Baba's Tree Ashes - A Keepsake and a Connection
Cassandra Bramucci
By Cassandra Bramucci
When the 2017 Thomas Fire occurred, I couldn’t stay away. I was very, very bereft. I was just heartbroken. It just felt like a piece of me had been pulled out of my heart. I was desperate to get to Baba’s Tree. It was like having a loved one caught in a fire.
By the time Sulphur Mountain Road opened, Baba’s Tree was still smoldering. I noticed that the heart of Baba’s Tree – the huge trunk that was already hollowed out a good bit from the previous fire – that this fire hollowed it out even more.
And these ashes were sitting right there in the heart. And when I saw them, I thought, “Wow, we need to save these ashes. Maybe we can gather the ashes and send them out to people.”
I checked the weather report. It was supposed to rain in a couple of days. So, I felt we needed to capture those ashes as a keepsake, especially the ones from the heart of Baba’s Tree.
I bought mason jars. I cleaned them and had them all ready. I bought a brand-new hand spade and put gloves on. And I went to Meher Mount and filled as many of those jars as I could with the ashes from the heart of Baba’s Tree. I found little vials and these wonderful boxes to put the ashes in.
You can imagine how it was for people who were feeling this sense of grief over the loss of the tree. Many of them told me they were afraid to see Baba’s Tree because they thought they would be heartbroken.
And suddenly they get this little package in the mail with the ashes from the tree. And there were people who literally said they burst into tears when they got those ashes. There was one woman who said, when I opened it and saw it was Baba’s Tree ashes, I fell to my knees.
Many people were particularly touched by the ashes from Baba’s Tree:
“Thank you!! I am profoundly moved to have the ashes of Baba’s Tree sent to me. As a magnificent blessing. Opening it, I burst into tears and dropped to my knees to feel Baba’s presence. His tree has long been a precious connection to me, always touching a deep and sacred part of myself and bringing me into awareness of His closeness. I’m honored and humbled and immensely grateful for this gift. I can’t really express how meaningful the ashes are to me or how much I will treasure them. In gratitude, love and light.” ~BF
“Thank you so much for the gift of Baba’s Tree ashes, I have put it in a very special place with my other Baba reminders. What a terrific idea you came up with to keep the tree alive in a different way and through so many people. I was truly moved when I opened the box and found the contents and beautiful accompanying note.” ~MR
“Thank you so much for the beautiful gift. I’ve always loved being under Baba’s Tree and enjoying the energy. Now I can enjoy that energy anywhere I go! I am honored and very happy to receive this lovely gift.” ~BS
“We are extremely delighted to have this wonderful keepsake in our home. It is a nice reminder of Meher Mount which we have had the opportunity to visit on several occasions. It also serves to remind us of our Beloved Meher Baba whose compassion and generosity sweetens our days and inspires us all the more.” ~M&L
So when you think about the connections to Baba’s Tree, He finds the most amazing ways to remind us of how important that connection is.
And I keep my ashes on my altar and see them every day.
KEEPSAKES VIALS of ash from Baba's Tree are a thank you to all donors and volunteers supporting Meher Mount in the year of the Thomas Fire. (Photo: Margaret Magnus, May 9, 2018)
The note that accompanied the ashes read:
“Please accept this keepsake of ashes from the very heart of Baba’s Tree as an expression of our deep appreciation for your support, encouragement, and contribution of time, money and energy during this time of challenge and transformation for Meher Mount.
Although the Thomas Fire of December 2017 destroyed a major portion of the canopy of our cherished Baba’s Tree, every day there is new growth along its remaining branches reminding all of Avatar Meher Baba’s limitless Divine Presence.
May these ashes always remind you of your connection to Meher Baba and to Meher Mount.
In His Boundless Love
and Compassion,”
THE FALLEN TRUNK OF BABA’S TREE at Meher after the 2017 Thomas Fire. (Photo: Byron Pinckert, December 21, 2017)