The sweat ritual was part of a five-day, almost $10,000 "Spiritual Warrior" retreat near Sedona, Arizona, designed to "accelerate the releasing of your limitations and push yourself past your self-imposed and conditioned borders," according to the retreat's advertisements.
Many Native Americans are distressed about not only the injuries and deaths that occurred because of the sweat lodge, but also about the use of this sacred Native tradition as 
a money-making tool.
"Our spirituality, our traditional ways, should not be for sale," said Monika Ponton-Arrington in an interview with Suite101's Lori Nash. Monika is a Taino Native, from Puerto Rico, but now resides in Ellijay, Georgia.
"The Inipi Ceremony – which is what it is called by the Lakota people – has been passed down for generations by our ancestors. It is a sacred, spiritual quest that you have to really prepare for, and you have to go in for the right reasons, and with the right intentions," Monika said.
"Plus, it does not cost money. In fact, it should never involve an exchange of money, because money takes away the purity of the energy for the ceremony," she said.
The Right Intentions Bring Healing Energy
Native Americans use the sweat ritual as a way to cleanse and heal their spirits, Monika said. Typically, the ceremony focuses on one person, and the others there come to support him or her. Often it is only family members who are taking part in the ceremony together.
"It's important that everyone know each other, so you know what kind of issues are being brought in," she said. "When I go to a sweat ceremony, and I don't know who all is in there, I stay outside and sing to support them, but I'm not going to go in there; it just wouldn't be right."
"In that New Age sweat where people died, they were all strangers and they were there for their own reasons, all different," Monika said. "They all had their inner issues, their problems, their demons," she said. "The Pourer – even if he did know what he was doing – he could not be spiritually connected to everyone, all 60 people, who were there."
A proper sweat ceremony is also not about "pushing your limits," Monika said. "It's supposed to be about connecting – connecting to Mother Earth, connecting to spirituality, connecting to our ancestors – and through this connection comes healing," she said.
The Traditional Native Sweat Ceremony Must Follow Proper Protocol
As practiced for hundreds of years by Native Americans, the sweat lodge ceremony involves a chosen individual – the Pourer – to pour the "water of life" on the super-heated rocks, producing steam. The Pourer has to earn the right to do this by preparing for years; it is believed that the Pourer takes care of the lives of those participating in the sweat ceremony by purifying them.
The heated rocks are believed by the Natives to be "Grandfathers" or "Stone People" – spiritual ancestors who deliver messages during a sweat ritual. It is then the Pourer's responsibility to call in the helper spirits and deliver their messages to those in the sweat through prayer and singing.
"During a sweat, you are in the womb of Mother Earth, and you are witnessing the expressions of the spirits and angels of the ancestors to come and help you," Monika said.
"Spiritual Precautions" Must Be Taken
Monika contends that many mistakes were made in the Sedona sweat lodge during the "Spiritual Warrior" retreat, and that these mistakes could have produced an "energy" that contributed to the tragic outcome.
"First of all, there should be no more than 10-15 people; I heard there were 60 people in there. That's just dangerous, because no one knew each other. It would be confusing for the spirits," she said.
Monika added that as the temperature rises in the sweat lodge, the doors are opened to cool it down and to "reconnect with the outside world." A sweat ritual might last from dusk until dawn, she said, but the participants are not expected to suffer with the heat, as it was reported that some did in the Sedona sweat lodge.
"Plus, you never mix men and women in a sweat, unless it is only close relations or you know the people very, very well," she said. "
"The energies of men and women are different, and that would add to the spiritual chaos that must have occurred" that day in Sedona, she said.
"I have brothers and sisters who are Lakota, Commanchee, Cheyenne, Apache, and I have seen many good and beautiful things – miracles – come from a sweat ceremony," Monika said. "But it has to be done right, with the right preparation, and it must be respected."
"Arvol Looking Horse said it best," Monika said. "He said that all nations and people on Earth should please respect the sacred ceremonial way of life and not exploit our traditions for money."
Author: Lori NashSource: Suite 101
