At the very heart of the Grand Spa is the three-unit Temazcal. Temazcal refers to the traditional sweat bath developed in Mesoamerica, an area that presently includes Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Representing a return to the healing practices of indigenous medicine, Temazcal is a native purifying and detoxifying ritual performed in a sweat lodge. Tabacon's Huey Temazcal Aahuatlan is the first of its kind in Costa Rica and the only one in the world embedded in the energy of an active volcanic environment at the base of the Arenal Volcano. Beneficial both spiritually and physically, the Temazcal practice flushes toxins from the body while inspiring a state of heightened awareness through hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, chanting, visualization, prayer and meditation exercises.
The Temazcal at the Hot Springs Resort area of The Grand Spa in Tabacon takes this rejuvenation to an entirely new level. The therapy is a pre-Hispanic steam-bath ritual that takes place in a womb-like structure, where energy from the centre of the Earth and from all four winds is summoned and flows in a circular motion. The ritual is led by a resident shaman, who applies a series of therapeutic practices including hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, chanting and meditation exercises, while guiding the recipient's mind towards a state of greater relaxation and well being.
HISTORY
The word temazcal comes from Nahuatl, the language of the founders of the Aztec empire temas, meaning "bath" and "Calli" house. In this sense, the temazcal is part of a worldwide tradition of heat and steam baths, like the Finnish sauna or the Arab hammam. The shape of the Temazcals most commonly used in America is similar to the shape of the igloos and houses of past inhabitants of northern Scandinavia.
The temazcal was derived from a people who believed that body and soul were inseparable, and that purification of one could not be complete without purification of the other. There are rituals connected to the temazcal that date back to a time when the gods and nature were inextricably entwined. The old ways teach us that no one can really be healthy if the laws of the universe and the elements are not respected. The temazcal is a ceremony of recognition of the universal laws; it is the ideal formula for eliminating the deepest causes of our sicknesses.
THE RITUAL
The experience begins as the group gathers around a bonfire and each person is presented before the fire by the shaman during a meditation ceremony. Once inside, there are four periods, known as the "four doors" where hot lava rocks are placed in the center of the temazcal. Medicinal plants such as sage and copal are also used. As water is placed on the hot rocks to increase the steam and temperature, which can reach up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, the Shaman sings and plays ancient native instruments. This incredible journey ends with a refreshing water bath and a rest period with tea to balance, reflect and restore body, mind and spirit.
The Temazcal at Tabacón is based upon the philosophy of rebirth and purification. The Temazcal is built from lava rocks and coated with white beach sand, meant to be an authentic replication of a traditional temazcal. The entrance, illuminated by torches at night, is designed to give guests a hint of the mystic ritual they will experience inside and to symbolize the reentrance back into one's mother's body.
Behind the Temazcal altar is a sun symbol relating to the purification philosophy and to Ra, an old Egyptian religious philosophy. The shape of the resting banks around the fire place and in most areas of the Temazcal is ornamented with the half moon symbol from the original Temazcal philosophy. Water, the source of life, flows from round stones meant to reflect religious philosophies from old Central America and southern Costa Rica. The cool water area and the pool are symbolic of purifying the body and the soul, while the surrounding bamboo symbolizes healthy and wellness in Asian mythology.
BENEFITS
In this purification ritual, the body sweats it cleans itself and starts to liberate the tensions and the worries. The actions of the elements: earth, water, air and fire, and the smell of the medicine herbs and the traditional chanting, leads one to a superior level of purification. The temazcal is considered the womb of our Mother Earth, and by entering one connects with her the same way as a child does with its mother.
The ritual connects one back to a primal state. In an ideal situation, participants slip into meditation with the help of the shaman, a person who takes care of things that aren't tangible, similar to a psychiatrist or a priest.
The ritual also provides several physical benefits. In this modern sedentary age of pollution, artificial environments, synthetic clothing and lack of regular exercise, a sweat bath can open clogged skin pores, rid the body of wastes and stimulate the healthy flow of a body's own natural sweat.
Depending on how hot the sweat bath is and the climate in which it occurs, a fifteen minute sweat can perform the heavy metal excretion that normally takes healthy kidneys 24 hours to accomplish. Body sweat flushes toxic metals such as copper, lead, zinc, and mercury from the body. A sauna is often recommended as a supplement to kidney machines. Sweat can remove excessive salts, which is generally believed to be beneficial for cases of mild hypertension. Sweat can also eliminate urea, a metabolic by-product, and lactic acid responsible for stiff muscles and a contributor to general fatigue.
Lungs benefit, too. Clogged respiratory passages are opened by heat, providing relief from colds or minor respiratory problems. The heat of a sweat bath and the often rapid cooling afterwards, conditions the body. A well-tuned body is more resistant to colds, disease and infection. In cold weather, a warm glowing feeling often lingers for hours following a sweat bath. In hot weather, the body seems cooler afterwards. |
