Buddhist Baby Ceremony

[flower]

Hi all,
Has anyone had thier baby blessed at a Buddhist Baby Ceremony?
What is involved? How is it done? I have the place, the form...but I cant get a response from them as to what exactly the procedure entails?
Any clues out there? (It wont be done in Japan, but Oz...if that makes a difference..)

[katesmumma]

Hi, was wondering how you went with your Buddhist Baby Ceremony? Were you able to get any helpful information? This is something my husband and I have talked about as well but am at a loss as to where I would begin researching what's involved. If you did go ahead with it would you mind sharing your experience? Look forward to hearing back from you. :o

[flower]

Hi K's Mum..
It's supposedly organised for the 12th of NOV but I'm having a little problem making contact with the temple as we live overseas......so the form has been sent as well as an email to them asking them to confirm so we can have guests!!
Now it leaves me 2weeks to tell some friends/ relatives to come which i know some wont be able to as the notice is short.
I need to sort it out when I get home in a few days.
If it DOES go ahead..I'll fill you in!
O's mom.

[miss_moe]

hmm I am not sure if it was exactly a Buddhist Baby Ceremony that we had. But maybe it was similar.

My DP has Buddhist parents and extended family. And what happens in their culture is the mother and child rest and not leave the house for the first 30days after birth. Than on the 30th day that have a 'blessing' ceremony. The elders came to our house with offerings (a bbq'ed pig, sweet rice, fruit etc) and incence and said 'prayers' and blessed our baby and our new family. Then we had a big luncheon with all the family for them to meet the new baby and give us lucky money and gifts.

I am rather shady on the details I apologise (I am just a mere convict) I had no idea what was going on ... I couldn't get passed the big pig sitting in my lounge room. Also not sure how it would be organised if not through the family.

Sorry i don't think I helped at all did I - opps!

Anyway I would be interested in hearing how it went and what went on and how it was in a temple.

[flower]

Well Guys: O's blessing ceremony is going ahead after all in a week. The temple finally got back to us....and its all systems go.
I have told my family but can understand if certain members cant make it as notice is short as the Temple have been VERY tardy in communications...whatever!!

Anyhow my mom and Dad will be away as they are taking their GD to Jervis Bay...which is cool.
(Though mom wants to cancel now because she wants to see the ceremony...).

My sister however was free...no plans....so she said she would come.
The next night she called me in a panic and had a dilema!!!
THE YEARLY annual Hazbro invitation only once a year opportunity TOY SALE is on on the same day!!!

What to do?; What to do??

(Thinking: Is she for effing real?)

YEP!!! She 'ahmed and ahhed'...and I didnt sway her thought process....and today she told me that this was once in a year to good to miss(obviously) opportunity!!!

She's going to a frigging toy sale while my baby has a once in a human beings life cycle blessing!!!
WHAT THE??
HALLO?????????????

[wattle]

A toy sale? Is she for real? Well that's interesting priorities.

[Rockett]

I can't believe that! She obviously thinks toys are more important than her nephew!
Did you tell her off? :p

[flower]

Nope...not a word.
I'm not one to point out that someone had a nose on their face.
Dont know how I'm going to tell DH when he gets into town on Wed...he's gonna go off!!!!
O's mom.

[cosmic]

I agree it is really, really disappointing, O's mum. Some people's priorities/values are just so different from our own that it's hard to make any sense of it at all.... and usually no point explaining because if they didn't get it in the first place, they're not likely to.

About the ceremony though... I am really looking forward to hearing all about it! I think it sounds lovely.

C.

[justtwogirls22]

OMG i can't believe she picked a toy sale!!! plus the fact that you live in another country & she doesn't get to see her nephew much - must be some pretty important toys!!!!!

[alicesmum]

oh dear o's mum!

well....the bad karma's all hers!!! :D

i hope it all goes well. i can't wait to here about someone else's buddhist baby welcoming ceremony. ours was fantastic. i'm sure yours will be too. your sister will be missing a treat!

have fun :p

[flower]

Still stumped!
O's mom.

