I’ve done a few temazcal — traditional Mexican sweat cleansing ceremonies — in different locations in Mexico, but the one I attended in Isla Mujeres was by far the best. I was invited to take part in a special ceremony to enjoy a temazcal with Ixchel, a Mayan goddess. Ixchel is in a prime location on top of the headland in Isla Mujeres’ statue park in Punta Sur, at the southernmost tip of the island.
The lush, verdant landscape is contrasted by the blue of the Caribbean , making for a perfect location to meet a goddess. When you travel through southern Mexico and the Yucatán, you will encounter the beautiful Mayan culture all around you. Vibrant street murals depict Mayan warriors, gods, and goddesses.
Smiling locals wear t-shirts adorned with Mayan deities. They are proud of their heritage. The islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel are tied to Ixchel.
As the Mayan goddess of fertility, healing, childbirth, and medicine, she’s a part of everyday life. On Cozumel, I had a life-changing experience. I connected with the goddess in a temazcal.
We were the only foreigners. My friend and I joined Mexican and Mayan women at Pueblo del Maiz. It was a special temazcal honoring the goddess Ixchel.
Not to be confused with mezcal, the delicious drink, a temazcal is a sweat lodge. A small stone structure where people place hot rocks in a pit in the middle. Herbed water is then splashed onto the rocks to produce steam.
It feels like aromatherapy in a sauna. Mesoamerican people have been using Temazcals since pre-Hispanic times. The ceremonies are an integral part of Mexico’s history and tradition.
These temazcal ceremonies are used for holistic health. They promote wellness of the mind, body, and soul. A long, powerful conch call sent shivers down my spine.
Goosebumps broke out, making the hair on my arms and neck stand up. It’s exactly how I imagined it would feel to be in the presence of a deity. Our guide was dressed as a Mayan warrior.
He calmly smiled and greeted us. Then, he led us through lush gardens to a statue of Ixchel. Here, we make offerings and cleanse ourselves in the hearty smoke of copal incense.
I stepped forward, placed my offering — some white maize kernels — into a bowl on the altar, and sprinkled copal into the chalice. Plumes of thick white smoke billowed up. I cupped my hands and wafted the smoke over my face and head, purifying and cleansing my energy before the temazcal ceremony began.
Following a jungle pathway, a clearing opened in front of us. Birds sang overhead, and a huge statue of Ixchel stood before us. Then I saw her.
Our shaman was a heavily pregnant woman, holding a wooden staff adorned with a sea turtle skull and a flaming torch. Outside the temazcal, a fire heated the rocks. Gathering around, each of us was given a local herb leaf.
One by one, each woman stepped forward and told the group why she was there and what she hoped to gain from the temazcal. They all spoke from the heart. Despite the multitude of reasons, one main thing stands out: love.
I scrunched my leaf and gave thanks. I hurled it into the fire, along with my intentions for the temazcal. It was dark in the temazcal.
Then the heated rocks started coming in. A chorus of “Bienvenidos abuelita” or “welcome grandmother” greeted every stone entering.” It was an ancestral connection to the earth.
Things started to warm up and I felt the first prickles of sweat. Then someone closed the door. It was as black as midnight on a moonless night.
Then, woosh! A cloud of fragrant steam hit my face. A herbal tea splashed on the hot rocks, producing a welcome, homely smell. When the door opened the first time, it felt like it had been five minutes, not forty.
Sweat trickled down everywhere, sticky but not unpleasant. Things were about to get stickier. Ground cacao beans mixed with honey were passed around.
Rubbing it all over my face, arms, and legs felt amazing. Best of all, it also smelt amazing. It was hard to resist licking it off before the honey and chocolate could do their detoxification work.
Using the last of the herbal tea to wash the honey and chocolate off at the end, I must say, my skin has never felt so soft. It was incredible. The best beauty treatment of my life from sitting in a sweaty temazcal.
Stepping out into the cool jungle, a large container of cold water was dumped over us, completing the ceremony. It was refreshing. A new awakening.
Plus, it was nice to wash away the sweat and stickiness of honey. That completes the Baño de Ixchel temazcal and it’s hands down the best I’ve done so far. Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms.
Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon..
