Bears are considered the Embodiment of Spiritual Power and Physical Strength. Rarely seen, bears seemingly live as spirits, without a body, visible to the eye only as foot prints in the sand, traces of passing left behind by great mythical beings from the Land of Spirits. Bears constant in their conviction have walked the same paths generation after generation, wearing deep furrows into solid stone. Bears were thought to die each fall, to be reborn each spring, verifying in life, their Spiritual Power over death. Proof, that Bears were given the Power of Resurrection through Rebirth. Stories such as these are told to Native children living in the Northern Hemisphere the world over, to teach them the Word of the Creator God and where to find it in nature, to ensure that Native Youth enter adulthood, as whole and mature beings.
Walking into a den in winter, Bears fall into a great sleep, entering into the Spirit World for spiritual re-alignment. Emerging in Spring, as changed and balanced beings, Bears awaken from their long journey in the spirit world, having become greater in spirit and lesser in body. The shedding of fat symbolises the shedding of worldly goods which human beings have to shed to be reborn. Jubilant in their return, rejuvenated by their physical and spiritual rebirth, they emerge from the womb of our Mother, the Earth, through the exits of their dens. Leaping and bounding like children bonding with their Mother, the bears knead the Earth to awaken, needing Her to renew all things, so Her children might be fed. Refreshed and invigorated from a long and restful winter, they honour Her with sounds of joy and dances of renewal. Thankful for the gift of life, they stand erect, with outstretched arms, a sign of allegiance honouring their Father, the Sun, thanking Him for His warmth and the gifts of love that He provides for all living things. Thus begins, the annual rites of renewal, that all life might be awakened and all things renewed.
This process of rebirth is enacted by Human Beings, who have chosen to walk a Sacred Path on Earth, through their participation in the sacred rites of the Ceremonial Sweat Lodge. Once a tribal person is decided in their choice to hold the Conviction of Love in their heart, and they are comfortable with their choice, they begin to carry out their chosen conviction in deed, by walking upon the cedar path that leads to the ceremonial sweat lodge of forgiveness and rebirth. Entering on hands and knees through the Entrance of Illumination, in the East, illustrates to Human Beings they are Spirits of Light, borne through thoughts which emanate from Our Father, the Sun, the Sol/Soul of All Creation. When you were thought of by the Creator God, you were given consciousness as a Spirit of Light and by choosing to enter His Heart as a Spirit of Love, you were given Life. It is then you, as a Spirit of Love and Light, were allowed to enter the Womb of Earth to become one of her children by being given substance and purpose in life. By entering through the Eastern door of the Ceremonial Sweat lodge, we as Spirits of Light choose the Conviction of Love, the Will of God, and Everlasting Life over our own desires or free will. We re-enact this spiritual process of rebirth, by re-entering the Womb of Earth, through our own free will and surrender that will, choosing to be reborn as whole and balanced beings. We, like the Bear choose through deed, to dedicated our lives to respecting and caring for all life, and through this choice, re-affirm ourselves as Spirits of Light to the Creator God.
Men and women physically naked and spiritually bear/bare, crawl on all fours, into the Sweat Lodge as an act of humility before God and sign of respect, for His Great Spirits. Leaving their world behind, shedding the excesses of their old lives, like the fat of the Bear or the skin of the Serpent, this is symbolic of growing greater, through the shedding of old habits for a new and more fruitful life. Information is gained by initiates, through an honest exchange with their mentor, prior to entering the Sweat Lodge, instructing initiates about the directions in which they are to be seated. This will ensure that the initiates are set before the correct door, through which the appropriate guiding spirits flow, enabling the guiding spirits to directly assist them in their spiritual growth and rebirth. The closing of the door flap leaves them feeling vulnerable, in total darkness, with only the warmth of the Grandfathers (rocks) in the Womb of Earth and the calm voice of their Mentor, to assure them of their safety. Deprived of light, forces participants to use their other sensibilities to assess their surroundings. Breathing in the heat of the moistened air, hearing the sizzle of water vaporising on the heated rocks, feeling the dampness of the Earth rising from the ground, making them aware of the aromas of earth, willow, cedar and heated stone. Sensing the aloneness, in the all oneness of the dark, making them aware of their seclusion, they become aware of their need for life. Listening for the shared breath of those in fellowship with God, voluntarily synchronising their breathing with the breathing of those around them, causing all participants to join in Oneness through the Breath of Life. In the beginning there was the Deep and there was darkness upon the Deep…..
Sharing consciousness in the Womb of Earth as they once shared life as new spirits in the Heart of the Sun, they pray for wisdom and guidance for their teacher and the courage of their conviction for themselves. Through spiritual teachings and moral guidance shared by the Spiritual Mentor or Medicine Person conducting the Sweat, the minds, hearts and spirits of initiates begin to be corrected. All thoughts are realigned with the Natural Order of the Universe, with the thoughts of their Father, the Creator God and their Mother, the Earth. The Elemental Spirits of Fire, Water, Air and Earth assist in the correcting of the hearts, minds, bodies, and souls of the participants. When the Loving Spirit of the Creator God is allowed to enter each soul, a healing takes place and the transformation is made complete.
With the beating of the drum and enchantment through songs and chants of joy, All life celebrate their spiritual growth, through the spiritual acceptance of their convictions. Hearing the heartbeat of the Universe, entranced by the rhythmic beating of the drum, enchanted by the word and sounds being sung, their Spirits are unified in life, joining in songs as one body and voice, weaving with the rhythym of the Universe, becoming strands in the web of life through love. In harmony as one voice they sing the song of the Universe, "One heart, One mind, One soul", a song of sharing, respect and love for the Spirit of Life, Honouring the Creator God and All of His Creation. This reminds all Spirits of the Order of the Universe and the Oneness of All Creation that is the Great Spirit, of the Creator God.
