I am in the process of writing a post regarding an interesting and insightful experience I had with a Tibetan Monk many years ago. Before posting the story, I wanted to share with you some of what I witnessed and a little background information for those of you who may not be familiar with the Sand Mandala or Buddhist traditions and beliefs.Read a brief description of the construction process of the Mandala or see photographs of the construction.
Creating the Sand Mandala
in honor of the 70th Birthday of the Dalai Lama
Bloomington, Indiana in 2005.
Tibetan monks at the closing ceremony of the Mandala at Miami Dade College.
Dismantling the Sand Mandala
(video is lengthy so scroll to the end for the dismantling)
(video is lengthy so scroll to the end for the dismantling)
It is amazing how long they work on a creation.
ReplyDeleteUnto those who can accept it, a Sand Mandala is a good representation of this world. For despite all of its intricate detail and breathtaking beauty, it was created to be ultimately destroyed.
ReplyDeleteI use Mandalas (predesigned) as a tool for teaching relaxation and peaceful thinking with my 4th gr students, especially during standardized testing. We also design our own; I use them during Math to teach symmetry.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful.
I remember the press coverage during a creation of the sand Mandala at a museum in DC. We never made it there, but now I can witness it via the Fearless Blog!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading about your experience with the Tibetan monk ...
I've seen the Native American sand paitings but I'd not seen these and they are so infintely beautiful, I don't think words can convey such beauty. The monks' patience and perserverance through what must take hours is astounding. They are certainly very talented...gifted. It is truly a "living" prayer, mediation and devotion. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI am so taken by the discipline involved in creating the mandala. How do you spend so much time working on such an intricate piece without making a mistake? This in it self is the true talent.
ReplyDeleteThere is something incredibly appealing about the Mandala design. I have created a coloring book based on the mandala to inspire children and families to sit together, create together, and relax - see www.thechillbook.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of mandalas. Last summer I was able to paint one with a young niece of mine who took it to class the next day and shared its meaning during ShowNTell!
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