. On our knees, sitting in the entrance, the shaman performed the last part of the ritual by hitting us with the herbs over our backs. That was a very pleasant experience especially because of the strong scent of those herbs.
In the meantime, the fire-man prepared fruits and tea so we could refresh ourselves after hours of intense physical, emotional, and mental work.
I felt so purified, energized, and rejuvenated even though it was already after one o'clock in the night. I never expected this ritual to continue for so many hours because I always heard it all takes one to two hours. I felt truly grateful that I found this place and that all of these experiences I’ve been having for the first time happened right there. I have a feeling that it can’t get any better elsewhere.
I had full trust in the people of this community and their work. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I am sending prayers for their well-being in deep gratitude for their work.
Aha 🙏
~ Nika 🌱
