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September 1, 2022

Traditional Blessing Ceremonies Held at Colleges of Medicine – Phoenix and Tucson

Carlos Gonzales, MD, performs the Blessing of the Seven Sacred Directions during the annual College of Medicine – Tucson Tree Blessing Ceremony.

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and College of Medicine – Tucson both started the fall semester with traditional Native American blessing ceremonies.

The College of Medicine – Phoenix ceremony welcomed Native American medical students to the new academic year with a ceremony led by Native American traditional healer Miguel Flores Jr. of the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham tribes. In addition to blessing all attendees, seven Native American students, faculty members and staff members were honored during the ceremony.

Flores said the blessing is for Native people to remember where they come from and gain a sense of grounding and balance.

“The prayer of the four directions instills a cleansing of the Spirit,” he explained. “The smoke goes up to whatever your higher power is and takes away any negative energy you have.”

Flores also performed a family song, which he said is to help the students remember who they are as Indigenous people and remind them they’re not alone in their educational journey.

In late August, medical students and faculty at the College of Medicine – Tucson took part in a traditional Native American blessing ceremony and a tree planting to honor those who passed away and donated their bodies to science. Medical students from both colleges of medicine learn the basics of human anatomy through the College of Medicine – Tucson Willed Body Program, which allows individuals to donate their bodies so that students may gain valuable hands-on medical training.

The ceremony was led by Carlos Gonzales, MD, assistant dean of curricular affairs and associate professor of family and community medicine.

The annual event, known as the Tree Blessing Ceremony, took place in the Dr. Norman Koelling Willed Body Memorial Garden. The garden was created to “honor and esteem those who have supported science, medicine and education through the ultimate contribution of their body.”

After the Tree Blessing Ceremony, participants planted the tree, with each person taking a turn shoveling dirt into the hole. Ashes from the herbs burned during the ceremony were mixed with the dirt.

Participants gather before the start of the blessing ceremony in the Grand Canyon area at the Phoenix Bioscience Core as Miguel Flores Jr. (left) prepares to lead the ceremony.
Miguel Flores Jr., a Native American traditional healer from the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham tribes, prepares to lead the blessing ceremony at the Phoenix Bioscience Core.
(From left) Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion staff members Harrison Williams, community building outreach coordinator, Julie Parrish, administrative associate, Tamara Taylor, outreach coordinator, and Sonji Muhammed Perry, director, organized the College of Medicine – Phoenix blessing ceremony.
The ceremonial items used by Miguel Flores Jr., a Native American traditional healer, during the blessing ceremony at the College of Medicine – Phoenix include an eagle feather wand, blessing bowl and rattle.
(From left) Jessmin Fernandez, Christopher Danny, Niomi Tsingine, Miguel Flores Jr., Rudy Smith and Micaryn Begay gather after the blessing ceremony.
Carlos Gonzales, MD, has been presiding over the College of Medicine – Tucson’s annual Tree Blessing Ceremony for more than 10 years.
Carlos Gonzales, MD, blesses James V. Proffitt, PhD, an assistant professor of cellular and molecular medicine, with the smoke from sacred herbs and an eagle feather wand during the annual College of Medicine – Tucson Tree Blessing Ceremony.
Carlos Gonzales, MD, blesses each participant in the Tree Blessing Ceremony with the smoke of the sacred herbs. Dr. Gonzales is the assistant dean of curricular affairs for the College of Medicine – Tucson.
The ceremony concludes “in the traditional American Indian way of acknowledging everyone’s presence at the ceremony, thanking them for participating in the ceremony and wishing them a good day,” Carlos Gonzales, MD, explained.
The conclusion of the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Tree Blessing Ceremony involves participants thanking each other for taking part in the event.
Medical students take turns shoveling dirt as they plant the tree honoring people who donated their bodies to science. Ashes from the sacred herbs are mixed in with the dirt of the newly planted tree.
Carlos Gonzales, MD, watches as medical students plant a tree honoring those who donated their bodies to the Willed Body Program at the College of Medicine – Tucson.
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