visiting temazcales in oaxaca, mexico
on our last day as a group in oaxaca, we experienced a temazcal ritual at a beautiful little oasis tucked in the outskirts of oaxaca. a temazcal is a small permanent hut of prehispanic tradition, used for curative or purification ceremonies.
the temazcales we visited, ceviarem temazcal, were of zapotec heritage and the purpose of the rituals we were offered was rebirth.
from ceviarem temazcal /
we are a rescue center for traditional healing. we do traditional temazcal rituals, an ancestral practice by the zapotecs to clean the three bodies: the energetic, emotional, and physical. we use many natural elements and oils over a heat stone base to cleanse. each ritual temazcal is different because of the variety of herbs, elements, ointments and prehispanic instruments used- therefore we have no repetitive rituals.
our experience with ceviarem temazcal /
blanca made our group experience flawless from the start. i was able to arrange our visit while still stateside, and she kept in communication with me leading up to our visit. she arranged easy transportation to/from her address, and was there to warmly welcome us.
once at ceviarem, we settled into the space with a warm herbal tea, and then changed into provided toga-style wraps to head to the temazcales.
inside the temazcal, the heat is intense– which is not the same as unbearable. the temazcales at ceviarem temazcal are preheated before rituals from heated stones. throughout the ceremony, water is thrown onto the stones to produce more steam and heat for short bursts of time. our temazcales were round, and the heat source was not in the middle, but along one side of the huts, so those directly next to the heat source would have a different experience from someone on the opposite side. our first few minutes inside, we were led through some specific breathing to adapt us to the space.
our group was large, so we were split between the two temazcales on the property. one group was led by la abuela of the family, and their collective experience was one of empowerment through messages to release shame and guilt associated with the past, and to move forward with reclaimed power.
the other group was led by the (sha)man of the family, and was an experience of spiritual embodiment, culminating in a powerful group chant over the grounding beat of prehispánic instruments.
though the energetics may have been slightly varied between the two temazcales, all of us experienced similar practices of the ritual, under the supportive presence of our guides.
i was in the group led by the male shaman, and his offered mantra was ‘do not suffer, at all times, do not suffer.’ he encouraged us to endure, but also to attune to our bodies and find relief when needed– sliding off of the short wooden stools and onto the cooler concrete floor below could help.
throughout the experience (a little over an hour), various herbs were used to incite connection to our layers of being. the herbs are offerings to provide a cleansing, allowing the energetic and physical bodies to shed the past and align in the present.
while i generally love jotting things down when i travel to better document these experiences for you- the traveler who was also there, and you- the engaged reader, no one is taking notes while in a temazcal. 🙃 my personal recollection of events may not correlate directly to the order of the ritual, but remember, it should not be expected that these rituals are all the same.
after our initial introduction to the temazcal with some infusions thrown directly onto the heat (the smell of copal lives in my soul forever) we were given large orange halves and directed to cover ourselves from head to toe with the sweet sticky fruit juice. infusions of various other fruits and herbals were poured on us, and we were encouraged to assist these liquids in soaking into the body, sometimes in specific areas, always with a specific purpose.
i believe it was towards the end of the ceremony that we were given a large bouquet of freshly picked herbs to add to the amazing aromatics already settled into our skin and souls. imagine using sprigs of fresh mint to give yourself a massage– it’s strangely new at first, and then you might just surrender into it because, also, it’s awesome. slowly, as we would sweep our bouquets around, the oils from the leaves marrying to everything else already in and on us, the sprigs would begin to fall toward the earth, framing our physical bodies in an organically graceful way.
it’s bittersweet when cold water is poured over you to end the ceremony: a welcome burst of refreshment that also signals the end of the ritual. exiting the warm womb of the temazcal, you are greeted with fresh air, sunshine, the smiles of your fellow travelers, and delicious fresh juices and fruit provided by blanca.
temazcal can be a powerful experience, one that our longtime travel companion jen summed up beautifully: ‘this was my favorite part of the trip. the way i felt after was this sense of calm. like i had made it home.’
join the 2023 oaxaca retreat and experience temazcal
oaxaca 2022 retreat photographer: jennifer mangino photography