[WeThree]

omgosh!!!!!! os mum, i cant believe that. you know your sister sounds spookily like mine.

i already told you the bread story the other day, but there is much much more. one time when i was home alone, someone tried to get in thomas's b/room window, the next day, i, suitably scared to be alone, asked my sis to come over, she said yes. i sat their waiting and waiting, finally ring her and she tells me 'oh yeah i cant be rude 'Phil and Kirsty are here' i said 'um cant you tell them you have other plans?' 'oh but they have chips!' as if that was the most logical thing ever.
just the other day she says' oh i cant come to matildas b'day party' 'why?' 'well theyve asked me to work' (any other time they ask her to work on a sunday she says no, specially if its for a footy game or something)'well you've known for ages and she is your only neice and goddaughter' 'yeah but its extra money'
k, whatever
another time she told me she couldnt come and visit coops when he was in hospital cause they had no money for petrol, then rings me on the hospital phone that night and tells me that her sil and bil are engaged and they are going out to celebrate! wow funny how you can always find money for the importan things......
anyway i could go on and on and on (the bread thing has me soooo annoyed atm, not taking her calls right now, which isnt like me at all) but it is way off topic, sorry os mum! im looking forward to hearing how the ceremony goes, can you tell us a bit of what is involved? :)

[alicesmum]

yes yes. i want to know all about what was involved as well.

i know from our pm's ages ago that it's a different tradition to what ours was, but ours went like this (tell me if yours was similar or totally different):

- Lighting of candles and incense
- Opening bell
- Welcome speech by me and DH
- Kwan Seum Bosal Chanting - (Kwan Seum Bosal is the buddha of love & compassion. Kwan Yin in Chinese. Avaloketeshvara in Sanskrit)
- Baby blessing by the Abbot of the Temple
- Grandparents’ offerings and talks
- Dharma talk (by the Abbot)
- The Four Great Vows
- Extinguishing of candles
- Lots of food and tea (and bubbly for the naughty folks who smuggled it in!!)

Pls let us know what happens in yours O's mum!!!! :p

rachel

p.s. I must add that some of my friends and family found it all a little odd/foreign and were a bit uncomfortable at first. were fine once food was on offer though and all said they had a grand time. how many ppl will you have there and will they all be cool with the ceremony, or will some freak out a bit??? :D

[cosmic]

I have a question... how much of a Buddhist do you have to be to have one?

And Erin.. I want to hear the bread story!!!

[WeThree]

have pmed you cosmic :)

[alicesmum]

hi cosmic
i don't know the answer to your question! i was involved with the qld zen centre (sitting retreats etc) for 2 years before alice was born. it is a very small centre based on the teacher-student relationship, but I am sure if someone new came along and got to know the abbot (teacher) a little bit, she would gladly arrange a ceremony for them and their family.

you could also always have a private ceremony and use a celebrant. you could write your own with a buddhist flavour (can always provide you with good web-sites if you want me to). Aslo, i have a copy of a friend's pagan-ish naming ceremony, so pm me if you want that (i will have to ask my friend first of course) - not that paganism and buddhism are all that alike, but i am guessing you might be interested...???.

if you specifically wanted a buddhist ceremony in a proper temple with a monk or nun, then there are heaps of temples and centres in sydney (is that where you are?).

see http://www.buddhanet.net/aus_dir/bansworg.htm for a complete list of temples and centres in NSW. the Jade Buddha Temple sounds nice as does the Sydney Yen Shang Lei Zang Temple and the Jongbopsa Temple which is Korean (the same tradition as my centre). Generally, the best tip i could give you if you go this option, it would probably need to be a temple/centre run by, or having a large population of, Western members. There are western buddhists and there are ethnic buddhists and the western buddhists are likely to be be more adept at runing ceremonies for westerners iykwim! Westerners frequent centres that follow the tibetan tradition, so you might also contact Kyegu Buddhist Institute in Sydney or Rigpa (see the site I just gave you)

although, having said that, the other stories i have heard about these ceremonies were from people who had non-Westerners running the show. Sounds like O's mum is having one at a non-Western temple/centre. I dunno!

have fun and let us know what you decide. :p

[cosmic]

Thanks Rachel. You're a wealth of information! I'll PM you later for some more info.

