A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks is back in the Roaring Fork Valley this month for their annual visit from the Gaden Shartse monastery in southern India. And this week, they’ll offer a robust slate of creative programming at the Aspen Art Museum.
The monks are known for their detailed, colorful mandalas, which are made out of sand and dismantled with just as much purpose as they were created to demonstrate the idea of impermanence.
After an opening ceremony at the museum Wednesday afternoon, the monks will spend the next several days making their vibrant and temporary artworks in a live, public demonstration.
That will be followed by a “dissolution ceremony” for the mandalas on Sunday, after which the sand will be returned to a natural environment.
The monks will host a calligraphy workshop and a guided meditation at the Aspen Art Museum as well; a full schedule with registration information is available on the museum’s website.
People can also find the monks on top of Aspen Mountain next Monday, when they will offer a blessing as they wrap up their visit.
The monks travel across the United States to share blessings, spiritual teachings and other practices with a message of peace and compassion.
Their local tour has already involved other programs focused on healing, meditation and empowerment at different community hubs, organized in partnership with the nonprofit Aspen Tibet.
