Green Tara: Green Tara is called upon for protection, health, happiness, wisdom, abundance and success for one’s life. Tara is the active principle of compassion, capable of bringing to fruition all activities, mundane or otherwise, that bring benefit to others as well as the principle female manifestation of enlightenment.
Maplewood, we have a winning mandala!
After weeks of voting via social media, the Green Tara mandala was chosen by Maplewood’s residents.
Beginning Monday, August 10 through Saturday, August 15, 2015, five Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Tibet will be in residence in Maplewood to create the magnificent work of mandala sand art inside the Great Hall at The Woodland, at 60 Woodland Rd.
A mandala (Sanskrit for ‘circle’) is a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the cosmos in Hinduism and Buddhism.
The Green Tara is called upon for protection, health, happiness, wisdom, abundance and success for one’s life. Tara is the active principle of compassion, capable of bringing to fruition all activities, mundane or otherwise, that bring benefit to others as well as the principle female manifestation of enlightenment.
The Green Tara was the overwhelming winner with 49% of the vote. The Akshobya mandala received 21% of the vote, as did the Manjushri mandala. The Avalokitshvara received 9% of the vote. The project is being sponsored by the Maplewood Township Committee and Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs.
The mandala will require more than 30 hours to complete with the monks working up to eight hours per day. The public is invited free of charge to observe the construction of the sand painting.
In addition, the public is able to watch live stream of the project from the comfort of their homes at the links below.
Monday 8/10 – Watch Live
4-5 p.m. Opening Ceremony
The monks begin by preparing the site for the Mandala Sand Painting with approximately 30 minutes of chants, music, and possibly dance.
5-8 p.m. Drawing of the Lines
After the Opening Ceremony, the monks start drawing the line design for the Mandala. This is very tedious and exacting work that takes about three hours to complete.
Tuesday 8/11 – Watch Live
10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mandala Construction
Mandala construction by the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery. The monks pour millions of grains of sand into place over a period of days, using traditional metal funnels called chak-pur. The finished mandala is approximately 4′ x 4′ in size.
Wednesday 8/12 – Watch Live
12-8PM Mandala Construction
Mandala construction by the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery continues.
Thursday 8/13 – Watch Live
12-8PM Mandala Construction
Mandala construction by the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery continue.
Friday 8/14 – Watch Live
12-8PM Mandala Construction
Mandala construction by the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery continues.
Saturday 8/15 – Watch Live
12-5PM Mandala Construction
Mandala construction by the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery continues.
5-6 p.m. Completed Mandala Viewing
6-7 p.m. Closing Ceremony
The monks conclude their creation of the Mandala with its consecration. During the closing ceremony, the monks dismantle the Mandala, sweeping up the colored sand, half of the sand may then be distributed to the audience in small bags or vials.
7-7:30 p.m. Dispersal of the Sand
The remaining sand is carried in a procession by the monks, accompanied by guests, to a flowing body of water. Here the sand is ceremonially poured into the water, thus dispersing the healing energies of the mandala throughout the world.
For more information regarding this and upcoming events at The Woodland, visit The Woodland online. Like the Maplewood Cultural Affairs Department on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter @MaplewoodTWP and Instagram @MaplewoodTWP.
