  Mandala
is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle". Mandalas are symbols of the
Universe and its energy. Tibetan monks create these archetypal
templates to remind us of the cycle of life and death. A Mandala has
many layers of meaning, such as cosmic diagrams and support for
meditation.
Over
the past Decade, Tibetan Art has become a part of the western
cultural landscape.
 Periodically
the Dalai Lama and groups of Tibetan monks travel around the U.S.
, conducting healing ceremonies, creating Sand Mandalas, and
performing traditional music and dance to bring attention to the
ongoing struggles of Tibetan people worldwide and for Tibetan
independence.
Appreciating the Sand Mandala as a work of
art, we are challenged to see beyond our own definition of art, with
values on innovation and self-expression. In Tibetan ritual arts,
collaboration in the execution of the Sand Mandala is considered to
be more valuable than originality.
In Tibet, sand ground
from brightly colored stone was often used for
 making
the Mandalas.
The sands are made from ground
lapis, citrine, marble and other colored stones....
The basic colors are white, black, blue, red, yellow, and
green. Each of the basic colors : blue, red, yellow and green have
three shades- dark, medium, and light - a total of fourteen colors.
The lamas begin by
drawing an outline of the mandala on the wooden platform. The
following days see the laying of the colored sands, which is
effected by pouring the sand from traditional metal funnels called
chak-pur. Each monk holds a chak-pur in one hand, while running a
metal rod on its grated surface; the vibration causes the sands to
flow like liquid.
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