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Experiencing a Temazcal Ceremony (Sweat Lodge) Like a Local

Last Updated: May 26, 2023 · Mexico, Riviera Nayarit

Experiencing a temazcal ceremony (sweat lodge) was always at the top of my bucket list before leaving Mexico.

And luckily so, the universe would have it that our last Friday in Mexico happened to be the last temazcal of the season hosted by friends of ours. And we got to go!

Here is everything we learned from our first experience in a Mexican temazcal ceremony with locals.

My guide includes temazcal meaning and symbolism, our honest experience, beginner’s tips, and more.

For those who wish to experience a temazcal, keep reading to learn the best five things to know before doing your first sweat lodge ceremony in Mexico.

A HUGE thank you to Tania who graciously re-explained all about temazcal so that I could write this post! xx

Table of Contents show
Guide: Temazcal Ceremony Experience in Mexico
What Is a Temazcal Ceremony in Mexico?
Meaning & Symbolism of a Temazcal Ceremony
The Sweat Lodge
North, South, East, and West
Mitakuye Oyasin
The Aguila / Fire Chief
Medicinal Herbs
The Altar
Instruments and Chants
What Is It Like to Do a Temazcal Ceremony
Our Different Temazcal Experiences
Entering the Temazcal
Surpassing 100°F
After the ceremony
The Benefits of Temazcal
What to Wear for a Temazcal Ceremony in Mexico
Tips for Your First Temazcal Ceremony Experience
Drink tons of water
Bring fruit
Take extra clothes
Sit near the entrance
Get there early
Is a Temazcal a Rebirthing Experience?

Guide: Temazcal Ceremony Experience in Mexico

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

What Is a Temazcal Ceremony in Mexico?

Temazcal is, in short, a sweat lodge or steam bath ceremony. But it’s much more than that!

A temazcal ceremony combines elements of ancient Native American and Mesoamerican rituals to bring cleansing to your mind, body, and soul.

Many writers and those who have experienced it, describe temazcal as a rebirthing experience.

First off, I learned that each temazcal varies in tradition. The Lakota, Navaho, and Mexica (Meshika) have different temazcal ceremony methods.

Therefore different tribes will conduct temazcal ceremonies differently across regions in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.

So with that in mind, our experience as I detail below might not be your experience. (Past, present, or future)!

✨ For me, the temazcal ceremony was an opportunity to let go, purify my mind and intentions, and manifest all that I wish for others or for myself. But to understand what all of this meant, I had to dig deeper

So I asked Tania, our host, to explain to me the processes of the temazcal so that I could better understand the sweat lodge ceremony and its importance.

Here is what she described to me.

But first, it’s good to know that in Mexico, temazcals will vary depending on the traditions that are carried over from other tribes. Tania and Sol adopted differents styles of temazcal into their own ceremonies, but they mostly incorporate Lakota tradition.

What’s more, not anyone can just conduct a temazcal ceremony. Sol, Tania’s partner, first went through four vision quests and four sun dances in order to be able to host private temazcals.

Meaning & Symbolism of a Temazcal Ceremony

Before I jump into our raw and honest temazcal experience, here are some interesting and important things to know about the various elements of a sweat lodge or temazcal ceremony.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

The Sweat Lodge

Sweat Lodge is the dome-like structure you sit inside around a hole filled with volcanic rock. Water is poured over the rocks during the ceremony to create steam.

There are four main “doors” or short sessions and after each round, the doors of the temazcal are opened to release the energy and to allow air to circulate. Our sweat lodge was made from strategically-designed wood sticks that created an 8-point star in the ceiling.

The star shape is meant to connect everything we say or do to the stars and the universe, as at that moment we are inside the earth we are getting unified with the elements.

North, South, East, and West

Four Directions North, South, East, and West. The meanings of the four directions again change depending on tribe tradition.

  • In our ceremony, the East represents consciousness, awakening, light, and knowledge.
  • South represents the will, intentions, manifestation, and strength to make things happen.
  • The West is where the sun sets and thus represents darkness and the dark side to everything.
  • Finally, the North represents our elders, ancestors, traditions, and the air to symbolize stories.

Everything is aligned east and west. So as the light comes in by the east it passes in the direction of the west.

As such, sitting in these spots inside the temazcal results in a powerful channel of energy that can be felt when you sit there. All cleansing and letting go will pass in that direction.

Mitakuye Oyasin

“Mitakuye Oyasin” is what participants say before entering into the temazcal.

It’s Lakota for “for all my relationships” (todas mis relaciones in Spanish) because everything we do, say, or pray in the sweat lodge affects not only us but also all of our relationships on earth. That goes for our relationships with our families, animals, and all beings.

The Aguila / Fire Chief

Fire and the águila de fuego (fire eagle) are crucial to temazcal ceremonies. The fire is how the volcanic rocks are heated.

