Sweat Lodges in the Pines?

[tree huggin tracker]

Greetings all,
I was wondering if anyone knows of any Sweat Lodge groups in the NJ Pinelands. I've been searching but have been unsuccessful in finding anything. Even if there are no groups to be found, lets make one! Anyone who is a fan of Sweat Lodges or would like to learn more about them would be more than welcome.
The environment here is perfect to attain the heightened spirituality found in the process of the Lodge. I would love to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings.
All good medicine

 

[james ungehajer]

Greetings all,
I was wondering if anyone knows of any Sweat Lodge groups in the NJ Pinelands. I've been searching but have been unsuccessful in finding anything. Even if there are no groups to be found, lets make one! Anyone who is a fan of Sweat Lodges or would like to learn more about them would be more than welcome.
The environment here is perfect to attain the heightened spirituality found in the process of the Lodge. I would love to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings.
All good medicine

http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0302/tracker.html

Welcome to the website.

Jim

 

[tree huggin tracker]

Tom Brown Jr.. what a man.
I have read many of his books and am scheduled to attend my first Standard Course at Tracker School this Spring. I know that he has a Sweat Lodge course, but you must first take a Philosophy course as a prerequisite. Not to mention each class is around $900! Yow.
Great article, thanks a lot!

 

[suresue592003]

After viewing the link, I still don't know what a sweat lodge is??

 

[andy1015]

I don't know what a sweat lodge is either. I do know some people who took his class or worked with tom brown though. They said he was really good at tracking and survival skills

 

[bobpbx]

http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0302/tracker.html

From the article...."Practical survival tips include using oil on your nose to rustproof knives, engorging a condom into a 5-gallon water reservoir and pragmatic ways to gut fish. One instructor shaved his beard with a sharp $10 knife, noting, “you can shave with a sharpened ax.”

Sorry, I have no snappy comment on this topic.

 

[Ben Ruset]

The best survival skill for Pine Barrens exploring is: "Bring water."

Edit: Even then, it's usually a short walk to some sort of stream. The acidity of the water should take care of any nasties.

 

[tree huggin tracker]

I agree bruset.. bringing water is no where near the best survival skill for the Pine Barrens. This is not a notion that TBJ preaches.

A Sweat Lodge is a dome-like structure that was used by many cultures, especially Native Americans. It's armiture is made of saplings woven and tied together, then it is covered with a ton of blankets, tarps, or hides. It is, in many ways, similar to a sauna. There is a large fire outside of the structure in which rocks are heated to the point where they are glowing red. Fire keepers slide the rocks into the door of the structure, where the person conducting/leading the lodge (the "pourer") places them in a pit in the center of the lodge. The pourer then pours water and herbs over the rocks, and leads in prayer and song. The lodge is a very spiritual experience; in every lodge I have attended, many people have been moved to tears. There are usually 3 or 4 rounds, each progressively hotter than the previous.

 

[infinite sameness]

best is to bring beer it will keep you warm in winter cool in summer and if all else fails at least you will have good spirits hehe welcome miss chris

 

[manumuskin]

Tree huggin tracker.
I"ve built a few sweat lodges in my time in the barrens and am a grad of toms standard class.after that they became too expensive and I"m not a follower of toms so called wilderness spirituality but I do like his survival skills though i had to go somewhere else to learn how to make a workable bow drill.I can show you many sites throughout the barrens where good sweats can be had next to nice swimming holes of course rocks are always a rarity in the barrens.i hear cannonballs work well but i dont have any.steel and iron dont crack and shatter like rock but of course it's not natural stuff.I work in a steel warehouse and could probably come up with some nice chunks of steel for hot rocks if you have no rocks.Also many places in the barrens a fire outside of a legal campsite is illegal so stealth mode would be suggested.again i know some islands back in the swamps that would take a helicopter to get into...almostAgain I love sweat lodges but Toms great spirit and mine seem to be two different deities.
Al

 

[RednekF350]

Hmmmm.


igfly:

 

[Aaron]

I worked for an organization called Vision Quest, i was at the big lodge in North West PA. The outdoor camp/corrections is for adolescents that live in teepees 24/7 365 and participate in things like sweat lodges and peace pipe ceremonies, I have had the pleasure of being trained in running a sweat lodge and have had the oppurtunity to do it a few times over the years. It is alot of work and it can take the better part of a day.

I dont see a sweat lodge working well in the pinebarrens, mostly because of the lack of rocks. Traditionally you want natural materials from right in the area you are performing the lodge. Anyone thats been to one will remember "ohh grandfather", if youve been to a proper sweat lodge im sure you know of what i speak.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I agree bruset.. bringing water is no where near the best survival skill for the Pine Barrens. This is not a notion that TBJ preaches.

Uh wait. Do you agree or disagree?

I wasn't joking when I said that bringing water is the best survival skill for the Pines. Everything else you can do without, and civilization is usually just a few miles in every direction.

The only times I have ever been worried about myself in deep woods is when I foolishly ventured out without bringing water along. The heat dries you out really quick.

 

[bobpbx]

Uh wait. Do you agree or disagree?

I wasn't joking when I said that bringing water is the best survival skill for the Pines. Everything else you can do without, and civilization is usually just a few miles in every direction.

The only times I have ever been worried about myself in deep woods is when I foolishly ventured out without bringing water along. The heat dries you out really quick.

I agree with Ben on this one. I have never felt any more threatened in the pines than on a hot day, lost in some god-forsaken dry lowland without water to pour on my head, let alone drink.

 

[tree huggin tracker]

Bruset,
I misunderstood you. I do not think that bringing water is the greatest survival skill. I do agree that lack of water is one of the greatest problems you may encounter. As long as you know how to utilize nature well, you can produce water for yourself in many ways, such as building a solar distillery, or even using your urine with a plastic bag and drinking the condensation.

 

[tree huggin tracker]

That sounds like a wonderful program. And yes, traditionally it is preferred to have materials which are close to the area where the lodge is built and conducted, especially the grandfathers. Personally I do believe that bringing in rocks from a different location could work out alright, maybe saging them would help melding the energies.
Does this organization have a website I could check out?
I am very glad you've had the opportunity to run a few lodges. I have never poured but I have had the vast pleasure of fire tending; that in itself is an awe-inspiring and spiritually powerful experience.

 

[Ben Ruset]

THT,

Can you shed some light on some of Tom Brown's philosophies? What are sweat lodges? Who are grandfathers? What's so special about fire tending?

I'm genuinely curious.

 

[woodjin]

Bruset,
I misunderstood you. I do not think that bringing water is the greatest survival skill. I do agree that lack of water is one of the greatest problems you may encounter. As long as you know how to utilize nature well, you can produce water for yourself in many ways, such as building a solar distillery, or even using your urine with a plastic bag and drinking the condensation.

Yeah....or you could bring a jug of water

 

[andy1015]

yeah i think ill just bring some water from home, sounds a little easier

 

[MarkBNJ]

THT,

Can you shed some light on some of Tom Brown's philosophies? What are sweat lodges? Who are grandfathers? What's so special about fire tending?

I'm genuinely curious.

I think I'm hearing shades of "Iron John." Did you guys ever read that? I'll have to go dig it off the bookshelf and see who wrote it, since I can't remember.