InTheTemazcal

The first time I heard the temazcaleros sing, "Tierra mi Cuerpo," in the Temazcal , I knew that I had heard the song long ago ... somewhere in my childhood. There, though, it bore a name from my native tongue, English. I later remembered that I had learned it as "The Element Song," also known as "The Element Chant." The harmony took me back to a circle around a campfire, and, as it drifted through my mind, I heard its echo from a classroom in the Midwest, ... maybe in Greenwood Elementary School . I know that I have heard a number of versions and interpretations by different artists, in several languages. The song, or chant, ... simple and direct ... verbalizes a very basic relationship between the temazcalero, the human participant in the temazcal ceremony, and the elements of the temazcal: earth, water, air, and fire. In the temazcal, or Mexican steam bath ,  recall, ... in its most basic form, the temazcalero sits on an earthen floor, exposed

Maybe you have not had the  temazcal  experience yet. Perhaps you have been thinking about kicking off your sandals to step inside the circle. Have you heard a co-worker talking about a Mayan steam bath at work and want to know what it's all about?   Whatever your situation, welcome, tenderfoot  temazcalero ! Below you will find a few links from first time  "caminantes " to give you an idea of what went through their heads when they entered the  temazcal  for their first or second try! I hope you enjoy them, and, as always, let me know what you think! There's a comment box at the bottom of the post. Spiritual Sundays:  Temazcal Meet You at the Bridge  does a nice job of describing a  temazcal  experience in terms that folks can relate to. They wrote, " Temazcal  is about opening up to receive an ancient spiritual healing, to bring problems to the surface and offering them up to the universe for release. It is about choosing growth, an

Saunas, steam baths, sweat lodges, and sweat houses have been around for thousands of years. Modern versions of these ancient structures varies with their place of origin, with native Mexicans referring to a traditional sauna as a "temazcal ," native cultures north of Mexico cultures calling it an "inipi " or "kiva," Europeans calling it a "savusauna" or "sudatory," the Chinese calling it "桑拿浴," and the Russians naming it "banya" or "banja." The Mesoamerican Temazcal Many PreColombian Mesoamericans celebrated at least a portion of their spiritual belief system in the steam bath, or "temazcal"  (sometimes anglicized to read, "temascal"). The word comes from Nahuatl, a language family of the ancient Mesoamericans. They called it, "temāzcalli,"  which translates loosely to the "house of heat." Some sources, like Aaland (1997) attribute its origin to the Aztec

My medicine bag   from Rufina of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico "In the everyday life of the inhabitants of rural communities, one cannot miss an article that is totally linked to the native traditions ... the pouch. ...It is destined to be used to transport seeds to sow, to store food, and, in some cases, for beer or other spirits." --  Juan Manuel Aguirre (2013) Some time ago, Rufina, a good friend from Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico, gave me a morralito   made by a Oaxacan artisan . The word, "morralito," comes from the diminutive of  morral ,  or pouch. It's one of the few venerable items adorning my home, and I appreciate it so much from this special person that I rarely take it outside my home. It contains symbolic items from dear friends and other items that the universe has loaned me. For use in the field I have another morralito,  made of leather. It's a little sturdier, and because it's not linked to anyone I know, I use it in the field. I pick