Temezcal or sweat lodge

In the outskirts of Buenos Aires a shaman arranged every now and then a temezcal. A temezcal is a Mexican sweat lodge and is used by indigenous people in many countries of Latin America to purify the body, mind and spirit. Everybody brings a blanket to cover the bamboo structure of the temezcal to keep the warmth inside during the ceremony.
It´s a small space and we entered the temezcal with 14 persons. During 4 rounds (you can´t leave the temezcal) they open the front flap to bring in more hot stones, herbal water and a little bit of fresh air. During the ceremony you sweat like hell, sing, cure, make wishes for your friends and family and for yourself and get in some kind of natural trance. Every round they bring in 4 abuelas (grandmothers) from the big fire outside, that´s how they name the stones and the heat rises up to a level that it is difficult to breath but still acceptable. After a two or three hour ritual you feel like reborn. It certainly is worth trying for.