This is just a reminder that the Addlestone Library and the Charleston Tibetan Society cordially invite you to watch the construction of a Tibetan sand mandala.

Here is an updated schedule of events associated with the sand mandala.

What: Chenrezing Sand Mandala

When: May 26th – June 6th

Where: Addlestone Library Rotunda

Details: Addlestone Library will be hosting the Charleston Tibetan Society as they construct a sand mandala, an ancient, sacred form of Tibetan Buddhist art, in the Addlestone Library rotunda.

Venerable Lobsang Tsering from the Drepung Loseling Monastery Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Practice, and Culture in Atlanta, Georgia, will be constructing a mandala devoted to Chenrezig, the Tibetan name for Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This particular mandala illustrates, in two dimensions, the divine palace, residence, or celestial abode of Chenrezig. The finished mandala will be approximately four feet in diameter and will take a week or so to complete.

There are several events associated with the sand mandala. Listed below are the dates for the opening and closing ceremonies and the daily hours Venerable Tsering will be working on the mandala.

• Opening Ceremony
  • Tuesday, May 26th at 10:00 am
    • Venerable Lobsang Tsering and Geshe Dakpa Topgyal will consecrate the site of the mandala with approximately 30 minutes of chanting and mantra recitation. Immediately following Venerable Lobsang Tsering will begin to draw the lines for the design of the mandala on the table.

• Mandala Daily Viewing Hours
  • Tuesday, May 26th – Saturday, June 6th
  • Monday through Friday –  9 am-12 pm and 2 pm-5 pm
  • Saturday and Sundays – 10am-12 pm and 2 pm-5pm

• Chenrezig Sadhana Practice
  • Wednesday, June 3rd and Thursday, June 4th – 10 am-11 am and 5 pm-6 pm
  • Friday, June 5th – 10 am-11 am and 3 pm-4 pm
    • Venerable Lobsang Tsering and Geshe Dakpa Topgyal, Spiritual Director of the Charleston Tibetan Society, will perform the Chenrezig Sadhana meditative practice including the recitation of the Chenrezig mantra.

• Closing Ceremony
  • Saturday, June 6th at 10:30 am
    • During the closing ceremony there will be a 20 minute power point presentation about the mandala. Afterwards there will be chanting and the mandala will be dismantled by being swept up (symbolizing he impermanence of all phenomena) and distributed to anyone who would like to take some, and the rest being dispersed in the nearest body of water.

Additionally the Division of Marketing and Communications will be doing a time lapse recording of the mandala for The College Today news site.

We hope you can join us!