cool article about Tibetan sand paintings

[Ben Gruagach]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1756&e=3&u=/050429/480/mojf10804292314

They have pictures of an amazing sand painting that some Tibetan monks created for a demonstration in St. Louis. The painting apparently took five days to create, is on display for a few days, and then is ritually destroyed. It symbolizes how even beautiful things are temporary in the physical realm.

[Luminessence]

I remember going to see one of these being made once when I was a kid (my mother is a Tibetan Buddhist). Yes, impermanence is big in Buddhism.

[Dawa Lhamo]

Oooh, I'll have to read the article, but I just wanted to say that those monks were SOOO sweet! They did a show at the Edison Theatre where I work, and I got to work backstage, and I talked with the "spokesperson".... They were wonderful. After the kid's show on Saturday, I gave a kata to the head monk. (I wrote this all out in my LJ.link here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/dawa_lhamo_9/).) Amazing. If they ever come through your town, be sure to check them out! Monks are Awesome!

Unfortunately with work and finals this week, I didn't make it over to the Art Museum to see the sand mandala, but I heard it was great. I can't say I'm surprised, though. ^_^ Monks are Awesome!

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

PS: That became my new motto after meeting them: Monks are Awesome!

[Dawa Lhamo]

Oh, and I see it's not mentioned in the article, but right next to the monks' sand mandala, there was a community sand painting. The monks were showing various people (whoever wanted) how to create fields of color, lines, decoration, etc. I think the design was a phoenix modelled off a vase in the Eastern art wing. I wonder if I could find a picture of it....

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[Toby Stimpson]

I always find it amazing the complexity of Tibetan Mandalas...and how they are given to the wind when they are finished. It's amazing, Buddhist philosophy in practice in a non proselytizing way...simply marvelous :). Didn't the Dalai Lama also create a Mandala in San Fransisco a few years ago during a Free Tibet rally? I'm not sure but soemthing rings a bell. I remember, and this may go off topic a bit, the Tibetan Butter Lamp festival...how they prepare for a year to create elaborate sculptures of Tulkus, Rinpoches, Boddhisattvas and Lamas from frozen butter...and then when its all over just throw the sculptures in a river to represent how everything is swept away by the streams of time lol. Just a fabulous way to convey ones core teachings...just amazing. :). Anyway lol, thank you for the article Ben :). Namaste!

Tobias