I am of Oji-Cree descent, and obviously the sweats, pipe, and fasting are influenced by all aspects of my heritage.The teaching with the cedar at the sweat is wholly endosed by myself, and is something I've often used here in this region because the circle of cedar represents diversity and inclusiveness. And also because it is part of the teachings of this area that can be shared and incorporated.. One of the flaws of going too deeply into detail on any aspect of the ceremony is that it can potentially prevent an individual from understanding the Spirit, which has an individual teaching and relationship with each person. The Spirit takes you to another place, where daylight and enhancement helps us to journey with more clarity and understanding. This will be different for each person.The ritual of the ceremony can be seen like a tool to enter or engage in the ceremony, such as cedar, fire, Grandfather stones and the Four Sacred Directions and colors being used as a path into the other place, or transcendance if you want to use that word. Getting caught up in the aspects of the details of the rituals will block the true spirit of the ceremony. The ceremony is what is important, not the ritual. It is like fundamentalism - truth can evade you and the essence of love for self and humanity can be lost. The ceremony leads us to metaphor which opens understanding of Spirit to us and allows us to go to that other place. It is important to recognize that too much focus on feelings, like too much focus on detail, or too much focus on ritual aspects, will distract us from the new things Spirit is trying to bring to us. Finally, the teachings surpass all rituals. We must remember it is through living our teachings that we become who we are. Each persons path will be different. It is not our job to judge another person or their path, but to try to be helpful and loving to them in all ways. Even if that means there are times of distance or confusion. We learn from those teachers too.