Tibetan Monks of
The Mystical Arts of Tibet
from Drepung Loseling Monastery
Mandala Sand Painting
Tuesday, April 29 through Saturday, May 3
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
The Cumberland Masonic Temple is located directly beside the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Pedestrians can access the building via the front stairs on Greene Street or through the back entrance.
Street parking is available in the general Washington Street area near the Allegany County Courthouse.
Additional parking will be available in the lower lot at the First Presbyterian Church, 11 Washington Street, every day except Friday, May 2. Signs will be posted.
Parking in the Masonic Temple lot is limited and is reserved for those with mobility challenges. Access Cherry Place via the southeast corner of Prospect Square behind the Circuit Court for Allegany County.
Photo courtesy of the artists
“A universal expression of the human subconscious. … It transports you.” (The Washington Post)
The Architecture of Enlightenment
The Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery return to Western Maryland for an extraordinary five-day residency endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
After several months of community voting, the mandala selected to be created is Akshobhya: The Unshakable Victor for Conflict Resolution & Peace, which “represents an immovable force of goodness and enlightenment, even in the most challenging of times. This relatively new mandala was designed and constructed in 2002 at the recommendation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in response to September 11, 2001.”
Mandala Opening Ceremony
Tuesday, April 29 | Noon
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
The monks consecrate the mandala site with traditional chants, music and mantra recitation.
Attendance at the opening ceremony is limited based on venue capacity and registration is used simply to help us gauge the number of potential attendees. Early arrival is encouraged to ensure your participation.
Mandala Creation Daily Schedule
Tuesday, April 29 | 1-6 PM
Wednesday - Friday, April 30-May 2 | 10 AM-6 PM
Saturday, April 30-May 3 | 10-11 AM
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
Mandala Closing Ceremony
Saturday, May 3 | Noon
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
Attendance at the closing ceremony is limited based on venue capacity and registration is used simply to help us gauge the number of potential attendees. Early arrival is encouraged to ensure your participation. The closing ceremony will involve walking, as the swept-up sands are transported from the Cumberland Masonic Temple to the Baltimore Street Bridge for dispersal in Wills Creek. Patrons with mobility issues are encouraged to meet the procession at the bridge for the conclusion of the ceremony.
The monks dismantle the sand mandala for dispersal in Wills Creek at Canal Place. Half of the sand is distributed to observers as blessings for personal health and healing.
Mandala sand painting has its roots in the tantric legacy of Buddhist India, extending back more than 20,000 years. In Tibetan, this art is called dul-tson-kyil-khor, which means “mandala of colored powders.” The lamas painstakingly lay millions of grains of colored sand to create the traditional iconography of ancient spiritual symbols. They begin by drawing an outline of the mandala on a wooden platform. Over the next five days, sands are delicately poured from traditional metal funnels called chak-purs. Upon completion, the sands are swept up and placed in an urn. To fulfill the function of healing, half of the sand is distributed to spectators while the remainder is dispersed in a nearby body of flowing water to carry the healing blessing to the ocean; from there it spreads throughout the world for planetary healing.
A Brief History of Drepung Loseling Monastery
Drepung Monastery was established near Lhasa, Tibet, in 1416 by Chojey Tashi Palden. It had four departments, of which Loseling, or The Hermitage of the Radiant Mind, was the largest, housing more than three-quarters of Drepung’s 10 to 15 thousand monks. Drepung Loseling was especially close to the Dalai Lama incarnations; the Second Dalai Lama made his residence here in 1494 and subsequent incarnations maintained this link.
Drepung Loseling Monastery in Exile in India
After the Chinese Communist invasion of Tibet in 1959 and the forced closure and destruction of its 6,500 monasteries, some 250 monks from Loseling managed to escape the holocaust and rebuild their institution in Karnataka State, South India. The traditional training program was thus preserved. Over the years, many young spiritual aspirants have fled Chinese-occupied Tibet and sought entrance into the monastery, thus helping to preserve their traditional culture. The number of monks presently in the reestablished Drepung Loseling has increased to more than 3,000.
ARTS BEYOND THE STAGE
ARTS FOR ENRICHMENT
Lecture: The Power of Empathy and Compassion
Wednesday, April 30 | 6 PM
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
Empathy, being aware of others’ perspectives and feeling how they feel, is essential in establishing an atmosphere of understanding, healthy relationships and informed engagement. This lays the groundwork for a wise compassion, not just a sense of pity or concern, but a much more resourceful and skilled mode of engagement and connection.
Attendance at this event is limited based on venue capacity and registration is used simply to help us gauge the number of potential attendees. Early arrival is encouraged to ensure your participation.
Lecture: Why Do We Need Each Other?
Thursday, May 1 | 6 PM
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
With changes in reality, marked particularly by the influence of social media and increasing globalization, the world has become a much smaller place. These changes by themselves are neither good nor bad but do represent a marked acceleration in the pace of our lives and access to almost anything. Our environment, in turn, has become more volatile and our lives more vulnerable, and this calls for an unprecedented need for responsibility and belonging. How do we achieve this? What role can each of us play?
Attendance at this event is limited based on venue capacity and registration is used simply to help us gauge the number of potential attendees. Early arrival is encouraged to ensure your participation.
Lecture: The Symbolism of the Sand Mandala
Friday, May 2 | 6 PM
Cumberland Masonic Temple | 15 Greene Street, Cumberland
The mandala is a sacred cosmogram – a geometric configuration of symbols – used as an object of contemplation. It depicts the pure nature of the world and shows how we can live better lives. By creating a sand mandala, we become aware of this natural perfection and receptive to the creative energy of that sacred dimension.
Attendance at this event is limited based on venue capacity and registration is used simply to help us gauge the number of potential attendees. Early arrival is encouraged to ensure your participation.
