Gathering of the Spruce Ceremony

Towards the end of August, my thoughts typically turn to the ceremonies of December. Today I am remembering a Gathering of the Spruce ceremony which took place many years ago.

The ceremony took place at our temple in Skull Valley Arizona. In our years in Skull Valley, we had many people visit us and on occasion we had as many as 30 people celebrating our ceremonies with us. This particular ceremony took place at a time when Swami Ramananda had gotten quite old. As his age increased, it seemed that fewer and fewer people would come to see him. I believe he was very happy about that because his hearing was very poor, and he could only guess at what they were saying to him.

This particular Gathering of the Spruce ceremony took place in mid-December. I remember it because it was the last Gathering of the Spruce ceremony which Swami Ramananda performed.

It was an interesting year, one of his students from 30 years previously had contacted us, and she and her husband came out to Arizona to participate in the ceremony with us.

The ceremony’s purpose is purification and rededication. The needles of the spruce tree are an ancient Native American herb used for purification. During the ceremony, as Swami Ramananda spoke, I would smolder a number of small branches of spruce emitting a very fragrant smell.

I was intently watching over the smoldering needles, while Swami Ramananda continued to speak to those gathered. One moment I looked towards Ramananda and saw that he was in a glowing golden color, that every hair on his head seemed perfectly placed, that his beard was smoothly combed, and his face looked as if he were 15 years younger.

I watched him for a while, marveling at the beauty of the scene in front of me. And I made a mental note to ask him about this experience at some point after the ceremony.

As things happen, after the ceremony, I became a very busy with those who attended the ceremony, and this wondrous event slipped from my memory.

In those years, Kerani Devi and I would make journeys to California to visit family over the Christmas holidays. The next day after the ceremony we left for California, and I didn't get a chance to question Swami Ramananda about what I observed. We returned to Arizona 10 days later.

The day that we returned, I went into the temple and realized that the back of the altar wall which was decorated with evergreen branches, was filled with very dry evergreen needles. Except for one area, the area that was right behind where Swami Ramananda had sat. The evergreen branches in this area were still fresh and moist, and had a delightful scent.

There is a story about Krishna where he incarnates in just the right form to kill a demon. The story goes on that even though the demon was lying there dead, because his foot was touching the toe of Krishna, his body appeared as though it was still alive.

In a way on that cold December night, those of us attending the old Swami’s last Gathering of the Spruce ceremony were able to experience the Life-Filling Abundant Light of Divine Blessing.

May These Blessings Surround and Enfold You

Receiving the Blessing

In Buddhism, the Sanscrit word Abhisheka and the Tibetan word Wang, have a meaning in action – Receiving the Blessing. The story of Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth and subsequent Abhisheka provides us with a dynamic visualization of this happening.

It is said that when Shakyamuni was born, he walked three steps speaking the purpose of his incarnation. In the timeless moment of his separation from his mother, as the child-Buddha stood for the first time, the Blessed Ones assembled over his head. Who were these Blessed Ones? In one story, they were the Gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. In another story, they were the five Primordial Buddhas, each associated with an element of creation – Earth, Air, Fire Water, and Space – each with its own distinctive rainbow color, and each having a unique positive motivation of manifestation – such as Compassion, Free Action, Clear Perception.

These Blessed Ones gathered together over the child-Buddha, each of the five with a vase filled with the colored nectar of their Blessing. Together, each poured their colored nectar into a crystal clear stream, through the top of the child-Buddha’s head, filling him with the substance and motivation of their Blessings.

This is such a wonderful story, I feel so good sharing it with all of you. More, we can take this story and use it in our lives to experience these Blessings. And we can use our morning shower as an aid in this.

As you stand beneath the flowing water, feel it messaging the top of your head, feel the water cascading down your body – become very present in this sensory experience. With your imagination, create the Blessed Ones above you – chose the Blessed Ones that fit with your Spiritual Path, you can choose to use rainbow filled crystal clear nectar without any personages, if that suits you best. Imagine that you are receiving the Blessings of those whom you honor, let their Blessing Nectar enter through the top of your head. It can spin through your body, it can slowly fill you from the bottom up; you chose how it will enter and fill you.

Once you have been filled with the Blessings, it is very good to say Thank You – Perhaps to dedicate this new energy within you to helping others – helping in your own unique way.

Today, you have completed a method of Self-Empowerment.

Blessings to you all