As we prepare to host the monks in Carbondale to create a sand mandala and help us celebrate the reopening of our center, here is a short video of a younger version of John (Chophel) when he was a monk explaining the creation of a sand mandala.
Sand Mandala Ceremony
The monks will be creating the sand mandala of the Buddha of Compassion over a period of four days, ending with a dissolution ceremony and distribution of the sand on Monday evening, July 19th.
The creation of the mandala will be open for public viewing on Friday, July 15th through Monday, July 19th, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Thursday, July 15th at 7 pm: Opening Ceremony for the Chenrezig (Buddha of Compassion) Sand Mandala. The Opening Ceremony is a powerful ritual in which the monks will consecrate the area and create a purified environment to receive the mandala.
Friday, July 16th at 7 pm: Tea Ceremony. The tea offering is a special blessing for the environment and showers all individuals in the presence of the monks with nectar. In the ceremony, participants don’t drink the tea but rather the monks will chant and bring prayers of healing as well as the removal of obstacles to be granted by enlightened Dharma Guardians. During the prayer, they will invoke all the divine beings and make tea offerings by pouring the divine nectar of each and every enlightened being into a vessel. As the nectar is being poured, the monks will chant prayers in the deep resonate Tibetan chanting that they are famous for while showering all participants with the blessings of radiant nectar.
Saturday, July 17th at 7 pm: Vajravidaran Healing Ritual. Vajravidaran is a Buddha associated with purification and health. Physical and mental health is impacted by our karmic imprints. This ritual offers an opportunity to improve your health by purifying negative karma. The Vajravidaran ritual of purification and has three stages: the removal of negativities, the cleansing of subtle negative imprints, and protection from their return.
Sunday, July 18th at 7 pm – Chenrezig (Buddha of Compassion) Empowerment. The Buddha of Compassion is known as Chenrezig (Tibetan) or Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit). Chenrezig has many aspects and embodies the Universal Compassion of all the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions. The purpose of the empowerment is to establish a close relationship with Chenrezig and to benefit from his power of compassion. The empowerment will also initiate one into the mantra of Chenrezig: OM MANI PADME HUM, which contains the essence of the complete path of enlightenment.
Monday, July 19th at 7 pm: Sand Mandala Dissolution Ceremony. The culminating event of the monks’ visit is the powerful and moving consecration and dissolution of the mandala. The monks will consecrate the mandala and ritually dissolve it. All in attendance will receive a small bag of the blessed sand from the mandala and the rest of it will be poured into the river allowing the blessings to flow throughout the whole valley.