Erecting a Prayer Tree for World Peace

by Sarangerel Odigon

The barisaa, prayer tree, is an important site of worship in Siberian/Mongolian shamanism. This ritual brings peace and reduces violence in whatever place it is performed in. It needs to be done in as many places as possible, especially in places that were sites of deaths from war or violence. It also calls the nature spirits to bring inspiration, calm peoples' hearts, and create thoughts of peace and love.

Humans possess three souls, the suld, suns, and ami. The suld embodies the unique personality of the present life and becomes a nature spirit after death. The suld of a person who has died can be beneficial or harmful depending on the circumstances of death. The suld souls of those who have been killed or died very young are often hostile and cause disease, mental confusion, despair, and thoughts of violence. The reason for this is because of a desire for vengeance on those who are able to have long and successful lives with prosperity, happiness, and children. This is due to ignorance on their part of the fact that they can still provide a constructive contribution to human society even as spirits.

The 20th century was one of the bloodiest and most violent periods in human history. Even now as wars burn throughout the world and society becomes more chaotic a certain despair and frustration has entered peoples' hearts. The reason why this continues is because so many people from all parts of the world have died violently and prematurely and their suld souls are ranging about the places where they had been during their lives, especially battlefields, sites of massacres, and violent inner city areas. They implant desire for revenge, violent thoughts, mental confusion, despair, and illness in those places and thereby the violence and misery has continued. This ritual cleanses these spirits of these evil and violent thoughts and turns them toward bringing good to the places where they are. This is why this ritual needs to be done in as many places as possible in order to calm the spiritual chaos that this evil century has created.

The most important thing needed for this ritual is a young tree, the type of tree is not important, but it should be healthy and not in any immediate danger of being cut down. If at a later time the tree must be cut a young tree should be planted nearby and the ribbons and other shamanic decorations transferred to the new tree.

Things needed:

White cloth ribbons, about a foot long (at least 10 or 2 for each participant, which ever is more)

Sage

Juniper (dried fronds or sticks)

Spring water

Salt

Sand

Rice

Milk

Tea

Vodka (optional)

Incense with burner

Bread

Cookies

Money (coins are fine)

Small table

Wooden spoon or bundle of small twigs, about 6 inches long

A small table should be set next to the tree. On the table there should be an incense burner and incense should be kept lit constantly during the ceremony. The ribbons should be placed in a neat pile. The salt, sand, rice, bread, and cookies should be on plates. The spring water, milk, tea, and vodka should be in bowls.

To start one of the participants should smudge the tree with sage. The participants will then form a circle around the tree; each one will take at least two of the ribbons and tie them to the branches of the tree. While tying the ribbons each person should meditate on bringing peace to the world, to their community, and to their personal life. Then the shaman who will preside in the ritual will take the juniper and light it, then walk around the tree three times, fanning the smoke outward to the spirits. Here is a sample prayer for this part of the ceremony:

Nature spirits of this place

Suld souls of those who have departed

Be cleansed of your anger

Be cleansed of vengeful thoughts

Be filled with light

Be filled with love and peace

(The participants may drum during this part of the ceremony if they want.) The shaman will then take the spring water, and after calling his or her spirits for power, breathe into the water three times. The shaman will then take the spoon or twig whisk and circle the tree three times, throwing the water outward to the spirits. After the third time the remaining water should be put back on the table. The shaman will then circle the tree three times throwing salt to the spirits in the same manner, then circle three times throwing the sand, and then three more times throwing the rice. The salt, sand, and rice should be depleted by the third time around. This is the act of performing ariulga, cleansing, of the nature spirits of the community where this ritual is done.

The shaman will then make a second prayer; it should be something like this:

Nature spirits of this place

Suld souls of those who have departed

Having forgiven what has happened in the past

Be aware that you can do good for all living things

You can bring goodness to all human beings

Inspire people with vision for the future

Bring calm and confidence to their minds

Fill their hearts with thoughts of peace and love

Hurai! Hurai! Hurai!

Hurai! Hurai! Hurai!

Hurai! Hurai! Hurai!

(the word hurai should be accompanied by the clockwise movement of the right arm in front of the body)

The shaman will then drum (the others may drum too) and all participants in the ritual will slowly circle the tree three times. The shaman will then take the milk and circle the tree once, throwing milk to the spirits, then circle once more throwing the tea, and then once more, throwing the vodka. Then each of the participants will take a piece of bread or a cookie and crumble it into pieces and scatter the pieces at the base of the tree. The shaman will then pour half of the milk on the ground by the base of the tree and then throw half to the sky. The same should be done with the tea and vodka. Then each of the participants should leave a few coins at the base of the tree. These are gifts to the nature spirits and the spirit of the tree. Other gifts may include tobacco or milk products such as dabs of butter or crumbles of cheese. Milk products also honor Mother Earth.

Now that the ceremony is concluded each of the participants should take a sip from the spring water. It has become arshaan, energized water, and it has power to cleanse the spirit. Any remaining water may be drunk by the shaman or may be poured next to the tree.

The tree has now become a barisaa, a shamanist shrine to the nature spirits. It should be regularly honored with small gifts of food and liquids. People may also tie additional ribbons to ask the spirits for assistance, protection, or granting of wishes as well as leave money. Of course animals and other people may later take the food and money, but the act of giving creates buyanhishig (positive energy created by good deeds) and increases a person's windhorse (personal spiritual power). The ritual for the calming of the spirits will have a permanent effect and will benefit all people in the community where it is done, not only the participants.

Sarangerel Odigon was an American of Mongolian descent. As an adult she returned to live in the place of her ancestors and studied Mongolian shamanism for many years. She was the author of two books on Tengerism (Mongolian shamanism): Riding Windhorses: A Journey into the Heart of Mongolian Shamanism and Chosen by the Spirits: Following Your Shamanic Calling. She traveled across the globe passing on the teachings of her people to all who wanted to learn them. Sadly, in 2006 she passed into spirit.