When Street Fairs, Services and Situations become Like Sweat Lodges, Get Water, Wet and Wish for Wonderful Healings for Mind, Body, Soul and the Whole World

After that winding introduction and the wishful thought of wild winds moving the heavy heat out of a NY apartment  where I've been sweating it out much of the summer (but thankfully with some working Air Conditioning whereas not everyone has working AC.). I could use Another sip of my cool lemon water. Not ice cold, just from the tap, which is better for the body and can help it maintain homeostasis, the same temperature.

We have to think of ourselves at times as machines or vehicles not unlke automobiles. Whether a Ferrarri or a Suburu, an old pick-up truck or a deluxe stretch limosine, we need fuel and water, all parts in working order and proper handling.

Come the summer or heated indoor situations or even exciting or stressful times (worry, violence, conflict), all require special tending to, not unlike a garden venturing to grow in difficult climates.

Again nurturing and survival strategies can mean the difference between surviving, thriving or not staying alive.

When Street Fairs, Servies and Situations become like Sweat Lodges,Get Water, Wet, and Wish for Wonderful Healing for Body, Mind, Soul and the Whole World!

This mantra could save lives. We also may need some new national recommended guidelines, so allow me to explore that concept here. Recall the idea of putting one's tall finger on one's third eye and on one's belly button  for a few deep breaths at the start of the day and whenever feeling a need for more balance internally. That's tip from Chinese healing circles, so google more tips from around the world, where they don't try to beat the heat but rather live or thrive in it!

Check you blood pressure, and blood sugar levels at a physical or as you can with friends (many devices go on sale and I was lucky to get a blood tester kit  for free and strips for half price so spent 50 dollars getting 100  strips and about 5 on lancets to prick my finger.

The glucometer that measures blood sugar from one drop of blood was usually 20 dollars but was free with a coupon. Drinking lemon water each morning can help with electrolyte balance, curb appetite long enough to help me plan a good breakfast. One man told me he limited himself to very small amounts of fat since he was overweight, but in general, fewer carbs and fats and more veggies is the way I hope to go. I like my protein too though, small amounts of poultry, dairy and some red meat but not much. Gotta go for more beans and good enchiladas make that appealing.

When the heat gets people beat, the people should work to beat the heat. Unless one is actually in a sweat lodge and planning for that experience to commune with the Great Spirit, to thank the Creator and stay low to the ground and have water splashed on you (or mainly on hot rocks which are placed in a small pit in the center of the circular lodge which creates a steamy sauna).

People generally crawl into a sweat lodge on their hands and knees to recall their connection with mother earth, the natural elements and their past with growing in their mother's womb. Crawling is child like and humbling, simple and practical to go in a smaller space. The women may go in first and sit on one side, and the men continue on after and sit on the other. A leader sits in the front near the blanket that serves as a doorway.

People are smudged with burning sage that is fanned with piece of bark as they turn around slowly or the fire tending smudger walks around them. The fire that heats the rocks about 8 inches round and a 3-5 inches deep is prepared and tended to in advance by fire tenders and those taking part in the lodge. These preparations generally take a few days, in addition to building and readying the lodge which is made of bent saplings and covered with canvas or blankets. The ground is bare.

The rocks are placed ceremoniously in the outdoor fire pit with the four directions being acknowledged. Many Natives respect the connection with the human life cycle relative to the four directions. At the start of a day one may face East where the sun rises and reflect on the beginnings of life and one's own life. A new day and opportunity for living in fellowship with one's family and community is given.

Thanks is given to the Creator for all of creation and guidance and protection. Facing the South, one may give thanks for growth through childhood and the nurturing forces for life. Whatever moves in one's mind and spirit to give thanks for is welcomed. Generally happy feelings of one's growth from young one to youth and adult can be enlivening even if challenging to recall or appreciate. Facing the West next would allow one a few moments to recall the gifts and lessons of a mature adulthood or the time of learning through life experiences.

Whether being in a relationship, having or caring for others including children or elders or sharing skills would all be helpful to reconnect with one's life. Then facing North, one could think on the time of the elders and that time when one would reach the later years of one's life in anticipation of the future being safe and reverent. The time and area between the North and the East would be acknowledged as the time of 'comings and goings' from the earth realm to the spirit realm or from spirit to earth realms, a passageway for spirits.

