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Enjoy the spiritual and therapeutic experience of a sweat lodge. This event is a blend of Native American songs, Mesoamerican practices, Tibetan singing bowls, drumming, stories, and prayers.
Participants find the sweat wholly uplifting and rejuvenating. No matter what spiritual path you are on, the lodge is a beautiful experience. Whether you prefer to meditate in the heat and steam or dig deeper by connecting with your true self or higher power, the lodge is a powerful tool.
I offer lodges for families and children as well. These are generally done with the door open and using only a couple of small stones. It is a beautiful way for the whole family to enjoy the experience and for parents to introduce spiritual ritual to their children.
Your Guide
Hello! My name is Matthew John Schultz and I am a sacred pipe carrier. My given name, by both my Lakota and Mayan elders, is Path Keeper.
I have had the honor of studying indigenous healing traditions under many esteemed elders and teachers, from around the world, for the past 15 years and I have worked with plant and other sacred medicines for as long. I studied extensively with Mayan elders and was initiated in 2010. Recently, I just returned from Peru where I worked at an Ayahuasca, healing center.
I am the author of the book The Dark and the Light. In this memoir, I not only share my experiences with sacred medicines and indigenous rituals but also bizarre stories from my childhood and years dealing with addiction and how I found recovery. I detail years of traveling the world and working with many different healing modalities. This book not only seeks to educate the skeptic but also offers words of warning for those seeking out these practices.
Breathwork
I conduct extended breathwork sessions. This breathwork utilizes the remarkable healing and transformative potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Altar Building
This event is a guided meditation on the construction of a personal altar and the sweat lodge altar. The participants are taught the concepts around building an altar and then are guided through the construction of their own. Materials are supplied and everyone leaves with elements for their altar at home
Despacho Ceremony
This event is from the Central and South American practice of building a gift for Spirit and the ancestors. The participant constructs a sacred mandala consisting of flowers, candy, spices, herbs and more. Each item is imbued with prayers from the participant. This package is then burned in the sacred fire in order to send these prayers to the heavens.
About Sweat Lodges
The Sweat Lodge is a purification ceremony that utilizes prayers, songs, meditation and stories. They are used around the world from Celtic tribes to the more commonly know, Mesoamerican sweats. I have spent the last decade studying with indigenous elders from the Lakota to the Mayans. My lodges utilize many Native American and Mesoamerican aspects, but also incorporate singing bowls and other musical instruments.
The lodge itself consists of a round, domed structure about 14 feet in diameter, made with flexible branches tied together. It is covered with blankets and tarps to insure that there is complete blackness once inside. Although it is sealed from light, the cloth is still breathable and air freely flows. The participants sit on the ground around a shallow pit used to hold the stones. Outside of the lodge, these stones are heated in a fire. When they are brought into the lodge, I place copal, cedar and sweet grass on the stones to bless them and clear the space. The door flaps are drawn and I pour water on the heated stones, creating steam and heating up the interior. It never gets hotter than a sauna. You can handle it! It's not only physically, but also spiritually cleansing. The ceremony consists of four “rounds,” each lasting approximately 20+ minutes. The door is opened for a few minutes between each round, so that more stones may be brought in. You do not have to speak or sing if you do not wish. If you want to sing or say words during the lodge, I guide you on when is the appropriate time. Everything said in the sweat lodge is kept private and confidential and nothing is ever repeated outside of the lodge. The lodge is a form of "medicine" in its own right. It may bring insight and internal guidance, calmness and clarity. For some, it is a fantastic form of meditation. We make no claims and pass no judgment here. The event is for you and what you wish to get out of it. Sacred medicine, and ritual events, are all just a means to help you heal yourself.
Addiction and Recovery
The Sweat Lodge is just one of many healing modalities offering a holistic approach, healing the mind, the body and the spirit. It can be very helpful in addiction recovery and for sobriety maintenance. Whether it is the spiritual connection or the physical detoxification or both, the lodge is for those who wish to explore a non-traditional, spiritual approach to recovery. It is a beautiful practice of mindfulness, meditation and reflection, along with the physical cleansing of the hot steam, the heat and the herbs. I have worked extensively with those in recovery.
"I highly recommend attending a Sweat Lodge guided by Matthew . From beginning to end, I felt such peace. I wish everyone could experience this retreat; it grounded me and left me with such a calming sense of self, I wish for all to feel that connected.
- Lisa N
"Great experience all around, between the use of instruments, song, and prayer you come out of this on top of the world and also very deep within yourself."
- Michael G
"Matthew’s authentic desire to help others heal is obvious in the way he leads the sweat lodge ceremony. His training, knowledge and experience eased any hesitation I had before my first sweat. I felt renewed and very clear about my intentions after the ceremony. I’m grateful for having been able to attend multiple times, and plan to participate again soon! If you wish to have an experience with a lasting effect I highly recommend you register for a sweat lodge experience with Matt!"
- Jan