1. Native American Ceremonies By: Amber Delagrange

2. Reasons for ceremonies to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit by aiming to ensure harmony, balance, and wellness The Native Americans take pride in their spiritual values for the difficulties in life to praise to pray became a big part in their lifestyle

3. Death Ceremony to celebrate ones death those who died would shortly begin a new life in the Spirit World they held this ceremony for the belief that the journey from death to the Spirit World may be long and wanted to confirm the spirit would not remain on the earth others were to provide the dead with herbs, food, and gifts the dead were to be prayed over and buried with their most prized possessions, as well as feather sticks

4. Healing Ceremonies held to bring harmony this was practiced to bring their tribe, environment, and themselves together some would last for days at a time Native Americans would use herbs and plants to connect with the spirits and after life healing process consisted of herbal medicines, rituals, spirituality, and religion sometimes they would sing, paint their bodies, dance, and occasionally use substances to convince the spirits to heal the person who is sick

5. Sweat Lodge Ceremony for the cleansing of the mind and body originated from other regions of the world by the sweat bath used after the introduction of inhumane treatment of the Native Americans and alcohol a way to re-purify themselves and return to their traditional ways type of sweat therapy still practiced today used to cure medical, mental health, correctional, and substance abuse

6. Sweat Lodge cont. the lodge in times past was to be covered with animal’s hides such as a moose, bear, or buffalo they use blankets, old carpet, tarps, gauge sheets, and such now entrance area where they perform the ceremony was to be facing east, towards the sacred fire the ground is usually of grass or smooth dirt

7. How the sweat lodge is performed a prayer is to be said as you offer the “peace pipe” participants will be honest and speak their truth of requests one at a time the participants will enter the lodge and the leader will smear smoke onto their faces hot stones are brought in and placed into water, causing steam sweat leader persists in a prayer everyone will speak, pray for guidance, and forgiveness one at a time

8. Works Cited Sweat Lodge Q&A. Sweat Lodge Q&A. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Garrett, Michael Tlanusta, et al. "Crying for a Vision: The Native American Sweat Lodge Ceremony as Therapeutic Intervention." Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD 89.3 (2011): 318-25. ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source. 21 Feb. 2013. Native American Rituals and Ceremonies - History and Information - Page 2. Native American Rituals and Ceremonies - History and Information - Page 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 19. The Native American Sweatlodge, A Spiritual Tradition." The Native American Sweatlodge, A Spiritual Tradition. N.p., n.d. Web.