Grand Reopening Announcement

Sand Mandala and Special Events

With the Monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery

July 15th through the 19th

We are incredibly grateful and excited to announce the grand reopening of our center to the public in our new location with very special events as we host the monks of the famed Gaden Shartse Monastery.

Our center will once again be open to in-person activities at our new location in the Third Street Center – Suite 12. Throughout the pandemic, with the support and hard work of many, we have been able to continue providing precious Buddhist teachings and special programs online. Now, we will be able to offer opportunities to gather together again in person – and in our new meditation hall! Of course, we will continue our online programs as well, as we embrace new ways for all of us to cultivate these important methods to develop more compassion, loving-kindness, wisdom, and inner peace.


Schedule of Events

Sand Mandala: The monks will be creating the sand mandala of the Buddha of Compassion over a period of four days, ending with a dissolution ceremony and distribution of the sand on Monday evening, July 19th.

The creation of the mandala will be open for public viewing on Friday, July 15th through Monday, July 19th, in the Round Room at the Third Street Center in Carbondale, 520, 3rd ST, from 9 am to 5 pm. This is free. There will be Tibetan goods available for sale to support the monastery.

Thursday, July 15th at 7 pm: Opening Ceremony for the Chenrezig (Buddha of Compassion) Sand Mandala. The Opening Ceremony is a powerful ritual in which the monks will consecrate the area and create a purified environment to receive the mandala. Free event.

Learn more about mandalas

Friday, July 16th at 7 pm: Tea Ceremony. The tea offering is a special blessing for the environment and showers all individuals in the presence of the monks with nectar. In the ceremony, participants don’t drink the tea but rather the monks will chant and bring prayers of healing as well as the removal of obstacles to be granted by enlightened Dharma Guardians. During the prayer, they will invoke all the divine beings and make tea offerings by pouring the divine nectar of each and every enlightened being into a vessel. As the nectar is being poured, the monks will chant prayers in the deep resonate Tibetan chanting that they are famous for while showering all participants with the blessings of radiant nectar. Suggested donation: $15. All proceeds go to support the monastery in India.

Tibetan butter sculpture

Saturday, July 17th at 10 am: Butter Sculpture Workshop. The monks will work with children and adults to create traditional sculptures made from butter and barley flour. This art has been done in Tibet for over 800 years. This workshop will begin with a demonstration by the monks and will be followed by the opportunity for each participant to make his/her own butter sculpture.

Saturday, July 17th at 7 pm: Vajravidaran Healing Ritual. Vajravidaran is a Buddha associated with purification and health. Physical and mental health is impacted by our karmic imprints. This ritual offers an opportunity to improve your health by purifying negative karma. The Vajravidaran ritual of purification and has three stages: the removal of negativities, the cleansing of subtle negative imprints, and protection from their return. Suggested donation: $25. All proceeds go to support the monastery in India.


Chenrezig – Buddha of Compassion

Monday, July 19th, 9 am to 6 pm – Sand Mandala Viewing – The mandala is complete and open for public viewing.

Monday, July 19th at 7 pm: Sand Mandala Dissolution Ceremony. The culminating event of the monks’ visit is the powerful and moving consecration and dissolution of the mandala. The monks will consecrate the mandala and ritually dissolve it. All in attendance will receive a small bag of the blessed sand from the mandala and the rest of it will be poured into the river allowing the blessings to flow throughout the whole valley. Free event.


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