Events

Ceremonial Sweatlodge of the Owl

Saturday 30th January 2027
9.00 am - 3.30 pm

Cost: £100

To sweat is to pray, to make an offering of your innermost self.

Gabrielle Roth

Cleanse body and mind in the Sweatlodge

The sweat lodge has existed as a way for people to come together and cleanse for thousands of years, across many lands and traditions. Vapour baths were in use among the Celtic tribes, it was of beehive shape and was covered with clay.

Our lodge is made from willow and looks out to the Pentland hills. In it, we combine Celtic tradition with Native American Lakota influence, to create an experience which feels modern and relevant but still filled with beautiful ritual.

The sweat lodge is a place for introspection and connection. During the ceremony which take places in stages or "rounds" you have the opportunity to express gratitude, set intentions, and leave behind anything that no longer serves you. There is often song, sharing, storytelling and meditation.

Like a modern-day sauna, the physical process of sweating helps your body purge toxins. The sweat lodge acts as a detox that helps you move beyond the physical into the spiritual. It is an experience that uses the elements to help you reconnect to nature.

The sweat lodge is a safe confidential space. Everyone agrees to maintain confidentiality for their fellow participants and after the sweat lodge, we share food as a group before we depart. This allows you to revitalise yourself and decompress after your lodge experience.

The theme of this sweatlodge will be "turning in for winter" and is represented by the Bear animal totem. During winter, the bear slows down, retreats to their cave and enters a state of stasis. The Native Americans talk about the bear's cave as being the deepest part of ourselves where we go for deep personal insight and enlightenment. In this month of November we will use this imagery to inspire us to travel deep within ourselves during the sweat lodge experience.

Experienced event leader and Chiropractor Naomi Mills will hold space and support you to create your sweat lodge journey.

Sweatlodge of the Owl

Each lodge is created around a particular theme, from which the ceremony is created. Each ceremony that takes place inside the lodge has 4 parts and our theme for this lodge is the wintering which is represented in the Celtic calendar by the owl totem.

The owl invites us to explore endings - bringing together all the wisdom to bring into new beginnings in the springtime. This can be in our health, relationships, work, or in any aspect of our lives. This lodge invites you to recognise all that you have learned, experienced and accomplished. We explore the idea of letting go, and of the legacy we wish to leave behind in the world.

In Celtic traditions, the owl totem symbolizes wisdom, intuition, and the ability to see beyond the obvious into hidden truths and secrets. The owl's connection to the nocturnal world and the underworld links it to death, spirit journeys, and mysteries, but it also represents guidance and transformation through these dark times.

The sweatlodge is an ancient tradition which embodies the spirit of the Owl and will allow you to access deeper understanding of your personal path.

What to expect at this event

The workshop is created around this format:

9.15am arrival
9.30am: welcome, check-in, Nature craft, intentions for the fire
10.45am : lighting of the fire
11am: intention setting and labyrinth walk
12.15pm: enter the lodge
2.15pm: exit the lodge
2.15-3.30pm: food and sharing

3.30pm close

(there is the possibility for slight change)

This event IS for you if you:

• Want to access your deep inner knowing and intuition to find answers and guidance
• Want to experience the power of a sweat lodge in a safe, beautiful and nurturing environment
• Are looking for new ways to explore and understand the mind/body connection
• Feel curious to explore something beyond your everyday consciousness

This event IS NOT for you if you:
• Experience high anxiety and don't trust yourself to manage your own process
• Have had a recent and significant trauma (past trauma is usually fine, please reach out if you are unsure)
• Feel unusually anxious about being in enclosed spaces or being hot e.g. sauna, steam room

If you have any health concerns such as heart conditions, high or low blood pressure, are pregnant, have serious mental health conditions, claustrophobia or anything else you feel might be important, please contact us before booking.

Book your place

This event is open to men and women over 18 years old. Places are limited to just 10 people.

Tickets are non-refundable due to limited spaces. With 72+ hours’ notice, we may transfer your booking or offer a discretionary refund. Less than 72 hours’ notice means no changes, but you’re welcome to gift your spot to someone else. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

The week before the event, you will also receive an email with everything you need to bring with you on the day, so please look out for it.

What to bring

After registering for this event, you will be sent an event waiver to complete. A week before the event, we will send you an email with everything you need to know for the day.

You will need:

a couple of old towels that you are happy to get sweaty and muddy
clothing for the lodge: traditionally men wear shorts and women wear a dress or sarong with swimwear underneath. You are welcome to wear what makes you feel comfortable (bearing in mind that you will get sweaty and hot), however clothing is required and please don't turn up in only swimwear or underwear.
warm clothes for after the lodge. Traditionally we do not wash or shower immediately after a lodge so bring clothes that will make you warm. A dry robe is ideal for entering and exiting the lodge, however you will want tracksuit trousers and bottoms for eating in the cabin.
journal and pen

Please also bring any food you would like to share in the cabin afterwards (this is an offering, not a requirement and food will be provided)

You will also be invited to bring an item for the alter shoulder you wish. The alter is a space where you can lay any meaningful items you have to be cleansed and blessed during the sweat lodge ceremony.

Some people like to fast before a Sweat Lodge. It’s important to do what feels safe and right for you. If you think you may like to eat before you enter, please bring something with you.

It is traditional not to take water into the Sweat Lodge. However, when the door opens after each round, we will share water. You can ask for some, and you can bring in your own bottle of water if you prefer.

Metal jewellery can get hot in the Sweat Lodge. Taking it off is not a requirement, but it’s something to consider. Glasses and contact lenses cannot be worn inside the lodge. The darkness means that no one can see inside the lodge, if you struggle to see without your lenses someone will always be on hand to support you. There is also always somebody to accompany anyone if they need to leave the sweat lodge midway through.

What our participants say

A very warm, nurturing start to the day leading us gently into the sweat lodge experience. If you are comfortable in cosy, confined spaces in darkness with just the light of the glowing rocks in the sweat lodge, I 100% recommend this immersive primal experience. It's like a sauna on steroids!

The group all supported each other in the sweat lodge journey. It's a very cathartic and energising experience, so come willing to let go of things that no longer service you.

You are the answer