. The attitude of gratitude is one that permeates all the traditions which have various roots, one of which is the story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman. 

The basic telling of the teachings given by a spirit being that evolved during a time some men were saw a white buffalo calf long, long ago gave guidance to the Native people to maintain their families and tribes with seven ceremonies.

These included a naming of each person and sometimes animal to have a spirit name that could help them be in integrity with their life purpose and position, the pipe ceremony which was a way to offer thanks and prayers in a reverent manner and have them carried up to the Creator on the smoke from the pipe which would also be shared by others in a gathering (both the smoke and spoken prayers and the spirit of gratitude), the sweat lodge sometimes only for men or for non-menstruating wome sometimes done separately or sometimes together with women wearing tops long skirts or loose pants or covering their legs with a towel to protect their hip area energetically and practically), a moon lodge for women with a period or others who wanted to gather as women.

That time would include a drum in the center rather than any heated rocks, sharing sips of moon water (water which had been out in the moonlight one or more nights), singing songs and hearing stories  and methods of healing such as  wiping sadness or anger from any part of the body that seemed to need that release and gesturing of putting that in a basket which was then symbollically emptied into the earth and have some moon water poured on it.

Fully clothed and taking turns or doing so at the same time, women (and of course men could try this too in their own time), wiping one's mind, eyes, earts, throat, lungs, heart, solar plexus,  abdomen and lower areas with a simple hand gesture in the area near the body was sufficient.

Other activities during a day or weekend of a sweat lodge, often with a few rounds done for 20 minutes of more to allow each person to have time to pray aloud if they choose as a pipe is passed to be smoked or simply  shared by handing it gently to each person around the circle.

Songs and teachings led by the leader can be interspersed to create a positive caring  forum, bringing a sense of support and healing even if asking for difficulties to improve rather than allow the negative forces in or to be discussed in that space. Building up the energies of strength and protection as a team is the overall idea with thanks given for all of nature, the plants and animals (the swimming ones, the winged ones, people from all walks of life and of all ages, those of all colors --red, white, black and brown or yellow.

The tradition of the pipe ceremony generally was one maintained in every home by a male seeking protection and guidance for his family and area. If no man were available for this role, women could step in and show respect for caring for a pipe, possibly growing tobacco or keeping a reverent time in regard to the overall traditions which seek to help all family members and tribal members and the wider community feel woven together like the strands of willow in a basket.

The idea of bringing people together at this time of challenge on the earth has been growing and some lodges have sought to assist with the healing and creating of wider communities. 

These ideas are echoed as well in longterm services of various people's of faith or even of community traditions which encourage people to come share with their neighbors in a street fair, a set of cook-outs and music, or other ways of bringing people together. Often in modern times to maintain a building and pay leaders more organized faith services include a need for fundraising. Still many other efforts occur with donations and some corporate underwriting. Taking time to assess what activities function in one's local and wider area to keep people in networks and informed on helpful matters is not necessarily only for fun. Practical skills even such as surviving and thriving in the heat or the cold, in stressful times or other challenges ( storms or fires or other unpredictable situations, possibly violence or  severe weather). 

While some buildings have poor air ventilation and get quite hot, new guidelines could be developed to encourage people to dress in cool, cotton clothing, to have wet towels handy to use to keep their faces and limbs cool, Fans and ample water bottles would do a lot to give people permission to stay cool. Sitting lower on the ground (even on the floor on simple mats or against the wall so circulation could help people feel more awake and less drained by the heat may make sense. Having meetings earlier in the day or in the evening to avoid the main heat of the day makes sense when possible.

Taking a break from sitting or standing too long, and even encouraging people to lie down on mats (yoga mats roll up easily) or blankets could become standard fare .If outdoors, lying down or sitting on a blanket on the grass can be very cooling and restorative. In terms of going to the beach where there is lack of shade and sand can get very hot, extra precautions especially for elderly, women who may be pregnant or others with special needs should be used.

Street fairs in the summer in the city can become taxing due to heat and long hours. Taking breaks, having cooling stations or even planning for more of set of indoor and outdoor opportunities could be helpful. Moving the date to a time when it it less likely to be very hot, toward the end of August or the beginning of June may make sense. With Memorial Day and July 4th as well as Labor Day there are aleady a few set big weekends.

