A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks — from Mundgod, Karnataka in India — are visiting the Island, with plans of blessing the land and creating traditional artwork.
The monks are coming to the Island as part of a world-wide tour called the Gaden Shartse Sacred Arts Tour in an effort to fundraise for their monastery. The group will hold an opening ceremony at the Yoga Barn on Sunday, Sept. 14, which will include a Dharma Talk on World Peace at 12:30 pm.
The group is also creating a traditional sand mandala at Slough Farm in the Horse Barn classroom, called a Menla, which means medicine. Families are welcome to view the mandala, and attendees are invited to create their own out of sand, which will be provided. The mandala will be open to the public from Monday through Friday of that week.
The blessing of the land was requested by organizers specifically because of the prevalence and uptick in tick-borne diseases this year.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, there is a fundraiser with a $40 requested donation where attendees will make and eat dumplings with the monks, followed by a Menla Medicine Buddha Empowerment the next day, which features a collective meditation and healing session and a suggested donation of $20.
From 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday, Sept. 20, the final ceremony of the tour will take place. The event includes chanting, where the monks will “spiritually activate” the sand mandala. The mandala will then be wiped away after public viewing to symbolize physical impermanence and the Buddhist practice of detachment.
One of the monks, Lobsang Khamchuk Rinpoche, is providing private individual, home, pet and business healings by appointment while on the Island.
