Modern motivational speakers and self-help gurus like Ray have been known to charge significant amounts of money to hopeful participants looking for a healing, authentic sweat lodge experience. Julianna’s response? “I’m totally against it.”

She does empathize, however, likening this trend to the modern, western adoption of yoga. “Everyone has a right to explore,” she explains. “Just not to bastardize.”

At first drawn to the physical benefits of yoga, Julianna now works hard to show her respect for the practice by learning and appreciating its roots. She only hopes that those who seek out sweat lodges will do the same.

During South Dakota’s coldest winter on record, Julianna was producing a documentary called Wounded Kneeabout the 71-day standoff on Pine Ridge Reservation, led by a group of more than 200 activists from the American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1973. The film production was welcomed by the local native community (a feat in and of itself) – but Julianna and her director were even more surprised when they were given a unique invitation to attend a sweat on the reservation.

Julianna recalls how the ceremony began – one by one, she and the rest of their small group entered the lodge in a clockwise circle, enveloped by complete darkness. Although there is traditionally very little speaking (save for the ceremonial leader), sweat participants are allowed to pray out loud to a God or spirit, usually in the native tongue of the sweat’s leader.
Prayer, chants, song, and of course – sweat – transcend time. How long does it last exactly? That’s a question many find difficult to answer.

“A couple hours maybe? Who knows,” says Julianna. “You suffer through it. A part of that suffering can be related to the fact that you have to give up something to have your prayers answered. Physically, it’s very tough. When you’re praying, you’re purging all of these toxins and all of this negative energy. When you’re done, you just feel like you’ve woken up from a coma. It’s pretty powerful.”

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