Sand Mandala

We went to the Battle Ground library to check out the scene while Tibetan Buddhist Lamas from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in India were there for three days constructing a sand mandala.  I figured if they came all the way from India, surely I could go all the way to Battle Ground!  They used cone-shaped hollow instruments, added colored sand to them, and rubbed them gently with small sticks to make the sand come out of the cone grain by grain.  It made a lovely hum.  We were there on day two, and although it surely was a time-consuming process, it looked like it wouldn't be long before they were done.  Jasper was completely fascinated.  We went to leave three times, and as we were opening the door, he would dart back in for another look. He thought the mandala was beautiful and the process very interesting. The Lamas seem to tour the US fairly frequently, so if you missed them, it's worthwhile to check their website to see when they will return.