Coordinated by local nonprofit Yoga Journeys, six Tibetan Buddhist monks are bringing the Sacred Art of Tibet Tour to northeastern Pennsylvania from December 8 to 14, sharing the art and culture of Tibet, as well as the practice and paths to inner peace and compassion, at several locations. The first action of the monks will be the construction of a sand mandala for peace and evening musical performance from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., December 8, sponsored by the University of Scranton, Lackawanna County and city of Scranton.

The mandala, “painted” using colored sand, is considered by many to the most unique and exquisite of all the artistic traditions of Buddhism, representing the cycle of life; creation, the beauty of existence and its impermanence and the return to the natural world for creation again. Mandala literally means, “that which extracts the essence.” Many different types of mandalas are used by Tibetan Buddhists, which can be created in either two or three dimensions. Those in this tour will be two-dimensional sand mandalas, the most creative, labor- and concentration-intensive of all mandalas.

Other highlights of the tour include private sessions and personal blessings with the monks and lectures throughout the week at different venues, including the Wonderstone Gallery, in Dunmore, the Unitarian Universalist Church, in Wyoming and Balance Yoga & Wellness, in Forty Fort.

The tour concludes with three days of events, sponsored by Twigs Restaurant, in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, at the Wellspring House on Tioga Street. On December 13 , the monks will once again meditate and dissolve a mandala. The weekend closes with a Blessing of the Animals, vegan potluck and lecture at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary (preregistration is required through Indraloka), followed by a ritual empowerment of the Buddha of Compassion that is open to the public.

All events are funded by donation (suggested $10 for lectures, $25 for empowerments). A full schedule can be found on Facebook—NEPA Sacred Art of Tibet Tour. For more information call Melissa Russo, of Yoga Journeys, at 570- 344-6375 or email [email protected].