:)

[flower]

Hi Guys,
As far as being Buddhist to attend...DH hjas attended a weekend retreat there and reads alot of Buddhist publications..but I dont have a clue.
They buddhist monks at the Temple funnily enough suggested we have him blessed there on our last visit...though that was our intention .
I dont think you have to be a 'member' in order to be allowed to be blessed there.
I dont think the monks get hung up on that kind of stuff.
I've got no idea about what to expect on the day.....I will have DH call them when he lands in Oz just to make sure.

Alicemum: The bit about Godparents will be interesting!! I only have about 5 people coming....NOT family funnily enough(Just had my mother come and interupt me telling me how to look after my son.....!!! :mad:)
Also I hope we dont have to do a speech...as I'm not prepared for that either!!
Its so hard getting a heads up on what to expect and dont think I havent asked!! Its either a top secret covenant or theyre just shocking with PR...?
Will fill you in.
O's mom.

[flower]

Erin: I think our sisters are Twin Flames!! :eek: :confused: :eek:

[alicesmum]

o's mum
sounds like yours will be short and sweet!! best way really!

i think also you may have misread something from my program. we had "grandparents' offerings and talks" (not "godparents". no godparents in this family, just legal guardians - BIL & SIL - in case of dual parental death!!! same thing as godparents tho I guess!!). that was something we added. we also added the welcome speech by me and DH. traditionally, i don't think the parents or grandparents say anything, but my teacher is not all that traditional :D so she didn't mind us taking over.

can't wait to hear all about o's ceremony. take lots of piccies. good luck :p

[flower]

Thanks sweetie..
Will keep you posted!!
Geez its hard though to find something deservedly 'ethereal' for him to wear!!
O's mom

[alicesmum]

'ethereal' ???

alice wore a pink frilly dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!

;)

[flower]

Yes...I'd love for O to wear a pink fluffy dress too...but it kind of doesnt go with a penis!!!!
Dont know what to do!!!
O's mom.

[WeThree]

lol lol lol. when thomas was christened he was to big to wear the family gown, so i bought a gorgeous one piece satin suit with a matching sailor type hat, sooo cute (although he wouldnt keep the hat on) when we had coopers naming/blessing type day he wore the family gown, as did tilly. maybe something like what thomas wore would be good gor your little guy?

[flower]

Had the ceremony today!!
It took maybe about half an hour.
We began with burning a stick of incense each, then moved on to chanting...the same chant three times..then another..(I wish we were able to keep the booklet but we weren't) then another longer chant..sorry that my details are a little sketchy.
Then we all read a prayer together for the child's wisdom health and prosperity and so on and so forth.
More chanting...(must say the monks chanting is so beautiful and musical.....)
I gave up the chant after I got lost......about 2 seconds into it actually!!!
Anyhow.....then that was it!! We took lots of pics..they took lots if picture...O was very well behaved and even did his own chanting at the close of the ceremony which was just gorgeous!
He was given a Blessing Certificate...and the Boss lady came and congratulated and blessed him too.
It was a huge day.
We hired a Tarago and shoved 6 of us in it.
My folks went away for the w'end...and I didn't hear squeak from my sister..(I'd say my mother tipped her off??!!).
Afterward we had the visitor come back to my parents house and we organised Lebanese catering which was fabulous too!
Everyone is gone now and I am so full of baklava and exhausted!!
O's mom.

[WeThree]

hi KB, so pleased to hear that you guys had such a lovely day :) did you find something suitable for your little man to wear?

talk soon xxx

[flower]

A very boring all white all in one jumpsuit Erin.
BORING!!!!!!
If I had thought of it earlier...I would have got the glue gun out and stitched some diamantes and crystals on!!!
O's mom.

[WeThree]

im sure he looked divine!!!!!!:D

[Rockett]

Glad to hear O's day went well. :)