Glencairn Museum hosts 3-day workshop on meditation and mandalas

The Venerable Lama Losang Samten returns to Glencairn Museum in September to present a three-day workshop, Mandalas and Spiritual Practice, during which he will teach a meditative spiritual practice used by monks for centuries: the creation of the Mandala of Compassion. Losang will lead participants in creating individual versions of this mandala as a central component of their weekend meditation practice.

The workshop runs one evening and two days on the weekend of September 27-29 in Glencairn’s Great Hall: 7-9:00pm Friday, 9:30am-4:00pm Saturday and 12-4:00pm Sunday for ages 16 and up. Cost is $225 per person, $200 for Glencairn members, and registration is required by 5:00pm on Monday, September 23. Space is limited. Reserve your spot now at 267.502.2990 or info@GlencairnMuseum.org. 1001 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn 19009

Participants are asked to bring a ruler (at least 12”), a pencil, and a compass, as well as your own lunch to enjoy at Glencairn on Saturday. All other materials and light refreshments during breaks are provided.

Losang Samten is spiritual director of the Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia, Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Middletown, Conn., Chenrezig Himalayan Cultural Center of El Paso, Texas, and a frequent visitor and teacher in Lake Tahoe and Chico, Calif., as well as in Canada. He travels extensively, sharing his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and meditation, as well as his skill in Tibetan ritual arts. He is one of only an estimated 30 people, worldwide, qualified to teach the traditional art of Tibetan sandpainting.

The mandala is an ancient and sacred Tibetan Buddhist art form. No detail of its creation is arbitrary or superfluous: the colors and designs of each mandala have profound meanings that originated in the ancient teachings of the Buddha and have remained unchanged over the centuries. In essence, mandalas represent enlightened qualities and in Vajrayana Buddhism are an important form of teaching to support living beings on the path to enlightenment.

Losang has dedicated this workshop to educating others on the spiritual practice of creating the Mandala of Compassion; that is, the Mandala of Chenrezig, who is the buddha of compassion. He will lead participants through the spiritual practice of creating this mandala design on paper, teaching the meaning of the colors and symbols, the detailed measurements, how to pour the colored sand into the pattern template using the “chakpu” tool, and the meaning of the dismantling ceremony.

Participants will be able to take home the mandala template they create of the Mandala of Compassion.

Glencairn Museum is at 1001 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn 19009.