Sweat lodges should enrich the soul, not the bank account
Archival photo of traditional Crow sweat lodge.
September. The first hints of fall color touched the trees. Pale golden cornstalks stood ready for harvest in the rolling fields as I drove through Southern Illinois towards the gathering place. About a dozen of us would gather in the sweat lodge our Medicine Woman had built for us.
Her son had spent the day heating large stones-The Grandfathers-in a fire. Tending the stones for the lodge is a holy thing. We thanked him for his work.
Some of us were there to start a moon-long cycle of inner and outer healing. One man was seeking Divine help with a cancer his doctors told him was hopeless. Another was a young man seeking blessings for his tour of duty in Iraq.
We left our offerings of food for the communal meal on the table. Out of deference for the water pourer’s tradition, we women wore shirts covering our shoulders. All of us bowed low as we entered the lodge and recited the blessing: “All my relations.” We moved sunwise around the lodge to our places.
The first of the Grandfathers were brought in and placed in a pit in the center of the lodge. The door covering was dropped. We cast incense on the stones. Dennis poured water on them to create steam. Each of us spoke of what s/he hoped to gain, or lose, that full moon night.
I’ve been following the James Arthur Ray sweat lodge tragedy for a couple weeks now. And over and over, I keep thinking of the joke we Pagans tell among ourselves: What’s the difference between a Pagan festival and a New Age retreat?
Answer: Two decimal places.
Which to me sums up the root of the problem with Ray: his elevation of the material over the spiritual.
I have no problem with profit. Even a small festival needs to pay site rental and arrange for the basics of lodging, sanitation,and food. Even traditional tribal healers had to eat. But to charge more than $9000 a person for 36 hours of sleep deprivation? To parade around in a white robe and call yourself God? To lock 60 people in a plastic-covered dome in the Arizona desert for hours, denying those in obvious physical distress the opportunity to leave?
As Gus diZerega and Jason Pitzl-Waters said in their blogs-Ray is what some in the Pagan community call a “Plastic shaman.” That is, someone who appropriates another culture’s traditions without diligent study and proper training. It’s not that Pagans don’t borrow from Native American traditions. We do, all the time. But we try to do so with respect, and if at all possible, in partnership. And for something like a sweat lodge, apprenticeship is a necessity.
Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota wrote an article in Indian Country Today about the deaths in Sedona. He notes that for his tribe, a water pourer leading a sweat lodge would earn that right through four years of going on vision quest and four years of performing Sundance. Chief Looking Horse says that those leading sweat lodges “walk and teach the values of our culture in being humble, wise, caring and compassionate.”
I checked James Ray’s Web site today; the only mention of the tragedy was a notation on the home page, “For all those affected by the tragedy in Sedona.” And then, several pages about wealth building. And his purporting to be able to release deep-seated complexes around wealth and wealth-building if only people would give him several hundred dollars and attend a workshop.
Humble, kind, caring and compassionate do not seem to be in evidence anywhere on the site.
I’ve always been fond of the quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” I’ve certainly found that to be true for me. But note that the sage does not say, “When the student is ready to pay $9000 for a quick fix, the teacher will appear on Oprah and offer it.” Although it seems that is the modern version.
When I was drawn to Native American traditions early in my Pagan searching, I was fortunate to find Native teachers who think their traditions should be open to all who are interested and respectful. I have since been taught that anyone who uses the spirituality of any indigenous people has the responsibility to give back, either through volunteer work or financial contributions.
I have participated in two sweat lodges-one in 2002, one in 2004.
The first lodge I participated in was offered as part of a weekend retreat in outstate Missouri. My price of admission was helping keep the camp clean and sorting the recycling bins after meals.
The second lodge was in Southern Illinois. I had paid $50 to cover teaching and spiritual support for the one-month quest cycle. Those of us who could attend the sweat lodge were asked to bring food for a potluck supper afterwards, and spare towels, toilet paper, or paper towels for the group’s use during the evening.
At each lodge, there were four “rounds” of 15 or 20 minutes. Each round is dedicated to one of the four directions. Between rounds, the lodge’s door flap was opened. We were able to leave to cool off and drink more water while more stones were brought inside. We were encouraged to splash our faces with water and rehydrate. More water means more sweat. More sweat means more toxins flushed from the system.
