Sweat Lodge Ceremony

At Terra Nova Center, the Sweat Lodge is offered as a sacred spiritual ceremony, honored in prayer and guided by Indigenous tradition. This is not a workshop, wellness activity, or performance—it is ceremony.

The Sweat Lodge is held by Yona FrenchHawk, a Cherokee Wisdom Keeper, who carries this work with humility, reverence, and responsibility. The ceremony is held in the Cherokee way of living and doing things in a good way—with respect for the Ancestors, Mother Earth, Spirit, and community.

When you come to the lodge, you are stepping into a living prayer space. Guests are asked to arrive with presence, respect, and an openness to being part of a shared ceremonial container.

What Is a Cherokee Sweat Lodge?

In Cherokee tradition, the Sweat Lodge is a place of purification, prayer, remembrance, and renewal. When you enter the lodge, you are entering the womb of Mother Earth—a space of darkness, heat, prayer, and rebirth.

The heated stones brought into the lodge are known as the Ancestors. They are invited in with prayer and respect, carrying wisdom, memory, and Spirit. As water is poured onto the Ancestors, steam rises, prayers are spoken, songs may be shared, and silence is honored. Each round of the lodge unfolds as it is meant to, guided by Spirit and the Ceremonial Leader.

Every ceremony is unique. Guests are invited to release what no longer serves, offer prayers for themselves or others, give thanks, or simply sit in communion with Spirit and Earth.

A Sacred Invitation

The Sweat Lodge at Terra Nova Center is offered in prayer, not performance.
In reverence, not spectacle.
In community, not isolation.

We walk this path in a good way, honoring the Ancestors, the land, the Wisdom Keeper, and one another.

If you feel called, you are welcome.
If you are uncertain, we encourage reflection before attending.

Guidance & Preparation

  • All guests will meet at:

    The Lighthouse Chapel
    22 Terra Nova Lane
    Cedar Mountain, NC 28718

    Upon arrival:

    • Guests will sign Terra Nova Center’s liability waiver

    • Receive a day pass for the grounds

    • Are invited to drop off their potluck dish in the kitchen

    • Fill water bottles and use restrooms before departing

    From the chapel, guests will take a short 5–10 minute hike to the Sweat Lodge site.

    The ceremony space is located near a single-lane gravel road with very limited parking. Participants with mobility concerns must call ahead so accommodations can be arranged in advance. Access support cannot be provided without prior notice.

  • Please bring:

    • A water bottle (hydration is important)

    • A towel

    • A blanket or mat to sit on before entering the lodge

    • A change of clothing for after leaving the lodge

    • Comfortable, modest clothing suitable for heat and ceremony

    • A potluck dish to share for the feast following ceremony

    • A grounded, respectful presence

    Please do not bring:

    • Phones, cameras, or recording devices

    • Alcohol, recreational drugs, or intoxicants

    • Avoid heavy meals before ceremony

    • Synthetic clothing that may be uncomfortable in heat

    Guests are encouraged to eat lightly beforehand and arrive well hydrated. Listening to your body is part of living and moving in a good way.

  • The Sweat Lodge is located in the same area as the Medicine Wheel and cold plunge spaces at Terra Nova Center.

    Guests are welcome to engage with these spaces before or after the Sweat Lodge, with the understanding that they are sacred ceremonial spaces. We ask that all movement through these areas be done with reverence, mindfulness, and respect.

    Participation in any temperature-variant ceremony—including Sweat Lodge and cold plunges—is always voluntary.

  • The Sweat Lodge is a heat-based ceremonial environment and can be physically demanding. Guests should consult a medical professional before attending if they have, or suspect they may have:

    • Heart or cardiovascular conditions

    • High or low blood pressure

    • Respiratory conditions (including asthma)

    • Diabetes

    • Seizure disorders

    • Pregnancy

    • Heat sensitivity or history of heat-related illness

    • Any condition affected by heat, dehydration, or intense physical environments

    By choosing to participate in the Sweat Lodge or any temperature-variant ceremony at Terra Nova Center, guests acknowledge that they do so at their own risk and personal liability, and are responsible for listening to and honoring their bodies.

  • On-site lodging and camping are available based on availability.
    Guests interested in staying overnight should inquire ahead of time to make arrangements by calling (828) 862-5909.

Where to Find Us

Set your GPS or navigation app to:

22 Terra Nova Lane, Cedar Mountain, NC, 28718

There are two main routes into the property. Please plan ahead and choose the option that works best for you:

1. US-64 / Hendersonville Highway Route (Through DuPont State Recreational Forest) This is the smoothest and most direct route for most visitors. Travel on US-64 (Hendersonville Highway) toward DuPont State Recreational Forest and follow your navigation to Terra Nova Lane. There is no gravel road on this route—it is paved all the way.

2. I-26 Route (via Green River Road) This route is fully accurate via GPS and used often, but please note: There are approximately 4 miles of gravel road along Green River Road before reaching Terra Nova Center. The road is passable, but guests may prefer to allow extra time and drive carefully, especially in wet weather.

Please allow a little extra travel time, especially if this is your first visit. Terra Nova is located in a beautiful forest setting, and arriving without rush ensures a smooth experience.

 

Yona FrenchHawk

A Cherokee Wisdom Keeper and Ceremonialist, born and raised on the Qualla Indian Boundary in the Great Smoky Mountains of Cherokee, North Carolina—the ancestral homeland of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee people. From childhood, he was shaped by the songs, stories, and ceremonial ways of his people, receiving teachings passed through his Grandfather and the generations before him. Yona carries this lineage as a sacred responsibility, honoring the Ancestors by keeping their wisdom alive.

Based in Western North Carolina, Yona offers ceremony, song, and storytelling as living medicine—bridging the ancient past with the present moment. His work calls us back into balance, right relationship, and remembrance of our shared belonging on Turtle Island. Through communal ceremony and individual guidance, Yona supports ancestral healing and embodied presence, sharing traditions not as history, but as a living way of life meant to be walked, sung, and remembered.

To learn more about Yona and his work, visit yonafrenchhawk.com/about.