Feel thanks, touch the snow, spread the blessings.

When we stand together in ceremony, the receptive crystals of water in the snow feel the gratitude that we have for the Mountain. These feelings spread from the snow beneath our feet, down the rolling slopes and under the trees all around the Mountain – a blanket of blessings. In the warm sun of springtime, the snow crystals full of love become water flowing downhill, into the creeks, into the rivers, into the ocean, rising and falling again as rain or snow, carrying our blessings to all beings.

For the last two years we have done ceremonies on Mount Ashland, in Oregon. We will do this again in April, 2010, at the ski area near the top of the mountain, in the quiet time after the close of the season. We wish to encourage others to do the same kind of ceremony on mountains all around the world.

Different Cultures in Common Prayer for our Common Ground ~ Mother Earth

An essential part of the ceremony is bringing together people from different backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the Earth, honoring natural harmony as a model for human harmony.

Many of us want to give more attention to the Earth these days. Whatever our spiritual tradition, or non-spiritual tradition, we recognize that our larger home needs attention.

Mountains, with their far-ranging views, are a good place to go for a sense of the whole Earth. And the snow that covers them in the winter gives us a dramatic way to understand the water cycle that nourishes planet, people, plants and animals alike.

When we touch the snow, we touch the water that, in the warm sun of springtime, will flow downhill, into the creeks, into the rivers, into the ocean, upward to the sky, and down again, reaching all of life.

This is why we want to encourage folks to go up on mountains in the snow and express their positive feelings – about mountains, snow, water, Earth, life in general, and each other.

Following traditions shared by many cultures, we call these feelings “blessings,” and call the events "Blessing Mountains in the Snow." Like the Earth, they are open and free to all. And also like the Earth, we hope that the people who come to offer blessings will be of many different traditions and beliefs. For example, Native Americans of several Tribes, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, Zoroastrans, Pagans, environmentalists and others have all offered blessings on Mount Ashland, the one mountain in Oregon where these events have happened in the past two years.

No matter where we come from or what we believe, we all have some common problems to solve. Getting together on mountains in the snow can help us to feel our unity, the enormity of the issues, and how we can all reach out to help.

For more information

• About this ceremony, see the pages of this website listed in the left hand column of this page. And contact the founder of this ceremony, Robert Brothers, bobcat@post.harvard.edu
• About the Takelma Indian Elder who graced us with her presence at the first two ceremonies, Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim, see www.agnesbakerpilgrim.org

Bears bless mountains too. photo © Sam Camp www.campphoto.com