Inipi Ceremony (Traditional Lakota Sweat Lodge)

Please join us at The Burrow for a transformational experience.

The Inípi, often referred to as a sweat lodge, is a traditional purification ritual practised by the Sioux and various other Native American cultures.

The Inípi can serve as the beginning or conclusion of a ceremony, or it may be a stand-alone ritual.

The lodge used for the Inípi is dome-shaped, built with 16 tree branches, typically willow or hazel, and covered with canvas or hide. Its rounded form is seen by some, as representing the womb of Mother Earth, from its top to the circular structure beneath the ground.

Before the ceremony begins, prayers (intentions) are offered, and the lodge is purified with the smoke of burning sage and cedar.

During the Inípi, participants sit in a circle and heated stones are placed in the central pit. Water is then poured over the stones to create steam, while songs are sung and intentions set.

The lodge is a place to heal. It’s a space for introspection and connection to your ancestors. You have time to express gratitude, set intentions, and leave behind anything that no longer serves you. Much like any modern-day sauna, the physical process of sweating helps your body purge toxins. You’ll experience storytelling, meditation, and singing. The sweat lodge acts as a detox that helps you move beyond the physical into the spiritual. It is an experience that uses the elements to help you reconnect to nature.

The lodge’s door is opened four times during the ceremony, representing the four ages shared by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. After the fourth opening, all participants leave the lodge, symbolically shedding anything impure.

£75pp for a full day experience, including food.