Tired stereotypes of chili peppers, deserts, and beaches may lead you to believe these are the hottest parts of Mexico, and the temazcal trumps them all. The temazcal reigns supreme as the true harbinger of Mexican heat, and offers a unique experience for anyone who can withstand the temperature and endless sweating. Interested in testing your mental resilience while you purify your mind, body, and spirit? Then, get ready to turn up the heat.
What Is a Temazcal?
A temazcal is an ancient, Mesoamerican steam bath/sweat lodge dating back to at least 800 B.C.E. Although the earliest evidence of the temazcal indicates use by the Olmecs and Maya, the word temazcal originates from the indigenous language of Nahuatl, spoken by the Mexica, more commonly known as the Aztecs. Temaz means steam or to sweat, and calli means house. House of Sweat might be the best translation and most appropriate. By no means does Mesoamerica claim sole proprietorship of the temazcal.
It’s likely the temazcal traveled northward to Native Americans and transformed into the sweat lodge. Whereas the Native American sweat lodge can be temporary, the temazcal, more often than not, functions as a permanent structure made of bricks, cinder blocks, mud, or traditional volcanic rock. Imagine it more or less like an adobe or stone igloo of about the same size.
The round, domed temazcal varies in size, and holds six people on the smaller end and up to ten or more for larger sizes. An elaborate temazcal may be underground. Some have no ventilation, while others will have a small, central hole in the roof. Some will have a stone or concrete floor, and some will have stone or concrete benches. Some have nothing to sit on but the dirt beneath you. Every temazcal will have a fire pit in the middle. The fire pit doesn’t host a fire, however, it does hold the white hot rocks that will be shoveled into it.
How Does a Temazcal Work?
The most similar comparison would be a sauna; however, a temazcal can be more primitive and rustic. Regardless of the temazcal’s physical quality, each one shares a few common characteristics. Above all, once inside and the ceremony begins, expect it to be pitch black, and you will not be able to see your hand in front of your face. You will sit still in your designated spot and be asked to move as little as possible lest you scorch yourself.
The fire ring in the middle of the temazcal will not be far from you, and it gets filled with searing, white hot rocks. Do not touch or brush against the fire ring or the rocks. You’ll be more at risk as you have to wear minimal clothing in the temazcal.
Before entering, you’ll be asked to dress down and wear minimal clothing. Sweat, steam, water, and other things (mud, for example) will get all over you, so clothing will only get dirty fast and inhibit your skin from breathing. A bathing suit works best. If you wear anything else, expect it to get trashed and be willing to throw it out afterward. Once inside and sitting in your spot, the temazcalero (temazcal practitioner) will draw the door shut with heavy blankets or similar, and the ceremony begins.
What Happens During a Temazcal Ceremony?
This depends on where and with whom you do your temazcal ceremony. Prior to visiting Mexico, I had never heard of a temazcal in my life, much less seen one. Then as I got deeper into Mexico, off the beaten tourist path, I began to see them with regularity. I have now done at least half a dozen temazcal ceremonies across Mexico. They vary and are not equal.
How to Vet Your Ceremony
I have been warned by people not to get taken in by the tourist trap temazcal ceremonies, which are described as more of a “steam/vapor bath.” I think what people mean by this is you get the basic process without the proper spiritual framework. I have done a temazcal ceremony that I would classify as this. It was still okay, and I enjoyed it, but unless you’ve done the best, you won’t know the difference. The same holds for the temazcalero, or the person hosting the ceremony.
Temazcaleros follow every spiritual lineage from Maya to Aztec. I’d say the less fanfare, pomp, and ostentatious indigenous garb worn by the temazcalero the better. This isn’t to say you won’t find a genuine ceremony done by a guy wearing a Mayan headdress, but I think the odds aren’t in your favor. The opposite is also true. A temazcalero can be dressed down, and lack the authentic, spiritual touch of a true healer.
It’s a bit of a crapshoot, but the farther away you are from tourists, influencers, and AirBnb experiences, the better off you are. You’re sitting in pitch-black darkness anyways, so what they look like shouldn’t matter much.
Once the door is covered up and the darkness descends, the fun part begins. A garden variety ceremony lasts one hour, but they can last up to three hours and beyond. The ceremony most often consists of four stages of increasing heat. After the scalding hot rocks are placed into the pit, the temazcalero will begin chanting, praying, singing, or reciting mantras. At some point, they will then splash water onto the rocks to send up steam into the temazcal, skyrocketing the temperature inside in an instant. The sweating begins.
What Does a Quality Temazcal Ceremony Consist of?
The first and best temazcal ceremony I did was in San Jose del Pacifico, in the state of Oaxaca. I’ve yet to find one as good. Here are some things that indicate you’ve found a good one.
Music of Some Kind
The temazcalero plays an instrument. The most common is a drum or a percussion instrument. This turns the ambiance into a high-energy, rhythmic party atmosphere and makes something difficult quite fun. A temazcal isn’t required to be something solemn.
