“The Sweat Lodge is still used today for spiritual purification. A sweat lodge is a low, domed structure made out of bent willow saplings, covered with buffalo hides or blankets. Inside, it is black as night and virtually airtight. When a participant enters the lodge, he/she is returning to the womb of Mother Earth. Participants sit in a circle. Sage, cedar, and sweet grass are burned as incense. Water is poured over red-hot stones. The rising steam purifies the body and soul. To participate in a Sweat Lodge ceremony is sacred—it is a time when prayers are said and answered.”