The term derives from the Nahuatl word temazcalli, meaning "house or temple of steam" or "house where one sweats." The temazcal represents the womb of Mother Earth and all that is pure within her. It is a healing steam bath of pre-Hispanic origin intended to purify body, mind, and spirit. Through medicinal herbs based on ancestral principles, and accompanied by shamanic music, it creates a sense of well-being and balance.