Issue: 587    Date: 11/22/2001

International Education Week at Webster University talks about making the Mandala and media influence

Stages in Building a Sand Mandala at Webster University 

The mandala sand painting process begins with an opening ceremony on November 13. The Gaden Shartse monks will consecrate the Webster University Center, calling upon the energies and forces of goodness. This is done by means of chanting, music and mantra recitation.

The lamas then begin drawing an outline of the mandala of Chenrezig on the wooden platform on Wednesday. The following days see the laying of the colored sands, which is effected by pouring the sand from traditional metal funnels called chak-pur. Each monk holds a chak-pur in one hand, while running a metal rod on its grated surface; the vibration causes the sands to flow like liquid. One monk will construct one quadrant of the sand painting.

Sand mandalas are impermanent art form. Buddhism holds that everything in life is impermanent. Sand mandalas are destroyed shortly after their completion, illustrating impermanence. Many U.S. art students and artists groan at the destruction of the sand mandala after so much meticulous effort has been put into its construction. The sands will be swept up and placed in an urn on Saturday. At the closing ceremony the sand will be distributed to those for healing. The remainder of the sand will be carried to the Mississippi, where its waters will carry healing blessing to the Gulf of Mexico and other oceans for planetary healing.