The Tibetan Sand Mandala,The art of sand mandala’s or sand painting is a Tibetan Buddhist trad
The Tibetan Sand Mandala,The art of sand mandala’s or sand painting is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition that goes back centuries and can be traced to the first monasteries of Tibet. Literally made of dyed sand, these large mandalas are often very ornate and extremely beautiful, depicting colorful geometric shapes, Buddhist Deities, religious iconography, and Tibetan historical figures. The act of creating a sand mandala is akin to meditation as creating such incredible artwork literally one grain of sand at a time takes an incredible amount of focus and discipline. Not to mention, it usually takes several weeks or months to create a proper mandala. Often monks pray or recite ancient chants while working to help focus the mind. Perhaps the most incredible aspect of this tradition is what is done after the mandala is completed. After all the rituals and ceremonies are completed and the mandala serves no other useful purpose, it is swept up and the mandala is deconstructed, with the sand being returned back to nature. This is symbolic of the impermanence of all things. After all the great philosopher Boomhauer once said, “dang ol’ dust in the wind man.” -- source link
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