TREE SANCTIFICATION RITUAL 

Those who betray trees die. This is a very specific message which we can understand when we tune ourselves to the world of Nature around us. Trees are important indicators of health condition of enviroment in which we live. People in countries with traditional culture worship trees because trees remind them of their connection with their ground which nourishes their bodies, and with sky where their souls go to.

Worshipped trees are usually called “Trees of Life“ and they can be found all over the world. They are not associated with just one religion because they are accepted by Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity or Islam. The example is the tree by Hadrian well in Spanish Galicia to which Christians come to be healed by holy water, or trees in Turkey worshipped by Muslims.

Old big trees in India remind the Hinduists who left them live during cutting the forest down of old times. The forest was cut down and palm trees were planted instead. Similar situation is in Sri Lanka where native people saved old trees during the hotel construction. People in many European countries – for example in Bulgaria and Romania – hang on the first of March red and white wollen characters as a symbol of fertility. We can encounter such tradition of decorating trees with bands reminiscing lamaist ribbons in East Slovakia.

Remainder of this similar tradition is a popular decoration of a young cut birch tree on the first of May or decorating Christmas tree at the end of December, a habit imported from Germany. The trees connect Earthly world with eternal cosmic being and people have been worshipping and loving them as a symbol of persisting Life.
Attached picture shows preparations for the ritual of sanctifying an oak tree which took place on the tenth of June 2009. Tuvinian shaman Ochur-oolovich carried out the ritual and the event was organised by Shaman Yurt Association.