The Sun Dance was usually performed at a time of great crisis for an individual or tribe, and involved a considerable amount of possessions and considerable physical sacrifice. Performed in a grand ceremonial tipi, the dancers appealed to the Almighty through dance and sacrifice. These dances were performed for many reasons, but one of the crises could be an illness in the family, in which case the dancers sought help from the Thunder, the voice of the Almighty. Another dance was the Dawn Dance, which was both a celebratory dance. Celebrating a girl's transition into womanhood, a dawn dance was performed as a way to help the young woman become a productive member of the tribe, as well as provide her with a mentor and companion. However, there were also prayers for good health, harmony and peace that accompanied the Dawn Dance. These prayers were an important way to ensure that the young woman could be a productive woman and have healthy children. Additionally, a common aspect of Native American medicine was the extensive use of sweat lodges. These places, used as a means of purification of the body, were very important both for culture and for the practice of medicine. Before many sacred ceremonies and dances, participants would enter a sweat lodge to purify both their bodies, removing impurities and toxins, and their spirits, warding off evil spirits and restoring harmony. Many times Native American medicine men and women used sweat lodges to treat patients. Much of the knowledge of Native American medicine was unfortunately lost during bans by the United States government. In 1882, the United States government began the process of banning all Native Americans. For a long time, Western medicine focused exclusively on body care. However, with all the technological advances in surgery, medical imaging, drugs and diagnostics, patient satisfaction is lower than it was many years ago and even survival rates for some diseases are decreasing. The return to holistic medicine is gaining traction, with more and more patients seeking chiropractors, naturalists and holistic doctors. There has also been a return to treating not only the body, but also the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of the patient. This return to holistic medicine has been greatly influenced by Native American medicine and culture, and it seems that, even after hundreds of years, there is still much to learn from Native American medicine men and women..