Ray kept his people inside for more than two hours. Two hours of intensifying heat, in a plastic-covered dome that may well have trapped toxic gases along with the heat. No water breaks. No possible way, with more than 60 inside, that Ray could have kept in contact with everyone and been aware of their physical condition. Not that he seemed to care. When people asked to leave, Ray told them to push on. When people vomited or fell unconscious, his response was to say they would be tended to in the next round.
In both lodges I attended, we were told how to cool ourselves by laying on the ground if we started to feel overheated. If that didn’t help, we were to give a signal for the door to be opened, and then exit. The blanket-covered lodges were small enough that we all could see or hear each other at all times. I remember a few people asking to leave, and being allowed to leave with no argument or shaming.
Fourth round. I bend to touch the earth, recite “All my relations,” go inside the lodge to my towel. It is soaked with sweat, has been since round one. For round four, Dennis has had all the rocks brought in, all the Grandfathers. The water seems to form steam before it even reaches them. He asks us to pray for those in other villages performing the Sun Dance, to go to them if we can and give them strength. I am hot, so hot. I drop to the ground immediately. A few minutes pass. Dennis speaks.
He apologizes for the extreme heat of this round. He wanted us to feel some of the ordeal of a Sun Dance, he said. It was wrong. It was too much. He should not have done it. He has the flap opened. Six or seven of us leave. We splash our faces with water seven times, honoring the Cherokee tradition.
I lay down on the damp, dark grass. I look up at luminous Grandmother Moon and the sharp jewels of stars. I realize my own pale skin glows among a scattering of white clover. As above, so below. I close my eyes and float on the solidity of our Mother.
Later, the others will come out of the lodge. We will offer a plate of food to the Ancestors and Spirits. We will eat. We will smoke pipe in the Medicine Circle. We will share messages that were meant to be given to all. But not now. Now, there is just me, and the clover, and the moon and stars. Just me, and All My Relations.
For more excellent thoughts and tips on respectful use of native cultural traditions, as well as a reading list, check out Christine Hoff Kraemer’s article in the March 2009 edition of Thorn magazine. Kraemer holds a Ph.D in religious studies from Boston University. She is a student of the Anderson Feri Tradition and active in Reclaiming circles in Austin, Texas.
For more coverage of the Sedona tragedy from the Pagan perspective, keep an eye on A Pagan’s Blog and The Wild Hunt.
This is very interesting post.Very great information is given here.I have also read this Christine Hoff Kraemer’s article.Its great.Thanks for sharing such a great post here…
Time for a little Point, Counterpoint? Although it pains me to do ANYTHING that smacks of defending this man — because, let me say it plain: HE MUST ANSWER FOR HIS ACTIONS/INACTIONS — I think a few points need to be made here.
I think a lot of my fellow Pagans have what we’ll politely and euphemistically call “money issues” — I certainly do, and in fact my whole site’s a demonstration of that simple fact.
I also see a lot of pieces around the web on this guy, Ray, and by far, most of them either are centered on or at least include the criticism that he charged money for this experience — he charged a lot of money, apparently — and that’s somehow tainting the entire thing, even separate and apart from the deaths. So we should have expected this, the reasoning apparently goes, because he’s a greedy person and charges a lot for his
“experiences”.
You even do it here, Kathy. You make a joke about how Pagans diverge so wildly from the New Agers and it’s all about money, then you say “I don’thave a problem with making money …” and then go on to prove that yeah, you kinda do.
Is it the amount of money? So what’s reasonable, then? And who sets it?
Before the tragedy, this experience was apparently worth 9k to the people who participated. If it wasn’t, they wouldn’t have paid and gone. After the deaths, I submit that any price is too much — not because they didn’t get some value, not because Ray’s “teachings” may not have value (they may, for all I know), and not because he’s a scam artist (I have no idea whether he is or not, and neither does anyone else, apparently, though a lot of us seem ready to throw that out there quickly) — but because people died.
There’s also a lot of misinformation about Ray. Things like “he teaches people how to be rich” — from what I read and learned, no - he believes in something called “Harmonic Wealth” which “preaches” total fulfillment (ie., “wealth”) in all facets of your life, including money, relationships, health, work, etc. That’s a very different thing than just “teaching people how to be rich.”
I’m all for getting some answers from this guy. I just want us to take a collective step back and breathe for a second, and then focus on what we KNOW.
We KNOW he was there.
We KNOW he “encouraged” people to stay in the lodge. Pressured? Bullied? We DON’T know that, though yeah I suspect it, too.
We KNOW it was crowded.
