and:
"The Inipi or "Sweat Lodge" as they are most commonly called is a sacred ceremony that is still used by Native Americans and utilizes the four primary elemental powers of the universe.
Earth, Fire,Water,Air
There are things represented in fours:
Sun,Moon,Stars,Planets
All things that breath: Those that crawl, those that swim, those that Fly, and those that walk either Four-legged or two legged.
The four Faces of age: The Child, The Adolescent, The Adult, the Elder.
North, East, South, West
In some Tribes, or Nations, The directions of Above=Father Sky...the Below= Mother Earth and the WITH-IN= soul or spirit are also recognized.
I do recognize these directions as well.
The colors that each direction does seem to change with different Tribes.
Here is what I have learned and I need to tie strips if cloth to the lodge to represent these colors.
NORTH/WHITE
EAST/YELLOW
SOUTH/RED
WEST/BLACK
ABOVE/BLUE
BELOW/GREEN
FOR the With-in I use PURPLE, to me it is a very sacred color and because there is no right or wrong to the inside color I use it.
Sweat lodges exist within most every culture and serve many purposes but among the Native Americans, the Inipi is a place of spirit where one goes to cleanse the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual body, and to pray.
This powerful ceremony penetrates to the very core, cleansing and renewing all aspects of an individual's being.
The cleansing is used as preparation to commune and listen to the Great Spirit. And for many tribes nothing of significance is undertaken without the Inipi and its accompanying rites.
Everything from the construction of what is known as the Stone People's lodge to the actual Inipi ceremony has a spiritual significance and is according to a specific ritual.
The dome structure representing the womb of Mother Earth is made from fresh cut saplings laid in a circle that are bent over to the center and tied together to form a half sphere.
When in use, it is usually covered with canvas tarps or blankets and hides were used in the past.
A circular pit in the center represents the Great Mystery's power which represents the center of everything.
Once again I have sweated with people who use a inside pit in the center and another group that use it to the right of the entery.
I will ask that the inside pit be made in the center.
Also that the Entery will face East.
Outside the lodge in a larger fire pit the sacred Stone People are tended by the Fire keeper until their color is red. The fire is considered to be the first medicine man and represents life.
