HEALING WITH ART – BUDHIST MONKS CREATE SAND MANDALA ,AN ART THERAPY

Tibet House

Cultural Centre of H.H. the Dalai Lama

1, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

A 5-Day Programme on the Tibetan Medical System and Astro-Science

October 23 – 27  2015

 New Delhi  October 26, 2015   The Buddhists  Monks  attending the ongoing  Five day meet on Tibetan Medical System and Astro-Science  which began in capital on October 23 have created a Mandala ,which is ancient art work and well known for therapeutic treatment and healing .

Mandala is a Circular forms of  art are often referred to as mandalas, the Sanskrit word for “sacred circle.” . The Tibetan Buddhist monks have been creatning Mandala’s for centuries to bring forth the sacred through images and have evoked the circle in ritual and art making for the purpose of transcendence, mindfulness, and wellness.

“Tibetan sand mandala is a ritual which  is symbol in Budhist religion, , that symbolize the universe.  For creating Mandala art Therapy Tibetan Buddhist monks labour for four to five days creating one of these beautiful, transient works of art , well known to be having heling power and symbol of wellness.”said Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director Tibet house, New Delhi.

The  monks plot out the geometric shapes that make up the entire piece, throughout the hours and days they spent, tapping intricate lines and designs of brightly colored sand with their chak pur, traditional Tibetan tools used for creating sand mandala.

sand mandala also known as temporary home for Buddhist Deities  are created as “containers” for the blessings assimilated upon it which are then, when the mandala are dismantled and ritualistically poured into a river, carried to the ocean and hence throughout the world.