Maybe two shorter days with ways for women to network men to connect and more of a focus on children's events, each at a certain time of day and maybe held in a cooler area (in a park or indoors) would make sense to help people monitor their blood pressure and overall heat index. 

Being of help to oneself and others may be put on the back burner when trying to have a really nice time in any group situation. Learning about one's chakras from head to hip areas and getting centered in one's heart and mind can be the new cool way to stay health and happy. That can connect with one's spiritual beliefs or be a more practical way to remember to use one's energy carefully when speaking, planning events or trips, getting through the day and even sleeping ideally from 9:30p to 7am to restore all organs and one's soul energy, Those are some other Chinese or Eastern healing ideas worth researching online.

Having a few people trained in advance to watch for first aid symptoms of dizzyness, trouble breathing or walking, assisting people with sitting or standing, carrying food or other baggage for any who seem to need the help, maybe have extra chairs and carts people can use, could make a nice difference as can more sprinklers on each end of the block and maybe one in the middle. If serving sweet food like cotton candy, flavored ice or other sticky sweet food, bees can appear like seeking honey from the hive.

Maybe an indoor station for that would allow for the treats without the bees which can be a reason to shut down early. Ideally more healthy food in general could be promoted to remind people of the ways they can take charge of their health and use parties to encourage each other to eat well and exercise. Kids readily get up and jump around and dance to music, ride bikes, scooters and even go in a bouncy house. The adults may brave some line dancing, which is a great start, and even at sweat lodges there are line games and dancing wth a drum beat like the rhythm of the heart and these can go on for quite a while. Pow Wows are known for the costumes that represent different tribes and their members and traditions.

If heat is an issue, perhaps any warm outfit could be used for part of the gathering and another change of cooler clothes could be handy and used as needed. Taking sensible care of oneself and others, knowing each person's names and needs (even at an information booth to give out first name tags but maybe have a place to register who is there and a contact if needed would be good sense.)

That could be helpful in any apartment complex, to have another person's phone number handy or a floor or team leader in each building who can be of some assistance to any first aid or emergency responders if someone has a problem and cannot speak. A fall could result in someone having a head injury and then responders need permission from the person if coherent (and maybe even if not, but that's something to research) to take them in an ambulance. Everyone needs to know what costs may be involved for using an ambulance, whether their insurance covers it for all conditions or not.

Again a group of local capable volunteers could perhaps be involved with getting people some information and help to know what to do and who to consult locally if medical or other practical needs arise.  Small children, pregnant women, any elderly and others who would like to have some extra support should be asked. In general, anyone would be wise to have a few people on one's support team for whatever reason. 

On a more wishful thinking note, keeping an eye toward buidling positive networks to help one with simple tasks requiring an extra hand or even to celebrate good news such as someone winning a contest or even the Olympics could be excting. I met a man named Roberto who was beaming and calling out to a fellow at the deli that "his country just got the Olympic Gold Medal in Tennis and he knew the winner!" The deli guy didn't seem to get too excited and was more about what he'd like to order. Roberto repeated some of what he was saying to clarify that this news was much bigger than a deli order.

When I overheard this in the store, I walked over and said, "I hear your good news and want to congratulate you." He was honored I was acknowledging him. "Thank you, you are the first person to show you care and know how exciting this is for me and my country!" He was taking pictures of fruit that I think he may have planned to use in a ceremonial display, but he asked if he could take my picture. I was happy to oblige and struck a happy dance pose with one snapping one hand in the air like a Spanish dancer.

He insisted I attend his Olympic closing ceremony party (but not to enter his domain which he considered a temple he cared for with every detail,  with shoes or the color red, any cursing or negative energy.) Okay, so then he was sending the picture to his relative who was friend's with the winner. He showed me other photos of the lovely flower arrangement he put up in his building to go public with the good news of the Big Win. I am excited to see what comes next and I may bring a friend to the party so hope to find someone ready to enjoy the moment. Another worker was happy enough to take a moment from stacking fruit to hear of what was happening and I asked him to show some enthusiasm. I did hear a few others do so as I wound my way through the store. The next big deal for me was doing laundry and resting before taking clothes out of very hot dryers (a reminder of the heat and another thing to watch for in terms of safety to have lint cleaned regularly and in general to be home and check on appliances, even dishwashers and toasters which can start on fire. I know a fellow whose whole house burned down from such a thing so better to be present and stay tuned in as much as possible so one can live life fully, give thanks and celebrate!