Preparing for the day

• Bring a chair if you want to. You will be sitting most of the day, bring whatever makes you comfortable.

• · You will need something to wear in the lodge- nothing with metal on it. Normally people will wear a singlet and underpants or a sarong. Some will wear togs, but it is unlikely that you will want to wear these items again, so don’t wear your favourite things.

• · Please bring two old towels. One to sit on and one to dry yourself with.

• · Bring food to share in the feast after the lodge.

• · Bring pen and paper- it’s best to bring a lined refill because you will want to ripe pages off and burn them.

• · If you wear contacts or glasses- please bring a case for them, you can not wear them in the lodge. Which is fine, because its dark and no one else can see either lol.

• · You will need to take all metal jewellery off. Some people manage to lease small stud earrings in, but metal will get hot in the lodge, so please bring something to keep your jewellery in

• · If you have any old wool blankets you do not want, I would appreciate them. Even if they have a couple of holes.

• You will be asked not to eat after 1.30pm because your stomach needs to be empty for the lodge.

We will spend the day together in contemplative preparation, writing, drawing and meditating and then as dusk falls we will crawl into a hot igloo-shaped tent. You are led through a sacred process that prepares and supports you to release toxins, chemicals, blocks, hurts, anger and trauma at a cellular level via your sweat. The body naturally wants to clear itself and the process is unique to the individual. For some this involves participants speaking and for others it is more like a visualisation. What is said in the lodge, stays in the lodge, however you can release in silence if you choose.

What can I release?

I have had lodges where people have been ready to release anaesthetic they received as a baby, 60yrs later you can smell it in the lodge. Others have been able to let go of addictions to smoking, alcohol and drugs. People have successfully surrendered the ‘reason’ why they found themselves in abusive relationships and had the strength to make changes in their lives once they returned home. There is nothing you can't surrender. Nothing is off limits or too big or small.

What is a sweat lodge like?

The heat within the ‘sacred cave’ is not like a sauna. It is an earthier heat. You can lie down if you need to. You are never trapped in the experience. You can always ask to go out. People will often ask me ‘how long are we in the heat. This is hard to answer because it depends on how long people talk. However, the normal is about two and a half hours. Time behaves differently in the lodge.

The day after lodge, you will want to be gentle with yourself. Give yourself space to claim a new and clearer life. Tell the people you live with that the next day is a resting day. Most people report that by the afternoon of the day after, they feel a euphoria about life and what’s possible.

Specifics of the day
You can arrive at the lodge site any time between 9 and 10.30am. Together we will find you a private spot to sit for your lodge preparation time. I will give you a writing process to focus your attention on what it is that you wish to clear from your life. If you don’t know what you need to clear, this will help you get clarity. If you do know, this process will deepen and broaden your understanding of it. I will be actively supporting you in this process. You will be alone in this space for the better part of the day

In the afternoon we will all come together around the fire pit. As a group we will create the sacred cave (tent), bless the rocks and build the fire with the rocks beneath it. There is a permanent willow structure on the site, which is the foundation for the cave. We will cover this with blankets to create the space we need to hold in the heat. The fire is outside of this structure.

You can then choose to go back and write some more or sit quietly by the fire.
When the rocks are red hot, we will get changed and go into the lodge.

Special considerations:

Women, if you are on your moon time, please let me know. It changes the energy of the lodge, and it is not a good idea for a menstruating woman to go into a mixed lodge. (i.e. a lodge with men and women in it) I'm happy to explain why if you want to know.

Preparation for a lodge page

I will normally start to work towards a lodge about 4 days before. Preparing the space and loading the lodge covers into the car etc. When this starts, the energy of the lodge starts to build. Once you have committed to doing a lodge by paying for your share of the firewood you will start to feel it. Its like your body starts to feel that the negativity is about to leave. It is quite common for people to have a moment in the week before when they start to sabotage coming. Often they will say later that it was like the negativity in them knew that its time was up and fought back. If in doubt call me and we can talk through it.

It is very important to get well hydrated in the three days leading up to the lodge.

Clothing

·      Dress to be outside for the day. If it is hot- bring sunscreen, if it’s cold bring a blanket.

·      Bring something to wear in the lodge- nothing with metal on it. Suggestions are, singlet and underpants or a sarong. Some will wear togs, but it is unlikely that you will want to wear these items again, so don’t wear your favourite things.

Items to bring

·      a water bottle

·      light lunch (not a shared meal)

·      a chair if you want to.

·      two old towels. One to sit on and one to dry yourself with.

·      Food to share in the feast after the lodge.

·      Pen and paper- it’s best to bring a lined refill because you will want to rip pages off and burn them.

·      If you have any spare old wool blankets you do not want, even those with holes, they would be most appreciated.

Items to leave at home or remove before the lodge

·      All metal jewellery to be removed. Some people manage to lease small stud earrings in, but metal will get hot in the lodge.

·      If you wear contacts or glasses- bring a case for them, you cannot wear them in the lodge. (Contact lenses have been known to get stuck on people’s eyes in the lodge, so please don’t wear them in the lodge. Glasses can be left by the door and others in the lodge will help you)

And finally - if it pours with rain on the day, the lodge will be postponed since it’s not possible to get a fire hot enough in the rain.

I am inviting you to a deep purification process, a way of cleansing body, heart, mind and soul to a depth that is seldom reached by any other healing process. This is a process that can be a life changer, a day that has the potential to create a clean slate for your life going forward.

My Purification Lodges are in the Green Kingdom tradition. c. You may be more familiar with Native Americans sweat lodges, they are physically similar but there are fundamental differences in the process which make the experience very different. Namely, Green kingdom lodges have two doors, one is the door for the creator, one is the door to the physical world. After a day of preparation, we enter into the lodge through the door of the creator. We exit through the door to the physical. This mirrors our journey in this life.