To elaborate on the first article in this Howler series, inipi is a ceremony to purify our bodies and minds. It originated with the sacred rituals of the indigenous native Americans.

Inipi comes from the Lakota word “iniunkajaktelo,” which means, “let’s pray to the sweat lodge.”

In Mesoamérica it is known as temazcal, from the Náhuatl language. “Temaz” means steam and “calli is house,” so together they translate to “steam house.”

Our last article, part 2 in the October issue of Howler, concluded with a preview of what we’re looking at this time: the therapeutic benefits of infrared and ozone that this sacred ritual offers. 

Did you know that ozone and infrared therapies are methods to treat pain and inflammation in various parts of the body — and that they enhance cell regeneration at the same time? Did you know that our native American ancestors knew about this a long time ago? 

The steam that is produced inside the temazcal when water is sprayed on the red-hot volcanic stones creates a significant amount of negatively charged ozone. The action of shaking the bouquet of aromatic leaves causes medicinal alkaloids to be shed, and their essences — combined with the ionizing energy — produces even more ozone. 

Modern science has discovered important therapeutic uses of ozone, including its highly beneficial germicidal action. Inside the temazcal, it acts as a powerful natural antimicrobial.

The high presence of negative ions exerts reactions in the body, causing the aura (electromagnetic bio-structuring pattern) to expand. This manifests radiantly in all functions of the body, including those of the brain. 

The practice of temazcal allows and encourages this auric intelligence to regenerate the body. 

The electric field travels through all cells, organs and the entire nervous system, stimulating all physiological functions and metabolism. If the electric field is too weak, tiredness, listlessness and lack of vitality are manifested. This is the main cause of fatigue and numbness that many people feel when traveling in cars, airplanes, tanks, submarines, and trains. 

The same thing can happen when working in an environment with air conditioning or heating. It may leave people feeling completely exhausted, even if they are only sitting behind a desk. But someone working outside in a field for the same number of hours, exerting strenuous physical effort, does not experience this kind of exhaustion at the end of their day. The difference between these scenarios is air quality.

The infrared rays emitted by hot stones in a sweat lodge are very helpful, especially in those conditions where these rays have demonstrated their efficacy and therapeutic benefits. 

The healing effects of infrared rays are also very important and beneficial as an alternative pain treatment. This has been shown in people with rheumatoid arthritis, with a positive impact on the rehabilitation of joints affected by this disease. There’s a similar therapeutic effect in treating sciatica, rheumatism and other conditions where improvements relate to increased blood flow, decreased joint stiffness and pain, improved circulation and reduced stress.

In summary, these are all potential benefits of temazcal or inipi: 

• Relieves premenstrual discomfort 
• Weight loss 
• Detoxification of all the body systems and organs 
• Improves blood circulation 
• Purifies the digestive system 
• Relieves muscle problems 
• Improves any bone condition 
• Filters the airways 
• Encourages introspection and reflection 
• Enhances liver health 
• Reduces the size of ovarian cysts
• Relaxes the nervous system, reducing stress and anguish
• Solves problems of menstrual irregularity
• Tones and improves the skin