Reflections on 36 Years of Participation in Lakota Sioux Sweat Lodge Ceremonies

Abstract

My experiences with 36 years of the Lakota Sioux sweat lodge (inipi) ceremony have helped me cultivate a sense of the interconnectedness and sacredness of nature and humans as part of nature. I bring this sense into my practice as a Jungian analyst in various ways including being able to contain difficult moments in therapy by imagining being in a sweat lodge. One experiences the important therapeutic aspects of the container and a center and centering energy through the symbolism associated with the sweat lodge that, together with the ritual and songs, creates an embodied sense of the classical archetypal elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Participating with the same small group for several years builds a strong sense of community and a connection with ancestral spirits. Sense of place is created by performing the rituals in natural environments, and the cycles of life and death are felt as one conducts lodges through all seasons and with members young and old. Fasting increases the power of the ceremony, and knowledge of ancient sacred sites in the area magnifies a sense of cultural history connected with the land. Not insignificant is the reverence developed for Native American ceremonies and the Lakota who taught us their ways and worldviews. These experiences color how one works as a therapist to help clients find a center, develop a sense of the sacred in nature, build a sense of place and community, and cultivate an appreciation for Native American cultures and history.