On Sacred Ritual, Prayer, and the Miraculous
"Just be open, you are guided" H/T Abdi Assadi
I wrote this, an account of the Prayers I put-up for My Great Lefty, My Great Hanuman-ji on the occasion of His cremation on December 28, 2017. He had passed-away on the Winter Solstice of that year, December 21, 2017. Paradoxically, it seems like just yesterday and a whole other lifetime. I suppose the Great Beings that touch us the deepest have that affect on us when they leave. I share this deeply personal account not only as a “Witness” – as an inspiration (?) for you to develop your own Honoring Rituals for your Beloveds – but also as my way of continuing to HONOR Him – He who so Honored me by accompanying me for His entire life. He who was (is) My Greatest Teacher - Blessing me with so much that it defies understanding. I have found Prayer to be truly miraculous – in so many profound ways – but especially in my own Healing – especially as a means of “Holding” and “processing” Great Grief.
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For Dana –
It was a cold, but very bright, beautiful day when I said goodbye to your Great Form.
I could not allow strangers to usher you into the Kingdom of Heaven. They would not perform the Sacred Rites which are My Great Honor to bestow upon You - my Sacred Duty.
I asked that You be laid upon the beautiful blanket that Jill Levy Bartolotta gave to you so that I may best perform the Sacred Ceremony that I have learnt from My Great Teachers. Many, Many Blessings Be Upon Them.
The 'viewing room' was dark, blinds closed, as I entered. And I clearly understood, 'heard,' that this would not do - so I opened the blinds and the Magnificent Light poured in and upon You - and the Sacred Space - as it so often does - expanded...
I carefully, lovingly bathed You - taking great care to clean Your troublesome nose fold (rope) and Your dirty butt! You were so serene throughout all - didn't mind at all that I was cleaning your 'tender spots' - blissfully sleeping as I performed the Sacred Rituals.
I then tenderly brushed You to collect some of Your precious fur - to make the long journey to the Kalariyil Dharmikam Ashram and the Great Hanuman Temple - to offer at the Feet of Your Divine Namesake and Great Spirit, My Great Lord Hanuman-ji - Great, Devoted Servant to R-A-M and S-I-T-A.
I then anointed you with Frankincense, Agarwood, precious oils of Sandalwood, Sage, Lavender, and the Sacred Agua di Florida given to me by my Great Teacher, Francois Demange (Metsa Niwue) from his Great Altar of Healing and Freedom.
I then placed upon your Great Form the precious offerings, the beautiful flowers given to us by Monique Buzy-pucheu.
I then Blessed you with the Sacred Sacraments of the Lakota / Nakota / Dakota Peoples - Tobacco, Sweetgrass, Grandfather White Sage, and Cedar - and Sacred Mapacho from the Peruvian Amazon - in Honor of La Madre Ayahuasca - and the Great Lineages of the Shipibo and Quechua Peoples - and all the Great Indigenous Peoples in the 'Heart and Lungs of the World.'
I then Blessed Your Form with the Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti that I have collected during Your entire lifetime - not knowing that I was guided to do so for this Divine Purpose, this Great Honor:
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies in Harriman State Park was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies in The Valley of Fire was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies in The Bowl of Fire was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from Sacred Ceremony in The Panamint Dunes in Death Valley was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies at the home of my Mother was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from Sacred Ceremony at The Maha Kumbh Mela - Blessed by Baba Rampuri and 108 Naga Babas was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies in the Great Hanuman Temple at the ashram of my Great Teacher, Satguru Dharamananda Swaroopa Hanuman Das Swamikil in Kerala, India was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from Sacred Ceremony by Sri Amma Karunamayi was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies at 'The Mother Ship' of My Great Teacher, Janice Zwail was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies at the Great Altar of Healing and Freedom of My Great Teachers Metsa and Kapomo (Kelly Jennings) was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies at Dana's home at 'The Randall House' was offered unto You,
Maha Prasadam & Vibhuti from many Sacred Ceremonies at my home in the West Village was offered unto You...
So many Sacred Ceremonies (and Blessed Sacrament) from So Many Great Altars and Sacred Places of Power - that I have lost the counting...
I then rang the Great Bell of Hanuman over You - obtained from our Great Teacher and Hanuman Devotee, Tim (Tim-ji) Miller of the Ashtanga Yoga Center - the Great Sacred Chime of which is still, presently, ringing in my ears.
I then sang & drummed the Great Honoring Songs of the Lakota / Dakota / Nakota Peoples to You - as best I could.
I Lovingly laid-out some precious photos of our lives together, some of your favorite treats, Blessed and Sweet Offerings to Hanuman, and placed Sacred Malas about Your neck.
Great Prayers were chanted: The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and Great Hanuman Mantras.
This 'spectacle' was - I'm sure - never seen before at that cemetery and crematory - the oldest in the country. The workers were in complete awe. And I like to believe that they too were Blessed by Your Presence and Honoring.
I rang the Great Hanuman Bell one last time as You were lovingly placed in the Sacred Fire.
"He whosoever Honors Me, I too shall Honor"
We are forever grateful to Barbara Wolfe and Christina Suzdak Di Toro for bringing our Magnificent Boy Lefty into our lives. And we also thank Marc San (Marcos Santiago) for caring for Him like his own.
Great Servant of R-A-M,
Great Servant of S-I-T-A,
Jai-Hanuman-ji,
Forever, Ever, and Ever...
Jai-Hanuman-ji
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