Sweat Lodge

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Sweat is an ancient sacred ritual of the Indigenous peoples. The Sweat Lodge traces its roots to the Indigenous peoples of North America.

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Somp Noh Noh, also known as the Cloud Man, came to Iceland on May 19, 1991, and the first sweat lodge ceremony was held at Helgufoss. We learned the method from the Lakota Chukchansi tribe through his teachings. Somp Noh Noh shared this knowledge with Nonni and Heiðar so that the tradition of the sweat lodge could be preserved in Iceland, and they became the guardians of the sweat lodge tradition in the country. They practiced and led ceremonies for 20 years.

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A sweat lodge is a spiritual cleansing that involves the purification of the mind, body, and soul. We enter the sweat lodge to be reborn, to surrender our ego, and to begin a new chapter. We let go of thoughts that no longer serve us.

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It varies what people bring with them into the sweat lodge. For example, it can be about overcoming oneself, allowing thoughts to flow freely, and sitting with one’s emotions. When we come out, we are given a new opportunity to step into a fresh beginning.

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The sweat lodge is often compared to a womb, and it is said to represent the womb of Mother Earth.

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We honor the traditions while also creating our own.

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In 2015, Valur began building the frame of the sweat lodge. He had received the message that there should be a sweat lodge at Birkihof. In 2016, we invited Laila to lead sweat lodge ceremonies at Birkihof. Laila began participating in sweat lodge ceremonies with Somp Noh Noh, who brought the sweat lodge to Iceland, and she had been practicing since 1992. Laila later became a co-owner and led the ceremonies with us. Valur was the firekeeper and Laufey was the stonekeeper. Today, we, the couple Laufey and Valur, have been leading the sweat lodge in recent years, holding onto the original ritual while also making it our own.

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Valur was introduced to the sweat lodge in 2001, and it has been a very significant part of his  spiritual journey ever since. In 2010, we met, and Valur invited me on a surprise date. He told me to bring a swimsuit, and I had no idea where we were going. I had recently become sober at that time and was afraid of what the future might bring.

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I arrived at Nonni and Heiðar’s place, and we began by dancing. It was incredibly difficult for me because I was so caught up in my ego. I felt like everyone was watching me, and I felt awkward. Everyone else danced with their eyes closed, but I kept peeking. Then Nonni looked at me and said: “Be the dance, not the dancer.” I closed my eyes, let go of everything, and allowed myself to enter into beautiful flow dance flow.

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When I entered the sweat lodge, I went through a difficult moment. I was facing myself, and it was hard to feel all my emotions again after becoming sober. Fear and joy flowed through me at the same time.

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When I stepped out of the sweat lodge, the grass seemed greener, the sky bluer, and the trees stood still, welcoming me. This was a new beginning. I felt reborn, and I knew that I could now look forward to this new beginning because I had been given a new opportunity in life. Tears ran down my cheeks, and I felt so grateful for the life I have.

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This was the beginning of us looking at each other and knowing that the sweat lodge would become a big part of our lives.

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Not included

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• Take two towels with you

• Shoes in order to walk to the tent. e.g. sandals or other light footwear

• Swimwear

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