There is a fire chief (águila) to help transfer the rocks to the ground inside the temazcal.

The more rocks you add, the hotter the temazcal! So it’s common that after each door is opened, the fire chief will bring in more rocks.

By the end, everyone is soaked in their own sweat and even mucus secretions. (Noses often drip heavily and it is a common bodily reaction).

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

The volcanic rocks are heated by fire before slowly adding them into the temazcal

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

Medicinal Herbs

Herbs and plants are thrown into the fire and sprinkled over the volcanic rocks to release fragrant aromas, meant to cleanse the mind and body. Native Americans believe plants have spirits.

As such, the smoke from sage, sweetgrass, or copal (commonly used in Mexico), is used to communicate with the spirit world. They are used for medicinal purposes.

In Mexico, cedar and sage are popularly used medicinal herbs for ceremonies, along with others like rosemary, chamomile, and lavender.

The Altar

Altars are critical in temazcal ceremonies because they are used to connect us with the fire and with the temazcal.

Traditionally, they are located in between the fire and the sweat lodge so that every element can connect us together with the fire. Sometimes a pipe is used, and you are not meant to cross this space so as to not interfere with the prayers and intentions that are going east.

Tania also explained to me that altars are commonly built up with the soil from the dug-out hole inside the temazcal, giving even more connection and meaning to it as the soil represents the earth and all life that it sustains.

Instruments and Chants

Not every temazcal will incorporate music and chanting into its ceremony.

However, that was the case for our sweat lodge experience. Tania and Sol use instruments such as an air drum, or water drum from the Navaho tradition, along with a rattle. In addition to instrumental music, chanting or singing in temazcal ceremonies is common.

Some traditions, for example, the Native Americans in the U.S. and Canada have specific sweat lodge songs, while other traditions use a mixture of songs.

The songs aren’t just for entertainment though. Most of these songs tell stories!

Singing and chanting are how the meaning is shared with people and with spirits.

Tania and Sol sing almost any kind of chant, like Spanish songs that are kept in the Mexican contemporary tradition.

There are many other symbols and meanings behind a temazcal sweat lodge ceremony. Loads more than I am able to describe here. But already, I hope you can better understand what a temazcal ceremony is.

But what is it really like inside?

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

Mats for participants to sit on around the hole where the rocks will be placed

What Is It Like to Do a Temazcal Ceremony

Our temazcal ceremony took place in the backyard of our host’s home, in a small neighboring community from where we lived in San Pancho.

Tania and Sol were extremely courteous and welcoming. I had met Tania through aerial silk classes and had heard about her last temazcal of the season via a mutual friend.

We arrived early, at 4 pm, in time to see the preparation of the ceremonial fire which heats the volcanic rocks that are used inside the temazcal structure.

We have seen Mayan temazcal structures in Yucatan and Quintana Roo made from stone and hard mud. But this temazcal was fashioned together using strategically-designed sticks.

In the middle was a small dug-out hole, where the volcanic rocks would be placed. As Sol and Tania would later describe, the structure of this temazcal was well-thought-out.

The roof was in the shape of an 8-point star. The star shape in the ceiling represents and connects us to the stars and the universe.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

Tania and Sol’s temazcal was made with wooden sticks and covered with thick blankets. 

Our Different Temazcal Experiences

If you asked my partner Paul, our temazcal experiences were completely different!

While I had a positive one, Paul’s was rather frustrating. It’s hard to know what to expect, even if people tell you about their own experiences.

A couple of days before the ceremony, I asked Tania for beginner’s tips. Out of all of them, she highlighted to drink lots and lots and LOTS of water the day before and the day of the ceremony. While I took this seriously and was drinking water almost constantly, Paul drank about the same as usual. What’s more, he chose to have two cups of coffee on the day of the ceremony.

For most first-timers, a temazcal is a mental test.

And for some people, it can be too challenging. Especially if you do not like cramped, dark spaces, which Paul does not. And this particular ceremony was jam-packed with people. We were around 30 people to fit into this tent. I’m still not sure how that managed to work.

Paul was able to experience the first door or session of the temazcal ceremony. The heat was extremely overpowering.

Even Tania later told us it was too hot for beginners. Paul needed to exit the ceremony after the first door was opened. After that, he couldn’t make himself come back inside after that.

As for me, I stayed inside the temazcal because, despite the sense of claustrophobia, I knew I could make it through if I just focused on my breathing.

The second round was tougher than the first, and I started to believe I wasn’t going to make it. But once I got out to breathe at the second door, I felt a sense of energy that grounded me and calmed me.

I was able to stay inside for sessions three and four without exiting.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

Once inside, the aguila closes the door and the ceremony starts (Paul’s photo after exiting)

Entering the Temazcal

We lined up one by one to kneel at the entrance of the temazcal, acknowledge the earth and say “Mitakuya oyasin y por todas mis relaciones.”

