Zen Ordination Ceremony for the Cherry Trees

On Monday, July 12, 2021,  our 10 precious  trees currently slated for removal:  eight Kwanzan cherry trees, one Eastern Redbud, and one Montmorency cherry tree, were ordained as Zen priests in a ceremony officiated by Rev. Kosen Gregory Snyder and Rev. Kanshin Ruth Ozeki. The ceremony was attended by six ordained Buddhist monks and priests, and over 60 members of the Northampton community were present as ceremonial witnesses.  The killing of these new priests and clergy members would cause grievous pain and insult to the deeply held religious beliefs of the Buddhist faith.  The ordination of trees is a custom that started in Thailand and spread throughout Asia. It is a way of protecting trees by acknowledging them as sacred, honoring their precious lives, and recognizing all that they do for us.  

You can see short videos of some of the highlights here and here, and you can see pictures below.