Tibetan Lamas of Drepung Loseling Monastery Perform At The Van Wezel, Begins 4/18

On Sunday, April 18, the Tibetan Lamas of Drepung Loseling Monastery will perform the Consecration Ceremony outside the Grand Foyer of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall beginning at 2 p.m. After the 20-minute ceremony, they will move inside to the Grand Foyer and begin work by drawing an outline of the mandala on a wooden platform. Weeklong activities are daily Monday, April 19 thru Thursday, April 22 from Noon until 8pm. This is free and open to the public.

Following the ceremony the community is invited to join in a guided mindfulness meditation. Participants will be introduced to the practice of meditating mindfully, and then given the opportunity to meditatively (& silently) explore minor conflicts in our lives, looking to soften The Edges of conflict. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, participate in the meditation practice presented by Sarasota Mindfulnesss Institute and then view the set up of the mandala. In addition, various hands-on activities for the public will be available on Sunday and throughout the week. (12 noon to 8 p.m.) There is no charge for these events.

From all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, that of painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite. Millions of grains of sand will be painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform during the next five days at the Van Wezel. Formed of a traditional prescribed iconography that includes geometric shapes and a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols, the sand-painted mandala is used as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants.

During the week of April 19 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Monday thru Thursday, (12 - 8 p.m.), visitors may view the mandala-in-progress and talk to the monks. Various pieces of artwork created by area students will be on display in the Grand Foyer for the public to enjoy.

On Wednesday, April 21 from 1-3 p.m. there will be a workshop at the Van Wezel Education Department in collaboration with Expressive Arts Florida Gallery and Judy Levine. You will view photographs of Tibet's cities and monasteries; you will learn how Buddhist practices influence daily life and you will gain insight into Tibetan politics. In addition, you will be able to create your own mandala and explore using colored sand in a hands-on workshop. You will be able to talk to and watch the monks as they create the large sand mandala in the Grand Foyer of the Van Wezel. The cost of this workshop including a ticket to the main performance, A Richard Gere and Drepung Loseling Production of The Mystical Arts of Tibet on Friday at 8 p.m. is only $35. People can go to www.vanwezel.org; click on "education" and scroll to professional development and then click on "The Mandala Link." You can also visit the Van Wezel Box Office to purchase your tickets. There are only 50 tickets available for this workshop.

During the monks residency, artwork created by Sarasota County school students under the direction of teachers and Van Wezel teaching artists will be on exhibit. This artwork can be seen first at the Expressive Arts Florida Gallery Opening: "Mandala, Tibetan Art and Culture in the Schools" from 5- 10 p.m. on Friday, April 16, in conjunction with the Towles Court Art Walk. Booker Middle School students, local poet, Neal Schleifer and National Poet, Glenis Redmond, will perform. (The art work will be on display for one month at the Gallery.)

On Friday, April 23 at 8 p.m., The Richard Gere and Drepung Loseling Production, The Mystical Arts of Tibet performance will take place on the Van Wezel Main Stage. The monks will be robed in a magnificent costumes and playing Tibetan instruments. Endorsed by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, to promote world peace, this inspiring ensemble is part of a tradition that dates back 2500 years. The captivating performance for all ages combines sacred chanting, ancient rhythms and authentic temple dances. Cost of tickets are $20 to $45 with a limited number of "smart seats" available for $10. To buy tickets, contact the Van Wezel Box Office at 941-953-3368 or log onto www.vanwezel.org.

After the performance, patrons are invited to go to the Grand Foyer and watch the monks destroy the mandala. This is done as a metaphor of the impermanence of life. The sands are swept up-half will be distributed to the audience in paper cups; the remainder will be carried by the monks to the bay where it is deposited. The waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean; from there it spreads throughout the world for planetary healing.

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