Steamed clean—purification for body and mind
By Liz Dunn, April 20, 2007

Add herbs, boiling water, 10 adults and leave to steam…

No, this is not Atención’s first cannibal recipe article but in fact all the vital ingredients for a temascal. Being new in town, my ‘I’ll-try-anything-once’ frame of mind is still fairly intact and so on strong recommendation I headed up to El Charco del Ingenio, to participate in my first temascal.

A temascal is a type of sweat lodge which was prominent in the Aztec culture and has been making a comeback in alternative therapy circles. A form of cleansing, relaxation and natural healing, some claim it assists with conditions as varied as acne, rheumatism and circulatory and liver problems.

Overheating of the body (body temperature may reach 104 degrees) produces various reactions similar to that of strenuous exercise and increases circulation to all muscles and organs.

At El Charco, Pedro and Lalo lead the sessions. They have been hosting temascal gatherings here for eight years, and informed us that the particular evening I went was the beginning of their ninth year.

As night fell the fire was lit, heating both rocks and water and we began to separate flowers and leaves from stems for the ceremonies and tea. It felt, to some extent, like a cookery lesson as we worked our way through rosemary, oregano, lavender, camomile and countless others.

Finally ready to begin, the scene lighted by the full moon, we stood in a circle around the fire and all turned to face east, a short entreaty was said and then the conch was blown and we turned and repeated the small offering of thanks to the other three compass points and finally mother earth.

Then, ritual cleansing. A leafy branch was brushed over us. Next came a cleansing from fire. Using a saumador (chalice) containing copal, a type of incense also known as palo santo, the smoke was blown all over and around us before we entered the temascal.

The structure itself is a small domed hut, so low one must crawl into it. The one in El Charco is particularly striking as it is surrounded by ruins near the presa, in what can only be described as, a magical location. Crawling in, one by one, the small, pitch-black space quickly filled. I made myself comfortable on the mats and waited in the disorienting darkness. Lalo called for rocks and they were placed into a central well; dried herbs sprinkled on them lit up the blackness with beautiful sparks of light. Some of the rocks were so hot they glowed and I immediately began to feel a rise in temperature. Lalo welcomed us and spoke briefly before covering the rocks with water to create the steam for our ‘bath.’ 

Four times the steam rose and we sang, prayed or simply talked to the group. The four ‘rounds’ were interrupted by a shout for the ‘puerta.’ Water and herbal tea were passed round during these short reprieves. Each time grew progressively hotter and sweatier until I felt sure I would melt or self combust! During the third break we passed around a bucket of water in which our various herbs and plants had soaked—using it almost as an exfoliating scrub we cooled down gradually.

After emerging from the womb-like sweat lodge, it took me a few moments to come ‘back down to earth’ and I lay for a while staring at the bright, full moon and enjoying the peace of the night. Upon being questioned about my first temascal I first described it as interesting then perhaps more fittingly as impresionante. Although I did not face any personal demons or have any revelations on the meaning of life, I did enjoy a chance to empty myself of thoughts, worries and fears and share friendship. I would recommend it to all, although would caution against those with claustrophobia and a fear of the dark. Also I feel a reasonable level of Spanish is needed to appreciate the guiding words of Lalo and enable you to fully participate.

If you would like to partake in one of the next temascales at El Charco del Ingenio on Friday, April 27 and Sunday, April 29, please call 154-8838 or 154-4715.

Alternatively there is another dedicated temascal practitioner in SMA, Roland Torikian, who holds temascales every second Saturday at 10am in Privada de la Canadita. “I studied traditional Mayan medicine in Chiapas and am a Curandero, so the lodges I run are from that school, though I later went on to study Tibetan Buddhism in India so that influence is also strong in my work.” Roland is originally from England and conducts temascales in both Spanish and English although adds that they “usually end up being a healthy mix of both.” He uses a mixture of songs, meditation, prayers and dedications, “I always pick a relevant challenge of our times and expand on that theme throughout the rounds and the five elements.”

Roland can be reached via email at rtorikian@yahoo.co.uk. 

Liz Dunn is a Spanish and English Literature major from England, who is in San Miguel with the Charco de Ingenio and Biblioteca Pública intern programs. She is currently writing her thesis which is on the effects of expatriate communities in Mexico, which will include information on San Miguel.