Tibetan monks create colorful sand mandala in SLO. Here’s a look and how to see it

Tibetan Buddhist monks visited San Luis Obispo this week to create a colorful sand mandala.

Visiting from the Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialects in India, the monks started building the mandala at the Aligned Acupuncture and Wellness Spa on Tuesday.

Building the mandala is a meditative, spiritual practice, as the monks pray for peace while pouring the sand, Ngari Institute president Geshe Tsewang Dorje said.

“Through building this mandala, we will practice healing,” he said. “We are sharing love and compassion with others.”

The monks are fundraising for the Ngari Institute, which offers education, housing, meals and medical care to impoverished children, he said.

People can donate to the institute by purchasing items from the monk’s gift shop at the Aligned Acupuncture and Wellness Spa or placing money in the donations box there.

The monks will destroy the mandala on Friday to represent the ever-changing nature of life.

From joy to suffering, “everything is impermanent,” he said.

The opening ceremony will start at 10 a.m., and the monks will scatter the sand at 3 p.m.

The public is invited to watch both ceremonies.

“This is not a normal art,” he said. “This is one of the spiritual arts.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2024 at 9:00 AM.

Stephanie Zappelli

The Tribune

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Stephanie Zappelli is the environment and immigration reporter for The Tribune. Born and raised in San Diego, they graduated from Cal Poly with a journalism degree. When not writing, they enjoy playing guitar, reading and exploring the outdoors.