All Scheduled Tours & Sweat Lodges POSTPONED for COVID 19! New dates will be announced later.

About the Navajo Sweat Lodge

Arnold Crank and members of his family and friends generously share the rich, ancient Navajo traditions kept alive in their family lineage.  These traditions help to create a sacred environment and present a powerful opportunity for healing  mental, emotional, spiritual and even physical issues. They focus on releasing, cleansing, balancing and reintegration.
 
Every aspect of the sweat lodge construction, placement and ceremony is for the purpose of realignment and re-connection of the four sacred elements (earth, air, fire & water), with the four sacred directions (north, south, east and west) and their divine hosts called Yei Bi Chei (Gods). This all relates to the four bodies (mental, emotional, physical and spiritual) of the human.

From the moment we step into the sweat lodge, we begin to release our everyday mindset. We engage in the ancient traditional act of ceremoniously removing (as best as possible) all sense of walls, boundaries, masks, and falseness that keeps us constantly managing the self via the ego. Instead, we open our selves to spirit through humility, stillness and vulnerability. (Participants wear swimsuits for this ceremony, see comments at right).

We then begin with ceremonial prayers that symbolize our call to invite  the four directions and four Gods for their active participation in the purification. The Medicine Man then begins a special cleansing using sage water and sage smoke. 

After the preliminary cleansing ceremony, participants may enter the sweat lodge. The entrance faces east which represents innocence and rebirth. To enter the sweat lodge,  participants are required to bend onto hands and knees as a symbolic act of humility while symbolically reentering  the womb of our Great Mother Earth, It is she who knows our deepest wounds and needs, as well as how to resolve them. She requires absolute humility, vulnerability and honesty.

Once participants enter the sweat lodge, they are asked to move in a clockwise direction to fill the available seating, leaving the west (directly opposite the entrance) for the Medicine Man. Each seat is on the bare earth, eliminating any and all obstructions from the natural connection to the earth herself. The Medicine Man is the facilitator of the ceremonial journey of re-connection and healing for all.

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Construction of a Traditional Sweat Lodge - 2015

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In my experience, the sacred space and womb-like environment for the sweat lodge greatly assists us to experience the raw embrace of the presence of our Mother Earth via the ancient sacred ceremony of  Navajo prayers,  chanting and stories.

This provides a formal journey (in stages) that helps us to reconnect the four phases represented by the four Yei Bei Chei (gods) that represent the four sacred elements, the four directions, and the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual bodies of the human being, and this process helps us to release the many false impressions and notions of the artificial realities so that we may reintegrate with our true foundations from that of the artificial and superficial foundations.

A typical Navajo sweat lodge round is usually around 20-30 minutes. A round begins with the heated rocks placed inside. The Medicine Man conducts a combination of prayers, chants or stories with moments of dowsing the rocks and generating heat and steam.

All participants are invited to leave and/or return to the sweat ceremony as they feel the need. This means that if one feels a need to get air, cool down or use the rest room, it is both encouraged and supported. There is no rigidity in this ceremony as rigidity is not an essence we wish to support. Typically, sweat lodge ceremonies last 3-4 rounds.
 
All participation is voluntary. This means you will never be pushed to tolerate more that you are comfortable with at any time. A typical sweat lodge round includes 20 to 30 minutes of intensive heat while healing prayers and chanting take place, followed by a break to exit the lodge and cool down for short periods (approx 5-7 minutes) before the next round begins. You can elect to exit and return to the lodge at any moment that you see fit. Simply state your needs and intentions and they will be respected.

Ute Style Sweat Lodge Hogan

For Longer Tours or
​Specialized Journeys 
See Southwest Journeys section

Comments from Ron

I have participated in both sweat lodges (Navajo and Ute version) and have had great experiences with Arnold Crank, his uncle William, Grandfather Clint and many others. Arnold and his circle of family and friends typically fill the sweat lodge experience with sacredness through their sincerity, humility, stories, chants and other surprises making for a very healing environment. This is a quite rare opportunity.
 
These sweat lodges are “traditional” which means like the Hogan, it expresses a closeness with the earth elements represented by the dirt floor and with no lights during the ceremony. Please bring two one quart bottles of water with you which can be taken inside so participants can stay hydrated during the purification ceremony. 
 
Participants are asked to wear swim attire. Males can bare their chests or wear t-shirts. Females are asked to also wear swim attire, but with the recommendation of a “board-shorts” style swim gear as it will keep necessary parts clean from the dirt. It is also requested that women wear a T-shirt over bikini top. The permanent sweat lodge has had many sacred ceremonies performed within it already so it has good energy inside.
 
Please bring sandals for walking from the sweat lodge to the out house facility to protect your feet from stickers.

Customize Your Sweat Lodge Experience

You may customize your sweat lodge needs to fit your budget, personal needs or group rates (3 or more for best prices). If you wish to find out about a customized experience, click on the option in the registration form below.

Sweat Lodge Registration

Currently, sweat lodges provided by Arnold Crank and possible other family members (and Ron) and are conducted on the Crank family's land within the Monument Valley Navajo Reservation. Monument Valley Navajo Reservation is approximately a  5-1/2 hour drive from Phoenix.

Single Day Sweat Lodge Excursion
This event begins by meeting at a predetermined location in Phoenix by 6:00 a.m. It concludes by returning  to Phoenix the same evening. I will be your driver and guide. Our first stop will be in Sedona, Arizona for a hike and an approximately 30 minute meditation at a very special power spot energy vortex.

We will then stop at Whole Foods in Sedona or nearby Flagstaff to grab some food to-go,  then we will drive up to sweat lodge within the greater Monument Valley area on Crank family land where we will participate in the traditional sweat lodge. I will be your guide, participating with you during all ceremonies as I often assist. We will arrive at the sweat lodge location in Monument Valley at approximately 5:00 pm, where Arnold Crank and crew will conduct 3 to 5 rounds of traditional Navajo sweat lodge sessions. 

Single Day Sweat Lodge Excursion - which includes tax, round trip transportation from Phoenix, hike/meditation in Sedona or Desert Tower Grand Canyon and 3-5 rounds sweat lodge session is $320.00 per single reservation and minimum of three participants. Often I have a list of single participants awaiting a minimum of 3 to join in on so please inquire if you do not currently have the minimum.

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* Please note that modified or customized excursions are available upon request.

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