Somewhere in Thailand, at this very moment, Buddhist forest monks are mindfully draping layers of golden saffron cloth around a selected tree. In doing so, the precious tree then becomes considered a sacred “ordained tree monk”.
These selfless acts of ordination serve as a governmental protection for the tree, as it will no longer be in danger of being harmed. As more and more of these revered trees are allowed to remain in their sanctified forests, wondrous things begin to happen.
Multitudes of varietal plants surrounding the trees are also saved, thus able to provide precious parts of themselves, their flowers and leaves, to be used for medicinal purposes in the homeopathic, healing cures of Ayurvedic medicine.
Indigenous wildlife roaming the area nearby, are also protected. Because the forests remain quiet and undisturbed, rare, white elephants are finding refuge in these peaceful havens, as they feel safe and secure from hunters.
Phrakru Pitak Nanthakthun is a Buddhist monk in northeastern Thailand who has been ordaining trees for 26 years, trusting that his acts will help bring an end to deforestation, while slowing environmental decline. As the Abbot at Wat Arunyawas, he hosts public tree ordination ceremonies, bringing awareness to people that the forests are blessed. In essence, these areas have become evolved Halls of Learning.
Khru Ba Wisit Winyakorn, the most senior Buddhist monk in Mae Tang, a region north of Chiang Mai, has been another of the many Environmental monks, deeply concerned about the deforestation for many decades.
He became a medical herbalist at age 18, collecting herbs and plants from around the temple. Over the years, he noted the vast tree decline and subsequently, the loss of his precious store of plant medicines, so became inspired to teach all about the importance of preserving forests. He and his community of monks have been dutifully decorating the trees with strips from their Buddhist robes, officially consecrating the forests.
One of the basic Buddhist tenets is to help to relieve suffering, the root causes of which are greed, ignorance and hatred. The monks believe it is their duty to take action against the evils of environmental destruction of trees, thereby addressing climate change and ultimately reducing food shortages and hunger. The monks are fulfilling their dharma by consciously upholding the positive order of the universe.
This practice of ordaining trees is also taking place in Sri Lanka, Laos and in many remote areas around the world. Although many of these acts are unknown to the mainstream public, they are nonetheless vitally important in healing the planet.
An interesting correlation is that trees are described by Author, Dianne Robbins as “a vast underground communications network of Record Keepers. The branches are layered with information and the leaves are recording plates sweeping the ethers, picking up pertinent information of all that is about to occur. Forests are self-contained libraries, encoded with cosmic intelligence and graced by the Divine the way humans are, except they are aware of their gifts and use them to create only harmony.”
What is extraordinary about the humble acts of each Buddhist monk is the interdependent domino effect they have created, which is ultimately saving millions of lives; trees, plants, birds, animals and humans — a glorious gift to Mother Earth and her inhabitants, all of whom are interconnected. All are One.
This is the premise of the book, Akashic Alphabet, which contains a series of shining, ancient-futuristic paradigms, revealing a graceful connection of Oneness in all. Included is a specific vignette about the “ordained tree monks”, illustrated in a noble Master painting. I offer the following words from the book: “It is of vital importance for protection of the collective mind, that all be made aware of this other, remarkable side of life taking place, which has tremendous value and power in its inherent goodness, with ability to counter-balance and transcend in exponential proportion, the lower energies on our planet.”
Trenace Rose
www.AkashicAlphabet.com