Mandala Reminder!!

Hey all!   Here's the Link to the monks building the sand mandala in Princeton this week.  It has all the ceremonies by day.  I hope to make it there a bunch!  Let me know if you want to meet up!
 ~  Barbara


http://www.princetonyoga.com/about/mandala/

Creating new space, energy… Princeton Yoga is honored to welcome monks from the Drepung Gomang monastery to the center. From May 7th to May 12th the monks will be creating a Sacred Sand Mandala. The mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning cosmogram or “world in harmony.” The event includes opening ceremonies, informal conversation and socializing as the mandala is created and formal closing ceremonies. Closing ceremonies include prayers, chanting, deconstruction of the mandala and sharing the blessed sand.
Donations to support the monastery and works of the monks are welcome. The monks will also offer for sale their sacred art, crafts and jewelry during their visit to Princeton Yoga.

During this week some of our regular yoga classes will follow a different schedule: Click here for more information.

Opening Ceremony

Monday, May 7 – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Open to public. Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
Each creation of a sand mandala begins with an opening ceremony. Come and join us as the monks consecrate the site and call forth the forces of goodness through chanting mantras accompanied by flutes, drums and cymbals. This event is visually and acoustically striking and not to be missed. The construction of the mandala begins with the drawing of the design on the base, or tek-pu. The artists measure out and draw the architectural lines using a straight-edged ruler, compass and ink pen. The mandala is a formal geometric pattern showing the floor plan of a sacred mansion. Once the diagram is drawn, in the following days you see millions of grains of colored sand painstakingly laid into place.
*PLEASE NOTE: PROGRAM IS NEARLY AT CAPACITY. WE ASK THAT YOU CARPOOL IF POSSIBLE. OVERFLOW PARKING IS AT THE ROCK BROOK SCHOOL ACROSS THE WAY ON ORCHARD ROAD.

Construction of the Mandala

Tuesday, May 8 – Friday, May 11 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Come observe, meditate or just watch in awe as the mandala takes shape.
During these times the monks will pour millions of grains of sand, colored with vegetable dyes or opaque tempera, using traditional metal funnels, called chak-pur. The two “chakpurs” are said to symbolize the union of wisdom and compassion. The mandalas are created whenever a need for healing of the environment and living beings is felt. The monks consider our present age to be one of great need in this respect, and therefore are creating these mandalas where requested throughout their world tours.
The finished Mandala is approximately 5 feet in diameter.
Open to Public

Prayers and Chanting

Friday, May 11 – 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Open to public. Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
Meet us for spiritual evening of prayers and chanting. The monks will chant prayers and perform traditional rituals. The intent of the rituals is to overcome negativities which may be obstacles in obtaining release from suffering and to promote spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. The prayers are recited in the traditional overtone chanting, each monk singing a full chord of three notes. The prayers are often accompanied by symbolic hand gestures, cymbals, drums, horns and flutes. Join us for this unique experience!

Mandala Completion

Saturday, May 12 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Open to Public,
Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
See how the mandala gets its final touch and watch as the monks conclude their creation of the mandala with its consecration.

Closing Ceremony

Saturday, May 12 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm
Location to be appointed
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
During the Closing Ceremony, the monks dismantle the mandala, sweeping up the colored sands to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists. Half of the sand may be distributed to the audience in small bags as blessings for personal health and healing.
Finally travel with the monks, along to a body of water (location to be announced). The sand is then ceremonially poured into the water in order to spread the healing energies of the mandala throughout the world.