We offer Blessing Ceremony for the Statues and Thangka located in Kathmandu, Nepal. On your wish the Statues and Thangka will be blessed by the Lama in Kathmandu. We will also send you the blessing Ceremony images. Blessing Ceremony is free of cost. We request you to offer minimum of US $25.00 for the Lama. A blessing is an attempt to contact and share that which is good, particularly in a divine sense. One is trying to make contact with the force of goodness itself and to invite this 'energy' into a particular situation so that it might pass on some of that energy to those present.

.There are several elements involved in a blessing ceremony.FIRST: the 'hardware.'
The main item is the Buddha image to which a white thread is tied to or wrapped around. The thread is then looped three times around a water vessel which sits in front of the senior monastic. The vessel has a candle either pressed onto it or resting over the opening above the water. The thread is then passed to the other members of the sangha and, depending on the size of the group assembled, passed either around the perimeter of the group or to each individual person. The end of the ball of thread is then placed on the shrine, completing the circle

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Green Tara Statue being blessed by the Lama chopa in Syambhunath for the offerer of the United States

SECOND: the 'software.'
Each of the various items has symbolic meaning:
The Buddha image is the foundation, the principle reference point in all ceremonies. The thread sometimes has 8 strands to symbolise the 8-fold path. It is usually white to represent purity and the thread itself symbolises unity, connection, harmony, peace and solidarity.The water-vesselget the lowdown on this the whole arrangement is seen as a microcosm built of the four elements. The earth element in the solid vessel and the wax of the candle; the water element in, umm, in the yes, you guessed, in the water in the vessel; the air element is shared by us all as we breathe and the fire element appears when the candle is lit.The water a symbol of life, purity and cleansing.The thread 3x passing the thread around the water vessel three times relates to the Three RefugesEncircling the thread forms a tangible container that includes all those present, drawing us together, connected to the Buddha image (and all that it represents) as well as being joined to the sangha, the three refuges and, by extension, the whole cosmos.

Medicine Buddha Statue being blessed by the newar Lama (Bhante) for the offerer of Malaysia

THIRD: the action.The candle is lit and the ceremony begins by a member of the Sangha 'inviting the devas.' This is a traditional chant which, while it has literal meaning that can be contemplated, it is primarily intended to draw in the listener and focus the mind of all present on 'goodness'. The goodness of their own lives, the goodness of all those they are connected with, both literally and symbolically (i.e. Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) and the goodness of the universe. The devas are the official delgates of universal goodness but everything good is invited into the circle.With the scene thus set the Sangha chants a series of traditional verses of protection and blessing

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Vasundhara Buddha Statue being blessed by the Lama for the offerer of Thailand

FOURTH: the finale.
Toward the end of the chanting the candle will be extinguished in the water. This water plays a very integral part of the ceremony in that water is seen as being able to receive or absorb a great variety of substances. In this instance it is seen as absorbing the goodness of the situation and we make holy water by infusing it with goodness, by permeating it with wholesomeness. At the end of the chanting the thread is wound up. The water is then sprinkled liberally over the assembly while the 'Verses of Victory' are chanted. As well as being great fun this can also be very moving.Sharing the blessings.

FIFTH: the grande finale.
The process described above can take 20-30 minutes or longer.
Once everyone has been sprinkled with holy water a section of the thread is cut into shorter lengths and those who wish can have a piece tied around their wrist. This acts as a reminder of the occassion and connects the wearer with the group in a subtle way.

For more information on Dharma and Blessing Ceremony,please visit http://www.buddhamind.info ( Text from buddhamind)/ Image from NepaCrafts Blessing Ceremony in Kathmandu. view all Statues