We KNOW it wasn’t built correctly (pretty sure the Lakota never draped their lodges w/ plastic sheeting).
We KNOW it was too long.
We KNOW it came at the end of a physically intense and draining experience.
We KNOW there were apparently no medics on call, on the site, BEFORE it happened.
That seems to me to be enough to be concerned about. Do we really have to indict people’s desires for material comfort too? If there’s nothing wrong with it, as you say, then let’s just leave that out of the equation completely because it’s irrelevant.
My two cents, YMMV, etc., etc. Blessed be.
Signature error - my bad.
Also - I am really glad I found this blog! It’s awesome. Keep up the great work.
What is a soul?
The Buddha and Jesus lived in poverty for good reason.
Kathy,
I don’t have anything to contribute to this discussion - just wanted to tell you how interesting your post is and to thank you for sharing personal experience with us.
thank you for this!
i’ve met a couple of indians thru yahoo answers, and they both reported that they were aware of this man and his misrepresentation of native culture. in fact, he offends them deeply. single mama, there’s a difference between charging a nominal fee to cover expenses and provide a small profit to fund future events and charging unsuspecting ‘consumers’ nine thousand dollars for an illegitimate experience. those people were victimized from the beginning; first by being led to believe that this man had experience and credentials and then by being fleeced by a snake oil salesman. most people don’t know enough about indian or even pagan spirituality to know better than to pay such exorbitent prices. they continue to pay thousands for reiki, event tho it’s now commonly available for free or for a nominal fee. 9k seems reasonable to them. that is a crime above and beyond the gross negligence that led to their deaths. may they find happiness in their new lives, and may this event open people’s eyes to what is truly valuable in spirituality.
I don’t have too much to say except for a kudos on your article. its beautifully written and I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you for this very calm and thoughtful post. In the media, much talk and print being devoted to investigating “all those responsible” for the Sedona tragedy. But within the Spiritual context, there is hardly any question where responsibility sits.
As a practitioner of a Native path, with a number of Pagan Associations, I have had it hammered into me how important being connected and aware of the people in the Lodge. The Water Pourer is the one ultimately responsible for the well-being of the people who have come to pray, be healed and purified. Much of the spiritual work that people on these paths do is devoted to developing a deeper relationship with Spirit and Nature–One and the same in most indigenous and Neopagan traditions. To be a Water Pourer is to assume a place of humility, compassion and service. When you leave that role the ceremony loses its sacredness. It becomes just a hot box of rocks and steam. The Spirits that come to ceremony, the ultimate agents of that takes place, will abandon it, withdrawing their support, power and protections, and bad things can happen.
I do believe that Mr Ray had his own self-centered agenda, profit and program in mind. Driving off from people passed out and gasping. Or and town the morning after, refusing to step up and take responsibility only increases my conviction that the man should at the very least, not be allowed anywhere NEAR a dipper for the rest of his life. Further troubling that the (noted the broader definition of “wealth” in Rays teachings) retreats and seminars are so heavily focused on wealth-building, it runs absolutely contrary to the attitude of “wopila” (giveaway or giving back) that Native people associate with ceremony.
I am supposed to pray for all involved and not be judgmental. But in my not so private heart as “just a guy”, I kind of feel that some enlightening jail time for criminally negligent homicide would be a good Coyote lesson with a nice karmic ring to it.
And a proper disclaimer — While I have chosen a Native Spiritual Path and been trained in some Lodge lore… I an NOT by ANY means a Medicine Person. I am a Graphic Designer by trade and I much prefer my day job!
Excellent post, and thoughtful comments! Mitaquye Oyasin.
Single Mama and Bad Tim both make good points. Money is a sticky issue for Pagans and other religious groups. I don’t think all spiritual leaders should have to work for free. I also don’t think charging $9000 for a three-day workshop is right.
NPR did an hour last week on this case. One caller, from Godfrey, Ill., said he’d attended a three-day workshop in the Arizona desert that didn’t ask for payment ’til the event was over. It was totally Native American run. The only requirement was that the payment be significant to the person paying. The man who called said he paid with his high school class ring. If you’d like to hear the entire podcast, it’s Talk of the Nation, October 22, and available at iTunes. No charge.
Another interesting tidbit: in an article yesterday in “USA Today,” a childhood friend of Ray said Ray’s father, a minister, spent so much of the family’s money helping others that his own children frequently did without. It seems Ray overcorrected for that childhood imbalance.
I’m thinking a “money” posting would be relevant in the near future.