About Sand Mandalas:

What is a Mandala? "Mandala" literally means circle in Sanskrit. A mandala is a concentric gemotric form which is meant to represent a cosmic diagram of the universe. Mandalas have becme significant for their teaching and helaing power. There are many forms of mandalas originating from Tibet, India, Nepal, China, Japan, Bhukhtan and Indonesia from the 4th to 19th Century. Origianlly they were religious painted art forms. Painters, laymen from a family line of painters, werw commissioned to paint mandalas to to help people learn from the vibrance of their detail and the teachings of the Buddha.

Tibetan monks developed sand mandalas as ritual spiritual art practice to initiate lay people into the world of Tantric Buddhism to achieve enlightenment. Mandalas teach and heal the initated, the intiators, viewers, and the world through purifcation of sins and dharma, merit making and achieving nirvana through enlightement from receiving the buddha's teachings. Each mandala has a complex significance and symbolism based on its design unique combination of symbols and colors. (see symbolism)

Construction of Tibetan sand mandalas draw large crowds for their spiriaul signifiicance and for their beauty. After the ceremony, the sand from the mandalas is poured back into the earth, so it will give good spirits to all the earth's creatures. The ritual leaves behind further enlightenment for the monks, the initiated, and the audience. All of them are closer to dharma. (see process )

Tibetan Sand Mandalas have remained a key marker of Tibetan culture and Buddhism.