They say if you are a beginner to stay near the door, but the way we had lined up didn’t give us that option. Instead, we shuffled to the very back of the temazcal, which some people call the “Buffalo” position. Tania said she doesn’t know why the Buffalo is considered the strongest, but that it is likely because the energy is passing through that direction (west).

They closed the door to the temazcal and our hearts raced. Paul and I were squeezing each other’s hands so hard.

The ceremony began with Sol speaking in Spanish, which we could understand more or less. But not fully being able to understand the story and meaning behind what he was saying made us not as “in tune” as we could have been, I think.

Then we heard the first ladle of water being splashed onto the heated volcanic rocks, which had been burning for a couple of hours now. The hot vapor and the steam hit us like a brick wall in the face. It was pretty overwhelming to take that first breath in with all the aromas in the steam!

I tried my best to stay comfortable, with my knees up to my chest. I could feel the sweat forming. Soon, I was wiping the sweat from entering my eyes and mouth.

Soon after that, there wasn’t a dry bit of dress left to soak up the extra. Every ounce of sweat now just seeped into the earth.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri

“Drenched” doesn’t even do it justice

Surpassing 100°F

The temazcal became hotter, and hotter, and hotter. We easily surpassed over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Paul said we were inside the temazcal for at least 45 minutes to an hour. And that’s after he left the first session.

For me, it seemed to go by in just 15 minutes or so. Due to the intensity of the temazcal, people can lose track of time. And I think that’s definitely what happened to me!

After each session or door, the group would focus our intentions and prayers in another direction (N, S, E, W). I don’t remember much from the chants and stories, but I remember the fourth door or our last session quite well. It was about focusing on our relationships; our families and everything we prayed and manifested for was for them.

I remember focusing my attention on each one of my family members; their problems, health, and aspirations. And I also thought about my grandpa, who passed away earlier this year.

It was a powerful way to end the ceremony for me.

After the ceremony

At the end of the ceremony, we opened up the temazcal. Everyone took a 15-30 minute resting period. Some of us stayed inside the temazcal and we went around the circle to say a few words.

I shared how grateful I was for the opportunity and for everyone’s support. The period after temazcal is also important. Lots of people lied down with their backs on the ground. This further connects one to feel the earth and be thankful.

We all came out of there drenched with purply red faces. We all hugged each other and shared fruit and homemade pozole (a Mexican soupy dish) together. There was a strong sense of community and mutual understanding that we won’t forget.

For us, experiencing a temazcal with locals and people we knew was very humbling and special!

If you ever get the chance to participate in one of the Mexican sweat lodge ceremonies, you should do so with an open mind and heart.

Sharing homemade pozole and fruit after the ceremony

The Benefits of Temazcal

There are so many benefits of temazcal. But the most prominent is of course purification of the mind and body. Some might even say it’s a spiritual cleansing as well!

The high-intensity heat (+ duration) allows your body to purge itself of toxins. Since you sweat so much in temazcal, it makes sense that you’re ridding your body of some blockages. It’s not uncommon for your mucosal glands to drain (like your nose).

Temazcal also helps to cleanse your mind. 

Whether you’re healing from past trauma, want to rid yourself of negative energy, or simply want to redirect your intentions, temazcal is good for that.

Temazcal benefits vary from person to person, however. The cleansing and purification from the ritual are rather subjective depending on your unique temazcal experience.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
Hard to imagine there being 30 people inside that temazcal, right? A cute boy waits for his mom

What to Wear for a Temazcal Ceremony in Mexico

What to wear to a temazcal ceremony is a common question. So I asked each one of my friends who had previously been to temazcal ceremonies for their thoughts on the matter.

Almost unanimously they said to wear a long skirt or light dress and a bathing suit. For men, it was swim trunks or shorts and a light shirt.

Apparently, it’s also common for women to remove their underwear underneath their skirts in order to have a better connection with the earth inside the temazcal.

But if you are new to temazcal it is completely fine to wear a bathing suit underneath, which is what I did under my cotton dress.

In general, you want to avoid wearing anything synthetic. In temazcal, you will sweat ungodly amounts! Trust me, you won’t believe it until you experience it.

Wearing light linen skirts or organic cotton dresses or loose skirts is the best clothing to wear to a temazcal ceremony.


Tips for Your First Temazcal Ceremony Experience

Here are some beginner’s tips I put together in case you add temazcal to your Mexico bucket list!

Drink tons of water

1. Drink water constantly the day before and day of and day after the ceremony. If you read about Paul’s experience, I think he felt unwell not only because it was crowded, but I don’t think he drank enough water. He had two cups of coffee that day as well, which makes your heart race anyway. As for me, I drank water almost every 30 minutes for two days straight and it definitely made me feel more comfortable going into the ceremony. Especially because I am known to pass out when I get overheated.

