Tibetan Art Class In Laguna, with special guests Drepung Loseling Monks!

Artists of all skill levels are invited to learn about geometry and mandala creation from the

world's acknowledged authority on the art of painting thangkas, the wall hangings that

serve as magnificent art pieces, as well as tools during meditation. Four visiting

Drepung Loseling monks will make colorful sand mandalas in the sanctuary and invite

the community to help build the mandalas, ask questions, take photos, and then help

disperse the sand creations at the end of each day as a lesson in understanding the

temporary nature of all earthly things. 

The event will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions over the first three days.

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings, May 30- June 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30

p.m. in Bridge Hall, Tibetan artist and scholar Yeshi Dorjee will teach up to 12 students

in the appreciation and creation of thangkas, or wall hangings. More than a mere

decoration, a thangka holds great meaning as a tool for meditation. Yeshi will instruct

students on the basics of geometry and its role in contemplation. Many of the geometry

principles of the human body and of ancient architecture were compiled into the

Vitruvian Man drawing by Leonardo da Vinci.

Artists may sign up for the three-day experience, which includes supplies, for $200 at

tibetanartinlaguna.com. Visitors may sit in on Yeshi's teachings and observe the

thangkas being created for an admission fee of $15 per day.

In the church sanctuary in the afternoons from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., guests may help

create a colorful sand mandala with four visiting Drepung Loseling monks, who are

scholars dedicated to the study of traditional Buddhist arts and sciences. The church

doors will be open each afternoon on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for the public to

watch and help create a different colorful sand mandala – and then destroy it.

Photography is welcome. Participating in the sand mandala sessions is free, but

donations to the monks are encouraged. The suggested donation is $15. Their visit is

one of goodwill and cultural sharing that helps them support the 3,000 Tibetan monks at

their home monastery in India. 

A mandala is a geometric pattern characterized by a central point or motif, often

symmetrical and radiating outward in a circular form. The mandala's intricate geometric

design holds profound spiritual significance in Buddhism. Its geometry can be created

with intentions for healing, compassion, and universal peace. Like a thangka, a

mandala's symbolic representation is not merely a piece of art but also a powerful tool

for meditation, spiritual growth, and understanding the cosmos. 

The event concludes on Sunday, June 2 at the 10 a.m. church service. The monks will

decorate NCC's sanctuary altar and chant a morning blessing. The thangka art created

during the weekend classes will be displayed, and some students will speak about their

experiences. Yeshi Dorjee will talk about the background of NCC's prayer wheel, which

he made with his own hands. At noon, a Tibetan lunch will be served, prepared with the

help of Tenpa Dorjee, owner of the Laguna Beach retail shop Tibetan Handicrafts, 384

Forest Avenue. Lunch is $20. Please make a reservation at tibetanartinlaguna.com 

During their four-day visit, the Drepung Loseling monks will offer house blessings by

appointment. The traditional monetary request for a home or office blessing is $108, the

number of beads on a mala that keeps count of one's mantra repetitions, or Japa,

during meditation. Information can be found at tibetanartinlaguna.com.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann's Drive, Laguna Beach, United States