Visiting from their home in Tibet, the Gaden Jangtse monks will spend five days at Pacific Asia Museum creating a sand mandala in the museum’s Focus Gallery and a butter sculpture (floral form) in the courtyard garden. The sand mandala is an ancient art form that is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. The artwork is made by placing fine sand, grain by grain, into an intricate design of the world in its divine form. Upon completion, the mandala is blessed a final time and the sand is swept into a pile - erasing the once beautiful work of art. Some of the sand is given to those who are present, as a small blessing for their home, and the remainder is poured into the moving water of the ocean where it can carry prayers and blessings throughout the world. Visit over and over during the course of the five days to see the progression of the art work and learn more about this ancient art form.
Schedule of Events:
Wednesday, September 7: Free Admission in Honor of the Monks
10:00 am - Opening blessing in the Focus Gallery
11:00 am - Mandala lecture by Geshe Tenzin Sherab
Friday, September 9
2:00 pm - Mandala lecture by Tenzin Thokme
Sunday, September 11
2:00 pm - Sweeping away ceremony at the mandala
4:00 pm - Ritual dance performance and traditional Tibetan chanting (Free admission)
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