Sweat Lodge

About The Sweat Lodge

The Sweat Lodge is one of the most popular and powerful camp activities we have at Omega Teen Camp. A sweat lodge is a structure made by bending saplings, binding them together and covering them with blankets. The Sweat Lodge is heated by bringing in hot stones, much like a sauna. Teenagers build the structure at teen camp in a sacred manner as many native american tribes have been doing for thousands of years.

The Sweat Lodge is a sacred ritual of spiritual renewal. The sweat lodge leaders at teen camp, Carl Big Heart, Bill Record and Joseph Jastrab are highly experienced at leading this powerful ceremony. Each of these seasoned facilitators bring their special gifts of insight, sensitivity and wisdom to create this unforgettable teen camp experience for children and adults alike.

At Omega Teen Camp the Sweat Lodge provides teenagers with an opportunity to challenge themselves and build self-confidence in a very safe way. Teens stay in the sweat lodge for as long or as short as they like.  Everyone comes away from this experience feeling cleansed, more conscious of their inner strength and the joy and magic available in this world. It is a unique experience and one that we all look forward to doing again each summer at camp.

View a short video clip & see what kids are saying about the camp sweat lodge.

• High Quality Sweat Lodge Video Clip- Cable/DSL (512K) - File Size 2.2MB
  
  
• Medium Quality Sweat Lodge Video Clip - DSL (384K) - File Size 1.5MB
  
  
  
• Dial Up Quality Sweat Lodge Video Clip - Dial up (56K) - File Size 234KB

Sweat Lodge History

The most popular form of Sweat Lodge among North American Indians and the modern day enthusiast is the hot-rock method. This is the type of lodge we build at teen camp. The hot-rock sweat lodge was mostly used by tribes in the central plains, the southwest, the Great Basin and the eastern woodlands.

The structure was usually domed in shape. Temporary lodges, like the kind we have at teen camp, were covered with blankets or skins. We use blankets at camp. More permanent structures were usually sealed with mud or sod.

The interior of the lodge had a circular depression in the center. The center area was used to hold the hot rocks that were brought in from the outside using sticks. These days we use a shovel. Native Americans used a straw broom or hollowed buffalo horn to sprinkle water on the hot rocks, creating steam. Indians regarded the entire process as deeply healing and filled with symbolism. We feel the same way about the Omega Teen Camp sweat lodge.