The raising of the ceremonial lodge is sacred, for every aspect of its construction, holds the spiritual constructs which will make its ceremonial purpose whole and sacred. Holes for the Sweat Lodge are aligned and dug, and upon the placement of the pole, a principle of life is prayerfully placed into the Spirit of Tobacco, which is then respectfully placed in each hole. The Spirit of the prayer is the instruction for the tree limb, which can then become one of the pillars of this sacred temple of life, the Sweat Lodge. The poles represent the principles of life, the concepts of truth, the true foundations that uphold every spiritual lodge. Between these poles, are the doors, the entrance for the Elemental Beings, that hold the powers of the four cardinal directions, the spirits of fire, earth, water and air. Fire is the faith and spiritual conviction that brings in the light of knowledge and wisdom. Earth is the love and caring that brings forth the promises of life. Water is the consciousness of the soul of Mankind, and the awakening of the Sea, the ebb and flow of life. The Air is the Breath of Life and the Spirit of the Divining Winds and Rains of War. The Cedar that you sit upon represents the love and peace of the continual cycle of life, on Earth. The Sacred Pipe represents the male and female spirits of the Family of Man, and when shared and smoked, unifies us through Truth, with All our Relations, in the womb of Earth, the Sacred Sweat Lodge.
The secondary directions, or sections between the cardinal directions of the lodge, are the entrances of the Guiding and Protecting Spirits of the Universe. These sections indicate the directional flow and stations of the Universal Spirits. The stones or Grand Fathers symbolise the Head Spirits of the Universal principles and convictions of life.
In the safe and cocooning body of the Sweat Lodge, you are given time to pray and meditate, shedding the hardships of your past life, forgiving all beings that caused you harm. In accepting the love and forgiveness of the Creator, you really forgive yourself for participating in all forms of darkness(there are no shades of darkness, if it is not light, it is dark). You put your past deeds where they belong in the past! Then you forgive others their past deeds, never remembering them or making them a part of you, and you never use their past deeds against them. You forget the past, for it will only spoil the beauty of your gift of life, the present, the new day the Creator has provided for you. Once this is done, you bring your thoughts into alignment with the Creator and you are able to see the purposes for your life on Earth. When this is done, you receive true healing. For healing starts in your mind and heart, flows through your spirit, cleanses your soul, and begins to change your body, making you whole. You are now made new, not the same being that entered the Sweat Lodge.
Men and women emerge as spiritually greater beings from the Sweat Lodge, which was opened to them at the setting of sun, the evening of time, the evening of all things. Spiritually greater, through their alignment and balance with every living thing, in accord with the order and harmony of the Spirit of the Creator God, that flows throughout the Universe. Male and female, once again on hands and knees, exit the lodge wet with sweat from their spiritual rebirth to emerge as new beings. Removed were the remaining impurities from their physical body and shedding the last of their material beliefs, that belonged to the World of Man, beliefs cumbersome to spiritual beings. Enlightened in the Sweat Lodge through Sacred teachings, these Spiritual Beings, reject every concept and ideal that alienated them from the Creator God. Carrying these ideals and concepts made them strangers to themselves and strangers to one and other. Through the Ceremony of the Sweat Lodge, they accept to become the selfless and loving beings, that God made Mankind, for one has to remain kind to be accepted as kind.
Joints cramped from sitting in a foetal position, they attempt to stand erect, wobbling and weak-kneed as a new born deer, they learn again to walk on their new found legs, on the firmer ground of truth. Rejuvenated by the refreshing movement of the cool drying of the air, they stand erect reaching out to the stars, heavenly bodies of light set in the night sky, guiding us throughout the night and throughout all of our lifetimes on earth. Regaining the use of their legs, they run to the river to re-enter the Flow of Life remembering themselves to the River as a Flow-er/Flower of the Tree of Life, washing away all impurities. As new-born beings, they wash away the wickedness and transgressions of their past lives, from their mind, heart, body and soul. They have now been re-born into the Family of the Creator God through the Ceremony of the Sacred Sweat Lodge.
Everything that Native people did was a ceremonial rite and everything they built was made sacred in it's construction by principles needed to become one with the Universe and the Creator God. All of His instructions are made visible through signs and symbols, that the Creator God gives freely to His Children, so they may be guided throughout all of their generations forever. Praise be given to God that you may be reborn spiritually through this ceremony, just as you are reborn in spirit, continually forever. Created in the image of the Creator God, made One with His Great Spirit, you are a perfect Spirit given everlasting life. You are born only once, made to flow through a physical body. You are not the body, you are a Spiritual Being. You are Some One. Joined with all your relations, you share in Oneness.
Finding their upright stance, those reborn are then, re-introduced and given to the Moon, the Doter/Daughter of Earth, as one of her own to be taught and guided by her through all of our life times on Earth. Accepting in humility, she would always be a greater spirit than us throughout all of our lifetimes on Earth. We are to accept all of her teachings without question or deviation for she is the Mother of Respect and Harmony, and Grand Mother of all Mankind. We are born through the Earth, then given to the Moon, our second mother, to care for as Her own. As spirits we enter this world through her. She(the Moon) in turn, gives us to our earthly mothers, who provide us with a body and care for us. Our Earthly Mothers, who in turn, return us at the end of our earthly walk, to our first Mother, the Earth, who gave birth to our Spirits. You emanate as a feeling thought of desire, from the Sol of the Creator and are given life by being born through his heart and love, the Earth. A child of the Creator is born only once as a spirit and lives many lives through rebirth forever. All of God's Creation teaches us this over and over.AHO!
This is an explanation of the reason for the Sacred Sweat Lodge Ceremony, taught through the Spirit of the Bear. The Bear teaches many other Sacred teachings too.