When people profess their love of steam rooms and how relaxed they feel afterward, I nod along, knowing I’d prefer a freezing plunge. Sweat soaking, skin reddening, lungs struggling in the thick air — if I want to warm up, a nice spot on the beach will do just fine.
Yet, there I was, seated on a towel in W Mexico City’s temazcal, an igloo-shaped sweat lodge. I could barely think in the stifling heat, perspiration dripping down every inch of my body. A shaman was across from me, making the small space even steamier as she ladled scented water onto volcanic rocks. Streams of sweat were becoming rivers, and soon the rivers became tributaries.
I was starting to berate myself for not enjoying this. After all, this ritual for cleansing the mind, body and soul has been part of Mexican culture for about 1,000 years. “From the pre-Columbian era to the present day, the practice of temazcal has held various spiritual meanings, rooted in its benefits for purification and connection with the essential elements of indigenous cosmology: earth, fire, water and air,” said Cesandari del Valle, Away Spa manager at W Mexico City. “These elements combine to create a therapeutic environment of heat and moisture. At W Mexico City, we honor this tradition by offering our own shaman-led experience, providing a safe space for visitors to release daily concerns, find balance, indulge in life’s pleasures and detoxify the body.”
I was aware of the reported physical benefits of the temazcal, which comes from the Nahuatl word temazcalli, or “house of heat.” Aside from detoxifying, it’s reported to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, aid digestion, reactivate the lymphatic system, clear congestion, strengthen the liver and clean the kidneys. It’s also said to affect you in other ways: it promotes relaxation, helps release negative emotions and restores your connection with Mother Nature.
This was not what my initial moments were suggesting. The tributaries were now lakes, and I was sure my skin was growing more crimson by the second.
As the shaman chanted during the treatment, my usually constantly racing mind began to slow, and before long, it was at a standstill. The shaman saying she could tell I came from a long line of strong women. My inner dialogue before notwithstanding, she was right. I thought of my mother, my aunts and my grandmother — pillars of strength in my family. Suddenly, I forgot about the sweltering heat. After 90 minutes there — more meditative than any meditation I’ve experienced — I left feeling lighter physically and mentally.
W Mexico City is the only hotel in the city to offer a temazcal, and even more unusual, the structure sits inside the spa — most properties have them as standalone buildings. But
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