The impact of the Sweat Lodge ceremony on dimensions of well-being

Abstract: The importance of traditional healing practices for First Nations people1 has created interest in traditional ceremonies, including sweat lodges, which are increasingly incorporated into programs serving Aboriginal people. Despite the fact that traditional healing practices have always been valued by Aboriginal people, there is virtually no research on their effi cacy. The results of a pilot study that measured the impact of the sweat lodge ceremony on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domains of individual participants indicated that an increase in spiritual and emotional well-being of participants was directly attributable to the ceremony. Although the sweat lodge has historically been an important part of Aboriginal ceremonies throughout North America, little eff ort has been made to investigate the healing benefi ts that Indigenous people have always acknowledged. Along with a rise in interest in natural and Indigenous healing practices, and a revival of traditional Indigenous ceremonies, the sweat lodge has been increasingly used by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples as a means of healing in multiple dimensions of body, mind, emotion, and spirit (Aaland, 1978