Bring fruit

2. Bring fruit or water to share after the temazcal ceremony. It’s common (and polite) to bring fresh fruit to a ceremony so that you can share it with everyone after the ceremony has ended. Eating fresh fruits and sometimes drinking agua fresca is meant to replenish your body after the temazcal purification.

Take extra clothes

3. Take an extra change of clothes and wear only light, breathable natural fabrics. The more light and breathable your clothes, the better. Natural and organic fabrics are the best thing to wear in a sweat lodge so your body can release its toxins properly. Wear only loose clothing as you’ll likely be sitting cross-legged inside. After the ceremony, you can rinse off and change into dry clothes.

Sit near the entrance

4. Ask to sit near the entrance door inside the temazcal if you are worried about the heat or space. If it’s your first time and you don’t like small spaces, you can ask to be next to the door so you get a nice breeze after each session. Being here also places you in a good position to exit quickly in case you get sick.

Get there early

5. Get there early to help build the fire, ask questions, and relax before the ceremony begins. I think arriving early and getting to understand temazcal better helped me better appreciate the experience. It gave me time to speak with the hosts and learn about the sweat lodge practices before entering into the temazcal.

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
We were there early enough to help cover the temazcal with blankets and learn more about the ritual

Is a Temazcal a Rebirthing Experience?

A temazcal is typically described as a rebirthing experience because the lodge often represents the womb of a mother or the womb of the earth. It’s as if you were going back into the womb. So when you come back out, you go through a rebirthing experience. It can be extremely powerful, but it depends on your intentions and experience.

Not everyone will come out feeling like their lives have changed. For me, it definitely aided me in realigning myself and my intentions, while letting go of negative mental energy.

You can do temazcal once a week and many people do. For others, it’s a one-time experience. It all depends on you!

So what do you think? Would you try a Mexican sweat lodge? Drop your thoughts and comments below!

Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
Temazcal Ceremony Mexico: Ultimate guide to experiencing a temazcal ceremony with locals in Mexico. #mexico #temazcal #ritual #travel #bucketlist | bucketlist bri
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By: Bri · In: Mexico, Riviera Nayarit

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Comments

  1. J says

    May 26, 2023 at 12:30 pm

    Please change your language from “native americans believed” to an active tense. Native americans very much still exist and maintain these beliefs.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 26, 2023 at 1:42 pm

      Absolutely! Thank you for catching that and fully agree 🙏

      Reply
  2. Brandi Carman says

    December 28, 2022 at 6:30 pm

    Yes I’m actually doing one too night. My first time so I am so glad to come across your article l. It has been very helpful and I’m not so blind going into this.. now I’ll be wearing the correct attire and be hydrated for the event. Thank you o much !! I’m really looking forward to tonight

    Reply
    • Bri says

      December 30, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      Aww, I hope you had a wonderful experience! I would love to hear back to see what you think!

      Reply
  3. Robert Cooprider says

    May 17, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    Sounds wonderful and healing.

    Would you please send contact info for the people who did the ceremony?

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 30, 2022 at 12:49 pm

      Hey Robert – sure! Could you shoot me an email? It’s hello@bucketlistbri(dot)com. Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Susan says

    December 21, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    Can you send information on the contacts and where for this ceremony? I’ve done many Lakota sweat lodges and would love to do this in Tulum when I visit in February.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      December 22, 2021 at 3:46 am

      Hi Susan! That sounds wonderful. FYI, we weren’t in Tulum at the time, this experience took place in Lo De Marcos, in the state of Nayarit. x

      Reply
  5. Rachael says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:10 pm

    I’ve never heard of this until now, but what a great experience to have!

    Reply
  6. Justine Jenkins says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:59 am

    Oh wow! What an incredible experience! I’m like Paul in that I could get claustrophobic but it would still be an incredible experience to try one day. Thanks for the tips too – I wouldn’t have known about bringing fresh fruit 🙂

    Reply
  7. Albi says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:14 am

    Looks like an awesome experience, I’m planning to go to Mexico in February, now I know what to try!

    Reply
  8. Elsa says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:10 am

    Great learning. You are lucky, you had the temazcal experience. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Amanda says

    December 7, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    Such an interesting post! I have actually never heard of this before but it must have been such a unique experience!

    Reply
  10. Erin says

    December 7, 2019 at 4:37 pm

    Sounds like an incredible experience. Thanks for this thorough post – learned alot. I’m going to keep a sweat lodge in mind for next time I’m in Mexico.

    Reply
  11. Christine Wheeler says

    December 7, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    What an experience! I think it would be tough for me since I don’t like small dark spaces, but it would definitely be a unique experience to try.

    Reply

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
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When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

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My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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