Native American Purification Ceremonies
Our Ceremonies:
Some of our main activities are the Native American Purification Ceremonies, also known as Sweat Lodges or Temazcales, which support and guide participants in restoring and strengthening their wellness.
A Native American Sweat Lodge, also known as Temazcal, originating from the Nahuatl word for "house of heat" or "sweat lodge," is a dome-shaped structure used for purification ceremonies in which rocks are heated to create steam. Sweat lodges are traditional sacred spaces for spiritual healing, cleansing the body, mind, and spirit, and connecting with Nature.
The ceremonies, led by the Ceremonial Leader or Shaman, include preparation, prayer, chants, drumming, and purification. Participants sit in the darkened lodge, and water is poured over the heated stones. Natural healing herbs enhance the steam's cleansing effect.
We offer monthly Sweat Lodge Purification Ceremonies (Temazcales) that are open to the community, and everyone is welcome to participate.
We also host private Ceremonies for groups upon booking and reservation through this website.
These ceremonies take place in Weed, CA, and are offered on a suggested donation basis to help offset the related expenses. (The detailed information about the donation/energy exchange is below on this page.)
The Benefits of a Sweat Lodge Ceremony (Temazcal):
This holistic practice detoxifies the body, purifies the soul, and restores balance. The combination of physical heat and spiritual rituals provides profound relaxation and mental clarity.
We form a balanced relationship with our Earth, our Self, and the Community of Life around us.
We offered monthly Public Sweat Lodge Purification Ceremonies (Temazcales) throughout 2025, open to the community, and everyone was welcome to participate.
We also hosted private Ceremonies for groups upon booking and reservation through this website.
Spirit of the Wind's Sweat Lodge (Temazcal):
Next Public Sweat Lodge Purification Ceremonies (Temazcales):
February 2026:
Saturday,
February 07
1 PM
February 2026:
Saturday,
February 28
1 PM
March 2026:
Spring Equinox
Sweat Lodge
Saturday,
March 21
1 PM
Location:
Our Ceremonies take place in Weed, Siskiyou County, CA, 96094
(Please contact us via email or text message for the detailed location and how to get there.)
Must register via email to participate at: contact@spiritofthewind.org
The Ceremony lasts around 60 minutes.
To help everyone acclimate and prepare, we recommend that participants arrive 1 hour before the start time.
Please refrain from wearing any perfume or cologne.
Respect the Ceremony's sacredness: Sweat Lodges are spiritual healing spaces and should be treated with the utmost respect.
Offering / Donation / Energy Exchange:
The Public Ceremonies are open to the community and offered on a donation/energy-exchange basis.
Why do we ask for donations for our monthly Public Sweat Lodge Ceremony (Temazcal)?
Because the donations are needed to cover our ceremony-related expenses, which are:
• monthly liability insurance payments (we can’t have a Ceremony if we’re not insured );
• fuel for Walking Eagle (Jack Thom, Sr.), our Ceremonial Leader, and the Ceremony organizers, to commute (they don't live in Siskiyou County, and have to travel from another city to get to the location);
• firewood used during the ceremony;
• tobacco, sage, and other herbs used at the Ceremony;
• water, electricity, toiletry and the infrastructure at the location;
To mention a few…
We are here to provide the safest and most efficient Ceremony to our community, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation.
The suggested donation/energy exchange per person is $50.00 (fifty dollars).
Donations are accepted via Venmo or our PayPal Tip Jar (Spirit of the Wind is a confirmed Charity on PayPal).
Note to the public: As a charitable nonprofit organization, we donated all proceeds from the 2025 Sweat Lodge (Temazcales) we booked, organized, and facilitated to Ceremonial Leader Walking Eagle (Jack Thom, Sr.), who performed the Ceremonies.
What should you bring?
Bring your drum and participate in the drum circle before the Ceremony starts.
Bring a towel and wear comfortable clothes.
Make sure you don't have any metallic details on your clothes, as the lodge's heat can cause them to rust.
