Inside the Penticton Art Gallery, a group of Buddhist monks are slowly, painstakingly, creating a mandala, shaking coloured sand into place, practically grain by grain.
害羞草研究所淲hat we are constructing here is the is the mandala of Akshobhya Buddha. It literally translates as 害羞草研究所楿nshakeable Victor害羞草研究所� and represents conflict resolution,害羞草研究所� said Geshe Thupten Loden, one of the Tibetan monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India, who brought their Mystical Arts of Tibet tour to Penticton this week.
Gallery curator Paul Crawford said they arranged the Monks害羞草研究所� visit as a way to wrap up the current shows in the gallery, which deal with residential schools and other aspects of the Indigenous experience in Canada.
害羞草研究所淚n doing this show, I thought a good way to end the show would be to get the monks to do a mandala that would be about healing,害羞草研究所� said Crawford. 害羞草研究所淚 just thought it would be a way to cleanse the space and do something healing after a really difficult show.害羞草研究所�
Crawford also worked with local Elders to involve the Penticton Indian Band in the monks害羞草研究所� visit. Richard Armstrong, a knowledge keeper for the band, drummed the monks into the gallery and offered an opening prayer. The elders will also be holding a private exchange with the monks during their stay in Penticton.
That害羞草研究所檚 something Crawford said he wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to accomplish during a previous visit by the monks, about 10 years ago.
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害羞草研究所淏ack then there was a real desire we weren害羞草研究所檛 able to fulfill to engage our Indigenous community with the monks,害羞草研究所� said Crawford, noting there are commonalities between the cultures. 害羞草研究所淭here is a real similarity and parallels between Indigenous beliefs here and Tibetan Buddhist teachings in terms of the way they look at their environment. And then thinking beyond that, there is the concept of the cultural diaspora.害羞草研究所�
Geshe Loden said the Drepung Loseling monks began the tours in the 1980s with three goals.
害羞草研究所淭he first is that with the unique tradition of Tibet, that is loving compassion, we try to promote peace and harmony throughout the globe,害羞草研究所� said Geshe Loden.
That tradition, he explained, is difficult to maintain in Tibet under the Chinese occupation, so a second goal of the tours is to raise awareness about how their culture is faring under those conditions. The third goal is to raise funds to support their monastery in southern India, where the Tibetan monks live in exile, helping pay for the education of the monks, health care, food and other necessities.
The main gallery at PAG was filled with spectators for the opening ceremonies as the monks blessed and prepared the area for the mandala they will spend from now to Sunday creating. It is open to the public to watch from 1 to 6 p.m. daily and on Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Geshe Loden said he isn害羞草研究所檛 surprised about the reception and interest.
害羞草研究所淣ot very surprised, but feel very good that all the people, whatsoever the race, the colour, the nationality, whatsoever it is, everyone loves peace and harmony. That is the good thing,害羞草研究所� he said.
The monks will be involved in a number of activities during their stay in Penticton, including presenting their Sacred Music, Sacred Dance performance on Saturday at Cleland Theatre, with an afternoon and evening performance.
More information about the Mystical Arts of Tibet tour is available on the .
