Mandala creates peace
Residents have the rare opportunity to witness the creation of a Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala by two Tibetan monks at the Whangarei Art Museum.
Ven Geshe Jamyan Sherab and Ven Karma Gyasey from the Jam Tse Dhargyey Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Whangarei will take nine days of pain-staking work to complete the two dimensional mandala which is made from tiny particles of ground marble.
The mandala, created to generate global healing and world peace, will be completed by October 7 and will remain on display until December 4 alongside an exhibition of Thanka paintings for contemplation and meditation.
It will then be swept up and taken to the Hatea River and poured into the water.
Museum director Ruth Green-Coles says a ceremony will take place at the water’s edge near the Town Basin Sculpture Walk at 10.30am.
‘‘The ‘destroyed’ mandala will be poured into the river as an offering to the nagas - water spirits of great wealth who are said to inhabit the water.’’
The offering is made with a prayer that the place where the mandala was created, its surrounds and those who live there may enjoy peace, prosperity and good health.
In Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is contemplated during meditation, each object reminding the meditator of some guiding principle.
However mandalas are also created by the monks whenever a need for healing of the environment and living beings is felt.
It is believed witnessing a mandala creates a great store of positive energy.