mythological aspects of the religion in an attempt to understand the major

underlying concepts present. However, an equally rewarding study often can be

accomplished through the careful analysis of the religion's ritual aspects.

This is especially true when studying North American Indian religions where

there is an abundance of elaborate rituals that play a significant role in their

culture. By closely examining the details and symbolism of ritual movements, we

can gather some basic understanding of what is seen to be of value in a certain

theology. While most Native American rituals tend to be mono-cultural, there

are a few rituals that frequently appear in many different regions and tribes

across North America. Two of these widespread rituals are the ritual of the

"sacred pipe," and sweat lodge ceremonials. The sacred pipe ritual is loaded

with symbolic meaning, and offers a generous insight into Native American belief

systems. This essay will first look at the dynamics of the sacred pipe ritual

and offer some explanation into its religious significance, then draw some

parallels to the more common sweat lodge ceremony. If a recurring spiritua

refers to the person holding the pipe. The next sphere is comprised of one's

is similar to the sacred pipe ritual in respect to the great spiritual

sun, the earth, and all of nature in general. This would help explain how

ritual involving direct communication with the spirits. The sweat lodge ritual

The sweat lodge is a dome-shaped structure, and every part has a

the pipe towards each spiritual recipient, which can be done either before or

ago. The distinguishing characteristic of the sacred pipe is that the bowl is

Vecsey. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 1981.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Native American, North America, Wind Thunder, Earth Earthen, North American, James Bay, , American Indian, sacred pipe, sweat lodge, American Indians, sacred pipe ritual, pipe ritual, Oklahoma Press, native american, pipe seen, north america, north american, american indian, female earth, bowl pipe, sky female earth, pipe sweat lodge, male sky female, sacred pipe sweat,
Approximate Word count = 1698
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)