Sweat lodge, also known as temazcal, inipi, or sauna, means “house of heat.” At PachaMama, it is offered as a subtle yet deeply powerful setting for purification of body, mind, and spirit.
This ancient ceremony appears in many cultures and works through the elements of fire and water. Together, they create steam — a force traditionally used to cleanse, relax, and restore connection with the natural world.
The sweat lodge is a shared human tradition, known by different names around the world. In Scandinavia, it lives on as the sauna; in Scotland, ancient hot stone domes have been discovered; in Mexico, the temazcal remains a long-standing practice; and among the Lakota, it is known as inipi. Similar forms also appear in longhouse traditions.
Across these cultures, the ceremony reflects a common understanding of steam as a source of healing and purification.
At PachaMama, this tradition was first planted by the indigenous moon dance elders of Mexico and Puerto Rico. Their teachings continue to guide the practice here, helping preserve its authenticity and respect for its roots. Later, elders from the north and south also brought the Lakota tradition of the inipi.
In Lakota, inipi means “to live again,” a name that speaks to the renewal and rebirth often felt in the ceremony.
The Lakota people understand this practice as a way to release both physical and non-physical impurities and emerge refreshed. The inipi is one of the seven sacred ceremonies given to the Lakota people by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Other embraced traditions include the Vision Quest, or Hamblecha, and the Spirit Dance.
While the Sundance is not held here, many members of the community are Sundancers, and these practices remain part of the wider spiritual life.
Costa Rica has long been a meeting point on the historic trade route between north and south, where tribes traveled, exchanged goods, ideas, and knowledge. PachaMama is grateful to continue that spirit of exchange, welcoming people from north and south, east and west to experience these traditions together.
In traditional settings, the sweat lodge is a temporary structure shaped by sacred geometry and adapted to the tropical climate. In other places, it may be permanent, built from clay bricks or cement.
The entrance often faces the fire to the east, symbolizing dawn and new beginnings. Inside, the ceremony becomes a space for personal and collective purification, prayer, contemplation, and connection with the Earth and with one another.
The steam rises from heated stones brought into the lodge from the fire. These stones represent ancestral wisdom and are honored as grandmothers or grandfathers, acknowledging them as wise elder presences of the ancestors.
Within the dark, womb-like space of the lodge, participants enter an attitude of humble offering, leaving the outside world behind for a time. This creates a rare space for direct communication with the elements.
The union of fire and water — known as atlatchinoli — brings forth the song of the stones and the presence of spirit. Prayers are carried in silence and through speech, song, and poetry, joining individual intentions into a shared field of energy. Tobacco is often used to carry prayers and intentions to the spirit realms.
Drums and maracas add a rhythmic presence inside the lodge, supporting the prayers and connecting participants with the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
The sweat lodge helps us remember what we once knew and rediscover our place within the natural order of life.
Weekly community sweats in the village, along with special ceremonies during full moons and within other practices such as silence retreats, Vision Quest, Spirit Dance, and Woman’s work, offer a way to restore harmony among all beings. In this spirit, the words “Aho Mitakuye Oyasin” — For All Our Relations — are invoked.
At PachaMama, the sweat lodge ceremony honors the wisdom of ancient traditions.
It is a place of purification, connection, and renewal, approached with humility and reverence. Through this sacred practice, participants are invited to reconnect with the Earth and recognize the interconnectedness of all life.
The AC Rooms are an air-conditioned, peaceful and private option for those seeking more of the comforts of home. They include one large bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a balcony sitting area, and a kitchenette including a sink, electric stove and mini-bar fridge. Each AC Room has a private bathroom with a hot shower. These 20 square meter rooms can be closed completely with sliding doors, window screens, and shades. Located right by the Internest, the AC Rooms are five minutes walking distance from the village center.
The villa is the perfect elegant retreat for a couple or a family in a spacious home. Each air conditioned villa is 95 square meters, has one master bedroom with a king-size bed and a smaller bedroom with one double bed. A single mattress can be placed in the master bedroom if needed for an additional child. The basic kitchen and large living room have a beautiful view of a forested valley, and the outdoor dining area creates a relaxing and open atmosphere for jungle days. The Villas are a three minute walk to the village center.
This villa is perfect for an elegant retreat for a couple or a family in a spacious home. The air conditioned villa is 95 square meters, has one master bedroom with a king-size bed and a smaller bedroom with one double bed. A single mattress can be placed in the master bedroom if needed for an additional child. The basic kitchen and large living room have a beautiful view of a forested valley, and the outdoor dining area creates a relaxing and open atmosphere for jungle days. Villa Lua is a three minute walk to the village center.
The villa is the perfect elegant retreat for a couple or a family in a spacious home. Each air conditioned villa is 95 square meters, has one master bedroom with a king-size bed and a smaller bedroom with one double bed. A single mattress can be placed in the master bedroom if needed for an additional child. The basic kitchen and large living room have a beautiful view of a forested valley, and the outdoor dining area creates a relaxing and open atmosphere for jungle days. The Villas are a three minute walk to the village center.
with AC, kitchenette, bathroom, outside balcony
Full Size Bed (open air, screened in walls, private hot shower)
The AC Rooms are an air-conditioned, peaceful and private option for those seeking more of the comforts of home. They include one large bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a balcony sitting area, and a small refrigerator. Each cottage has a private bathroom with a hot shower. These 20 square meter rooms can be closed completely with sliding doors, window screens, and shades. Located right by the Internet Cafe, the cottages are five minutes’ walking distance from the village centre.
The 17 sq meter Forest Studios are furnished with a standard queen-size bed ideal for up to two adults. In addition to all the amenities in the standard bungalow, it has a full private bathroom and kitchenette including a sink, gas stove and mini-bar fridge. This option is ideal for couples who love the feel of the forest, but still want the privacy and comfort of an upgraded bathroom and kitchen.
These open-air, screened-in bungalows are about 2 minutes walking distance from the village center. The bungalows merge comfort and organic qualities by providing a completely screened-in option built from wood in the pristine PachaMama forest. Furnished with a standard queen-size bed, all bungalows are ideal for up to two adults. Sliding screen doors separate the main space from the balcony to make this accommodation virtually bug-free. Ceramic floors, wooden walls and a covered balcony give a very cozy feeling overlooking the forest. Bungalows measure 14 sq meters and each has private hot showers and are located in the vicinity of shared compost toilets.
Chandani
Qayla
Agni
Apartado #110, Boca de Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nicoya, 50206, Costa Rica
Nicoya