Florals and Herbs
The temazcalero will have 2 separate buckets of water. One bucket of water is to pour onto the rocks to create steam. The other is for a bundled bouquet of wild flowers, herbs and plants that is used to splash onto you and the rocks to create an exquisite smell.
Hot and Cold
During the four rounds of increasing heat, you will get splashed with water and won’t know it’s coming, because you can’t see anything. The first round of heat, once the sweat starts pouring out, you will think is bad. Then you get shocked with a rush of cold water plowing into you. The shock stuns and frightens you for a moment, until you realize how awesome and refreshing it feels. As the heat increases, you will beg for the water to be splashed onto you.
Breath Through Your Mouth
If the heat ever gets excessive, the temazcalero will let you leave. A good one will share the vital pro tip with you. Do NOT breathe through your nose. For once in your life, it’s ok to be a mouth breather. The hot, moist air hurts the sensitive lining of your nose, whereas your mouth cools and softens the air.
Hotter Than Hot
The steam and heat should reach a point when you think and feel it is unbearable. If you’re on the edge of throwing in the towel, quite literally, this is a good sign. The temazcal ceremony is meant to test your physical and mental limits. If you’re not doubting your ability to survive the ordeal, it’s not hot enough.
Why Do a Temazcal Ceremony and What Are the Benefits?
Although still unknown to most people, the temazcal has risen in spiritual wellness circles in recent years. At its most basic, the temazcal represents Madre Tierra (Mother Earth), and symbolizes rebirth after exiting the dark, warm womb of nature. Additionally, by reconnecting with ancestral heritage, participants believe they gain access to ancient wisdom and various, subjective, spiritual benefits, after declaring their intention. Besides spiritual benefits, the temazcal offers a variety of physical benefits.
- Improves circulation, aiding in physical recovery
- Detoxifies the body, removing toxins
- Stimulates immune system
- Opens pores releasing impurities and toxins
- Promotes relaxation, reduces stress, improves mental clarity
- Improves depression symptoms
- Respiratory system cleansing
- Increases stress resilience
- Increases endurance
What the Temazcal Did for Me
I hit the jackpot, finding the aforementioned temazcal ceremony in San Jose del Pacifico. I got the real deal. Towards the end of the one-hour ceremony, my temazcalero gave me a “warrior massage.” The massage is a type of massage, according to legend, given to indigenous warriors prior to battle.
The temazcalero hit my solar plexus, legs, and back with slaps and fists. It felt amazing. When I was instructed to turn over, face first into the mud, my sinuses cracked open like a faucet, and a stream of mucus flowed out of my nose, as my back got pounded. It sounds dirty, unpleasant, sweaty, gross, and uncomfortable, which aren’t deniable.
When I exited the temazcal I felt incredible. I found the feeling to be similar to when I exit a float tank, but more vibrant. There’s a definite body high and a bit of a power up to the senses. Everything is a little sharper, crisper, more alive, including me. I could see why the temazcal was often done prior to battle centuries ago. Furthermore, if you deal with sinus issues like I do, the temazcal leaves the Neti pot in the dust.
The best part might be the cold shower afterward. It’s much like going from a sauna to jumping in a cold lake. Your body will feel like a fireworks show. Once you recover from the corporeal pyrotechnics, you begin to realize the improved mental state and mental acuity. Which, by the way, makes your mind, body and spirit a perfect clean canvas for something else to work on— psilocybin mushrooms.
Temazcal, Meet Psilocybin
It’s not uncommon in Mexico to find a temazcalero who recommends a ceremony prior to eating psilocybin. The temazcal was suggested to me, and I ate mushrooms about an hour to 90 minutes after, and one of the most amazing journeys in nature followed. I experienced potent, open-eye visuals as I watched the entire forest come alive, breathe, and pulsate with cosmic fractals.
I recommend the pairing of temazcal with psilocybin after. The odds are in your favor, that this will lead to a peak psychedelic state for you, and perhaps one of the most memorable of your life. I feel like the temazcal prepares your mind, body, and soul for psilocybin, much, in the same way, a dieta does prior to drinking ayahuasca. Both the temazcal and dieta give the medicine a clean, fresh canvas to paint on, to get the most out of a journey.
The Post-Temazcal Afterglow
The temazcal represents ancestral and spiritual symbolism of rebirth and renewal. Speaking for myself, I felt renewed and refreshed to the max when I exited a temazcal for the first time. Despite the intense heat, and excessive sweating, I felt ready to take on the world and anything thrown at me. I also sensed a closer connection to nature, as if it were my ally and supporter, rather than something apart from it.
If you’re interested in holistic well-being and the idea of purification of the mind, body, and soul intrigues you, then giving the temazcal a try could be exhilarating. The unique experience of healing from the inside out is like a Swiffer for your mind, body, and soul, especially if you plan on topping up with psilocybin afterwards.
