El Temazcal
(the sweat Lodge)

Temazcaltoci:
goddess of the temazcal, of medicine and healers.
Temazacallis are held on the
New and Full Moon --
or the first Saturday thereafter at  Grandfather Kachora's house, Cerro Azul - Tecate, B.C.

SEE MAP
EMAIL FOR DIRECTIONS
Temazcalli -  from the Códice Nuttall
A brief history of the temazcal.
Temazcal, or Temazcalli is a combination of the words “Temaz”, meaning “bath” and “calli” meaning “house”.   For hundreds of years the Indigenous peoples kept this ceremony  a secret in remote places throughout Mexico, as they did with many other traditional practices during the times of the conquest. Those of us returning to the ways of our grandmothers  are discovering the deep beauty and complex meaning of this powerful  healing ritual.
Within the temazcal, Temazcaltoci, the Goddess, lives on. She is the Grandmother of the Temazcallis and is a manifestation of the goddess Tonantzin (some people also refer to her as Our Lady of Guadalupe).  She is  the patron  goddess of medicine,  medicinal herbs and of healers. The Zapoteca, in the state of Oaxaca, and the Maya in the Yucatan and Central America revere and honor her to this day.  However, the temazcal is much more than simply honoring the grandmothers and grandfathers.   In it, one finds all the elements: earth, wind, fire and water. It is a microscosm of the greater universe. Just as in the western hermetic axiom: as above, so below.

When we come to the temazcal with a good heart,  we connect to the ancients... to the ancestors who gave of themselves, often at great sacrifice, to safeguard the sacred rituals from desecration by; the Spanish conquerors and early Christians who didn't understand the great significance and healing value of the ceremony.

According to ancient knowledge, when Aztecs came to partake in a temazcalli, they were entering their mother’s womb once more, led by a grand Tonatzin or Temazcaltoci, the grandmother of the gods and humans, their beloved mother, concerned for the health of her children.

Entering the temazcal.... Quietly we stand in line then  purified with the sacred smoke, we  enter through the  very low opening and, humbly kneeling, we place our forehead upon Her heart and ask for permission to enter... stating out loud our intention that our efforts be for the benefit of All Our Relations.  Once through we turn to the left and circle around the fire pit to the right one by one until the temazcal is filled. As the temazcalli's shape is circular and represents the Divine Feminine, we honor the Divine Masculine by circling sunwise.  The beautiful, fragrant calli (house) is warm and humid and welcoming.  It  recreates the safety of being in our mother's womb, freeing us from the cares of the  world so that we  may enter a place of deep introspection in order to encounter more fully our authentic Self. As the mystical combination of sage and copal smoke rises, it cleanses us and carries our prayers to the heavens.  We sing. We drum. And together we bolster our resolve to stay through the moments when we feel we can no longer withstand the intensity of the steam rising from the hot glowing rocks.  As we complete the Seven Doors we raise our voices to count to the magic number: uno, dos, tres.... PUERTA!  and begin to exit on grateful  hands and knees.
Bienvenidos...Everyone is welcome who comes with respect and a good heart.
The temazcal is a deeply moving and healing ritual where we relax and surrender our worries, our illness... a place where we learn and where we offer prayers of gratitude to the Ancestors and to Creator for the blessings we receive in every moment. It is a place of positive power where all the elements combine to produce healing on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. The Earth is our mother and the temazcal is her womb where we are reborn to walk in beauty and harmony. The copal sends our prayers to the Creator  for all people to experience more love, more harmony, more abundance. Together we keep the traditions of the ancestors alive.  Everyone who comes with respect and reverence for the tradition is welcome every full moon (or the Saturday immediately thereafter) at Grandfather's house in Cerro Azul.

Requirements to enter the temazcal.
-- People who wish to participate should fast at least 2-4 hours prior to entering the temazcal.
--Women must wear long skirts and a modest top.
--Women should not be on their moon (menses).
--Men must wear shorts.
--Bring your rattles and drums for songs.
--Bring towels, water
--Bring offerings of tobacco, fruit or chocolate to the leaders of the temazcal (the fire tender, the sweat leader)
   and if possible, a small cash donation to the family to help pay for the wood and water. There is no cost to
   participate in ceremony.
--Herbal water is provided for a quick rinse after the sweatlodge so you may want to bring a change
   of clothing.