Tibetan Monk Tour

Bringing a beautiful gift to coastal cities, four Tibetan monks from Gaden Shartse Phukhang

Monasteries in India are touring the Oregon coast this February, with week-long stops in Lincoln City, Yachats and Newport. Organized by Lincoln County Friends of Tibet in conjunction with the Lincoln County Cultural Center and the Yachats Chamber of Commerce, the tour brings the rich and colorful music, sights, and art of Tibetan culture to our coastal audiences. The tour’s purpose is to promote intercultural understanding, and share the timeless wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism’s many practices for promoting peace and personal healing.

The monks are here to raise critical funds for housing, health, and education facilities at the “monastery-in-exile” back in southern India. The Oregon stops are part of a 6 month tour throughout the western United States. The Oregon coast tour begins Wednesday, February 11th thru February 15th at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 NE Hwy 101 in Lincoln City. Then moves on February 17th thru February 22nd to the Yachats Commons, 441 Hwy 101 North in Yachats. They finish up the coastal Oregon tour February 24th thru March 1st at Newport’s Samaritan Center for Health Education, 740 SW 9th Street.

The monks will be creating a different sacred “sand mandala” in each of the three stops: Green Tara (Lincoln City Cultural Center), symbolizing Enlightened Action; Avalokiteshvara (Yachats Commons), symbolizing Compassion; and Manjushri (Samaritan Center for Health Education in Newport), symbolizing Wisdom. The mandalas are made by using specially made metal funnels with narrow tips that the monks vibrate with a metal rod, directing the individual grains of sand into the brocade-like figures, patterns, and symbols that decorate the mandala.

Each sand mandala requires long hours of daily work by the monks, culminating in a ritual

“dissolution” of the finished art work, when the mandala is ritually swept up, and the sand taken to pour into the ocean as an offering to beings of the sea. The dissolution of the mandala symbolizes the impermanence of all created things. Sand mandalas are an ancient sacred art used by Tibetan monks and nuns to represent celestial abodes of various “bodhisattvas” or the “Great Beings” of Tibetan Buddhism. It will take the monks a full week in each location to create the colorful and intricate sand mandala designs.

The public is invited and encouraged to come witness the meditative process of the mandalas’ creation throughout the visits, and observe the monks while they work. The mandalas may be viewed from 10am - 5pm each day at each location while they are working on them. Throughout the weeks the monks are here, they will also be offering Tibetan Buddhist rituals and ceremonies, as well as talks, cultural presentations, and family-friendly workshops. In Newport, a special “Monks & Momos” dinner benefit will be offered, with Tibetan stuffed dumplings (momos) handmade by the monks.

In Yachats, special ceremonies marking Tibetan New Year or Losar will be performed the first three days of the visit there. Additional highlights of the three week-long visits include:

* “Butter Sculpture” workshops in each city, along with a demonstration of Tibetan calligraphy, an all-ages and family friendly event. Butter sculptures (or “tormas”) are small, generally abstract figures made of dough and decorated with floral designs or other patterns. They are used in certain ceremonies as ritual offerings, and in the monasteries, can reach heights of 10 feet. In the workshop, participants will learn to make small, handheld ones.

* Tibetan Cultural Nights: featuring a special ceremony with chanting and Tibetan sacred music, followed by a demonstration of the often hilarious and acrobatic “Tibetan monastic debate”, followed by a Q&A with the monks.

* Ceremonies and rituals for overcoming adversities, promoting compassion and understanding, and for personal health and healing.

* Talks and presentations by the senior monks on topics like “Aging, Death, and Rebirth”,

“Lojong” or “mind training” practices, and beginning meditation.

In Newport-only, on Friday, February 27th, the monks will present a very special “Monks and

Momos” benefit dinner, with Tibetan stuffed dumplings (momos) made by the monks. This is a very limited seating offering and the only “tickets in advance” event during the three weeks.

In Yachats February 17th - 22nd, the visit by the monks coincides with Tibetan Lunar New Year, or Losar.

So in addition to the Avalokiteshvara sand mandala, the monks are offering several

special evening ceremonies that are traditionally performed during Losar, and will only be

presented in Yachats. In Lincoln City, the monks are offering a presentation on basic Buddhist philosophy: The Four Noble Truths, and a “How to” workshop on Meditation.

Special personal blessings, as well as house, land, and business blessings are also being

offered by the monks, and can be scheduled by contacting Lincoln County Friends of Tibet.

All proceeds go directly to the Gaden Shartse Phukhang monks building projects at the

monastery in India, and are tax-deductible.

For a complete schedule of all events during these three weeks, go to

https://LCFriendsofTibet.org or on Facebook: Lincoln County Friends of Tibet.

For all other questions, contact LincolnCountyTibet@gmail.com or call 530-748-9365.