Temazcal ceremony – October 2026

We will be holding a Temazcal, a sacred ceremony often referred to as a 'sweat lodge'. The ceremony creates an opportunity for cleansing, for lifting up prayers, and for purification.

The ceremony will be held and poured by Stu Basden, who has been working within the lineage of the 'Redpath' for over 8 years. He received the blessing to hold Temazcal ceremony after his fourth Vision Quest in this tradition. This lineage, also know as the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan, is rooted in Mesoamerican Indigenous and Lakota ceremonial teachings.

The overall arc of the day will be held by Leona Johnson.

In practical terms, the ceremony takes place inside a low willow dome structure covered with blankets. Stones are heated in the fire and brought into the central pit. When the door closes, water is poured onto the stones to create steam. The lodge is elemental, physically powerful, emotionally honest, and spiritually awakening.

In this tradition, as with many sweat-lodge ceremonies, people on their moon-time as seen to be already in a powerful ceremony of their own, and so do not enter the sweat lodge. If you are bleeding on the day of the Temazcal you are still very welcome to join on the land and participate in the nature-connection and teachings, yet won't be able to enter the lodge or participate in the Temazcal ceremony itself.

Full guidance and orientation will be given on the day so no prior experience is required, only sincerity and respect.

More specific details, and directions to the site, will be shared with those attending.

Preparation

Please prepare in the following ways:

• Ideally avoid alcohol and recreational drugs for several days beforehand

• Arrive well hydrated

• Come rested and inwardly open to connection and prayer

• Be ready to support the group process where you are able, as this is a shared ceremony space

Please Bring

• Food to share for after the ceremony

• Plates, cutlery

• Drinking water

• Cotton or other natural fibre clothing for the lodge – a dress or sarong, or shorts

• A towel

• Warm clothes and layers

• Waterproofs or suitable wet-weather clothing

• Optionally, you may bring a song that is sacred to you to share in the Temazcal

Exchange

Holding an Temazcal requires many elements to come together. As such, we ask are asking for a minimum of £30 to cover the costs – with an optional donation that will go directly to the core team to support their lives and their collective ability to continue holding Temazcal and Inipi ceremonies regularly. Please either pay the "Cover the costs" £30+fees ticket, or save yourself the fees and send a bank transfer (of £30+donation) to the following account, and select the "Paid by bank transfer" free ticket (for each person). A donation of at least £20 is recommended (for a total of £50), for those who are able to contribute in that way.

• Name: Stuart Basden

• Sort code: 070806

• Account: 00442469

• Reference: Temazcal + your first name

Stu is handling the finances on behalf of Leona.

The costs cover: supervision, cost of wood for the fire, smudge supplies, maintenance of materials (tarps, ropes, blankets, buckets), contribution to the reservation, ceremonial items, vehicle fuel for sourcing and transporting everything, contribution to electricity for drying the blankets (unless the weather is warm+dry). The planning and organising is contributed freely by the community, without anyone being paid. Any surplus income will be saved to support growing community and/or future ceremonies.

If lack of money is currently an obstacle for you attending, please click to "Contact host" and ask about attending anyway – we actively want people to be able to access these ceremonies.