Introduction to the Sand Painting Mandala Honoring Green Tara

This sand painting was done in July, 2001 at the University of New Mexico by monks from the Gyumed Monastery in Southern

India as part of their Compassion Tour, USA

To view this presentation, you may allow slides to change automatically, or you may click your mouse button as desired. There are 25 pre timed slides and the presentation is about 7 minutes long.

Disclaimer

Everything I have included is my understanding of what I have been taught. It is accurate only to the degree of my understanding. There may be mistakes due to my lack of correct understanding of the teachings. If you have an interest in the subject I encourage you to read, study, and participate with people of like mind.

Photographs are the photos I took during my interactions with the monks while they were in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This experience had a profound and life changing influence on me.

Carol WhiteWater Dawn

Sand Painting Viewed from the North

The direction of the North is most frequently associated with Amogasiddhi. Its color is the color white. Its meanings include midnight and winter. The symbol of the North is Karma (action). The element associated with the North is air.

The chakra energy is the Root Chakra and produces “All Accomplishing Wisdom”

North

Sand Painting Viewed From the East

EastThe Direction of the East is the home of Akshobhya and the color blue. Its meanings include dawn and summer. The symbol of the East is the Vajra pictured here with the bell. The element associated with the East is water.

The Heart Chakra is activated through the energies of the east and “Mirror-Like Wisdom” is created. The mudra is earth touching.

Sand Painting Viewed from the South

South

The direction of the South is most frequently associated with Ratnasambhava. Its color is the color yellow. Its meanings include noon and autumn. The symbol of the South is the oval stone or pearl. The element associated with the South is earth.

The chakra energy is the Navel or Solar Plexus Chakra and produces “All-Enriching Wisdom”. The mudra is supreme giving.

Sand Painting Viewed from the West

West

The direction of the West is most frequently associated with Amitabha. Its color is the color red. Its meanings include sunset and spring. The symbol of the West is the padma or open lotus. The element associated with the West is fire.

The chakra energy is the Throat Chakra and produces “Discriminating Awareness Wisdom”. The mudra is Meditation.

Sand Painting Center

Center of a Sand Mandala

The center of the directions is often associated with Vairocana and its color is transparent glittering iridescence, something like the rainbow within a crystal. The element associated with Vairocana is ether, prana, or life force.

The Crown Chakra is it’s associated chakra. The wisdom is the “Wisdom of All Encompassing Space”. The mudra is “turning the wheel of the Dharma”.

Outer Circles

The outer circles are obstacles that must be overcome to enter the palace of the divine person.

The outermost ring is the fire obstacles ring.

The next ring in is the vajra ring.

Then the Lotus ring of purity must be transversed.

In each corner is a Parasol for protection.

Victory Banners are displayed for accomplishments.

The Gateway.

Offerings to the “kings of directions.

There are guardian dragons in each palace corner.

Designing the Border

Beginning work on border design.

Border Designs

The meaning of the Parasol is protectionagainst all evil. It is also a symbol of high rank.

The Golden Fish stands for Spirituality, for the salvation from all suffering and works for the control of the senses.

More Border Designs

The Dharmachakra is the Wheel of the Law; the eight spokes represent the eightfold path. Completion and salvation through Buddha’s teachings.

Tibetan Flag

The conch is the absence of all evil, the glory of holy people. It symbolizes blowing enlightenment outward to all sentient beings

Collecting the Offerings

Ceremony in preparation for dismantling the sand painting.

Removing the offerings.

A Yellow Hat Gyumed Monk is completing the final ceremony before dismantling of the sand painting begins.

Releasing Tara From Her Home in the Center

After Tara is Released, the Other Divine Beings are Released

The Vajra is Used to Cut Each Directional Quadrant from the Outside to the Center

Sand is Swept From Outside to the Center Before Being Placed in a Jar and Taken to a River for Disposal

Additional Information About Tibetan Buddhism

The meaning behind the Sand Painting the monks did for many cities on their Compassion Tour was to bring compassion to every person that attended and to every person they know and interact with and then to ripple outward to all sentient beings.

The dismantling of the Sand Painting is to remind us of impermanence. Nothing is permanent.

Tibetan Buddhism is also known as Tantra. Tantra teachings help to transmute feelings and actions into positive compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings.

About Carol WhiteWater Dawn

Carol is a College Instructor at Diné College on the Navajo Reservation. She is a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Master Addictions Counselor.

Carol has studied many beliefs, spiritual practices, and techniques in her pursuit of attainment of ever increasing levels of higher consciousness and conscious evolution for all sentient beings.

Carol’s personal spiritual practice is a syntheses and embraces all beliefs she has participated in. There are no “wrong” belief systems. All contain pieces of the whole and have something to teach.

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This a wooden Buddha from Bali that reminds me to sit quietly and “Remember Who I AM”

Who are You?

My wish is for compassion for the planet and all its sentient beings.

Carol WhiteWater Dawn