Traditional Indian bath temazcal - a ritual of cleansing the body, soul and spirit according to the indigenous people of Mesoamerica . Hot steam rising from the rocks of volcanic rock and full of the herbs aromas, total darkness, shaman singing and medicinal decoctions of plants - these are its main components . Today, any tourist arriving to Mexico can enjoy the temascale ritual . Pleasure is not cheap - from 80 USD per hour, but the effect, according to the reviews, is divine . No wonder the Indians assert that the temascal symbolizes the womb of the mother ri-Earth and returns a lost connection with the planet - something that we all so lack in the age of high technology and the race for material .

A bit of history and traditions

Temaskal is an indispensable element of the home of any Mesoamerican Indian and rich , and the poor . The indigenous inhabitants of the Yucatan peninsula simply did not think of their existence without keeping in touch with Jehovah - the great power of creation - through the temaskal . It's not just a bath, but a whole ritual of purification and tuning into the language of the Earth, an important part of the physical and spiritual Healing . Kro In the Temaskal they gave birth: it was believed that the heat of a bath helps a woman, and darkness is favorable for a child, reducing the intensity of shock from the transition to our world from the mother's womb .

Temazcal - a separate building from traditional clay-straw brick, exit which is oriented to the south. In its center there is a low room, it is possible to enter only on all fours - in it stones are placed on the fire, heat from which is gradually transferred to a larger room. The temperature of the steam could be adjusted gradually adding new stones

Full darkness is an indispensable condition of the temascal, therefore it was usually soared after sunset
Temaskal in Mexico Temazcal
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The rules of the temascal

The more a person gathers in the Temascal, the better - so more tight contact with the Energy . The minimum number of participants - t the shaman conducting the ceremony and the two who are soaring . In the temascal it is accepted to come clean already, the process of steaming is called to open the pores of the skin and to remove toxins and is applied to the cleansed body . For the best reaction of the skin it is customary to tap the body of the Indian version of the usual broom broom - corn . Shaman sings mantras, treats guests with curative drinks, rubs the body with aloe juice and makes oil massage stop . The ritual is performed in complete darkness, because it symbolizes the womb of the Earth, and there by definition it is dark, warm and humid .

P After the temascal in no case you can not be cooled - you need to wrap yourself more tightly in the sheet and lie down.

How to conduct the ritual in temascal

The thetomascal ritual is offered to tourists as a full-scale excursion in Mexico . Traditional baths are nearby practically from any resort . In search of an authentic experience it is worth to go to the "distant" temaskal located in the jungle - from tourist options it differs in the same way as a real Turkish hammam from a hotel surrogate . Approximate cost is about 80-100 USD per hour ritual . In spite of the formal requirements of at least two participants, you can stay in the temascale together with the shaman . By the way, this is not necessarily a man - many local women are rightly considered to be specialists in temaskal .