Before entering the sweat lodge, you must remove your shoes, glasses, and metal objects (i.e., necklaces, bracelets, rings).
Out of respect for natural law, we always make a tobacco offering to the Fire before taking anything for our needs.
We always leave our ceremonial areas clean.
We ask that you refrain from any activities that disturb or damage the natural habitat.
WE DON'T THROW ANYTHING IN THE SACRED FIRE OTHER THAN OUR TOBACCO OFFERING.
Dress Codes:
The Sweat Lodge (Temazcal) is a sacred space and should be treated with reverence.
Dress Code for Men:
Men should wear shorts.
Dress Code for Women:
The dress code for women is covered shoulders and preferably a long skirt.
(A good old t-shirt and maxi skirt work great.)
Women on their “Moon Time”
Women during their “Moon Time” (having their monthly period) will not be permitted to attend the Sweat Lodge, as this is a sacred time when the body is already naturally purifying.
A designated space is available for prayer and song during the Ceremony.
From June 22, 2025: a wonderful group that attended our Sweat Lodge, with all the women dressed appropriately for the Ceremony.
Drugs or Alcohol
Individuals who have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, within 24 hours preceding the ceremony, are not allowed to enter the Ceremonial area of the Sweat Lodge and will be asked to leave.
We will not tolerate any drug use before or at our ceremony, and that includes recreational drugs (i.e., marijuana), psychotropic drugs (i.e., cocaine), or psychedelic drugs (like ayahuasca, for example).
Water and Hydration:
Please bring a water bottle to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water before and after the ceremony.
Water is not permitted inside the lodge.
We also encourage the participants to be well-hydrated on the days preceding the ceremony.
Pictures:
Pictures are not allowed during the ceremony, especially after the lit fire.
Pictures are not allowed inside the sweat lodge.
Group Pictures are allowed and welcome before or after the ceremony.
Private Ceremonies:
PRIVATE CEREMONIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS
AND BOOKED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH THIS WEBSITE.
Springtime Schedule:
From February 1 through May 31: the Ceremony starts at 1 PM.
Summer Schedule:
From June 1 through August 31: the Ceremony starts at 6 PM.
Fall Schedule:
From September 1 through November 30: the Ceremony starts at 1 PM.
Donation / Energy Exchange (Amount in US Dollars):
$50.00 donation per person.
Minimum: 10 people or $500.00
Plus, a $100.00 donation for the firewood burned during the Ceremony. (We pay for the firewood at every private ceremony).
We accept PayPal, Venmo, and Bank account deposits.
Please email or message us to inquire about or reserve your group's spot.
Remember to include your phone number and the number of people you'd like to bring.
Email: contact@spiritofthewind.org
Phone/WhatsApp: +1 (310) 895-8149
Walking Eagle (Jack Thom, Sr.) drumming - August 17, 2025
We have friends from all over the world coming to our Sweat Lodge Purification Ceremonies!
Disclaimer
Spirit of the Wind Sweat Lodge
Release Form and Guest List:
A "Sweat Lodge Release Form" is a document that individuals must sign before participating in a sweat lodge ceremony.
It serves as a waiver in which participants acknowledge the potential risks of the ceremony, including high heat, confined spaces, and possible physical discomfort, while releasing the organizers from any liability for injuries that may occur during the experience.
Participants are required to disclose any pre-existing health conditions that could be affected by the sweat lodge. These include, but are not limited to, diabetes, seizures, heart disease, high or low blood pressure, pregnancy, and the use of certain medications.
The ceremony typically lasts between 60 and 90 minutes.
The Release Forms will be available for participants to sign at each sweat lodge ceremony.
PARTICIPANTS MUST SIGN THE FORM EVERY TIME THEY ATTEND THE SWEAT LODGE.
This requirement applies even to participants who attend the sweat lodge monthly, as a person’s health condition can change within that time.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Email: contact@spiritofthewind.org
Thank you! Aho! 🪶
Daniel Pruett
(Cloud Eagle) Wintun Nomlaki
President/CEO, Spirit of the Wind.
January 1, 2025.