Traditional Mexican purification rituals
Temazcal and Flower Bath
Two rituals rooted in local Mexican tradition. Heat and steam, then herbs and water.
The temazcal
A traditional sweat lodge
A low dome, hot volcanic stones, steam, herbs and song.
The temazcal is one of the oldest ceremonial practices in Mexico. You sit in a dark, enclosed dome while water and herbs are poured over heated stones.
It runs in rounds. Between rounds the door opens, cool air comes in, and you can step out if you need to. Nobody is trapped in there and nobody is judged for leaving.
It gets genuinely hot. Tell the facilitators about any heart condition, blood pressure issue or pregnancy beforehand — this is one of the practices where that matters most.
The flower bath
Water, petals and quiet
The flower bath follows the heat. Warm water and fresh flowers, poured over you, usually in silence.
It is gentle, and for many women it is unexpectedly emotional — not because of the flowers, but because being cared for without having to ask is unfamiliar.
Practical
What to bring and what to know
Swimwear or something light you can sweat in. Something loose and dry for afterwards. Drink plenty of water beforehand.
Both rituals sit before the ceremony in the week, as part of settling in and clearing the noise of travel.
As with everything at Portals, both are invitations. Sitting one out is fine.
In their words
Women who walked through
“The retreat gave me a sisterhood I didn’t know I was missing.”
I feel nourished, full of love, and very relaxed. The quality of women who led and attended were full of wisdom and personality.
The dynamic at the end, filled with harmony, love, and connection, illustrated the retreat’s essence perfectly.
If you are feeling stuck, broken, exhausted, or simply in need of refuge and connection, go to the Portals Retreat. It’s a beautiful opportunity to reconnect with your wholeness.
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Questions
The things women ask us
It is a traditional Mexican sweat lodge — a low, dome-shaped structure you sit inside while water and herbs are poured over heated volcanic stones. It has been used ceremonially in Mexico for centuries, and here it is led with song and structure by our facilitators.
Tell us beforehand and we will seat you nearest the door, which stays within reach the entire time. The temazcal runs in rounds, and the door opens fully between each one so you can step out, cool down, or leave altogether without any explanation needed.
It gets genuinely hot inside, so heart conditions, blood pressure issues and pregnancy are all things you need to flag with facilitators beforehand — this is one of the practices where that conversation matters most. As with the wider safety assessment, we would rather know in advance than have you push through something you should have sat out.
Hot and steamy, in a dark, enclosed space, with the heat building in stages across each round. Most women describe it as intense rather than unbearable, and the option to step out between rounds keeps it manageable.
It follows the temazcal. Warm water and fresh flowers are poured over you, usually in an unhurried silence. It is gentle, and several women have found it more emotional than the heat that came before it.
Both are invitations, like everything else at Portals. If the heat is not for you, you can take part in the flower bath alone, or sit outside for the whole thing and rejoin the group afterwards.
The rest of the week
One ceremony, held with live medicine music
Ayahuasca Ceremony
One ceremony across the week, held by an experienced ceremonialist with live music through the night.
What this is
Soundbath for nervous system regulation
Sound Healing
Soundbaths that let the nervous system drop out of survival mode and into rest.
What this is
Finding your voice and your power
Vocal Activation
A workshop to meet your own voice — expression, confidence, and the power that lives in being heard.
What this isStep through the Portal.
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