THE Denis Hurley Centre hosted six Tibetan Buddhist visitors recently who spent a week creating a sand mandala in the Napier Rooms.
This well-known tradition involves monks sitting cross-legged on the floor in perfect silence while they create an intricate symmetrical pattern by placing millions of grains of coloured sand, one at a time. The pattern is a representation of heaven and the vivid colours are the result of mixing the sands with natural pigments from plants, rocks and flowers.
Every day for seven days, three of the monks worked reverently and calmly, undisturbed by the noises of downturn Durban or by the hundreds of visitors who arrived to watch.
ALSO READ: Denis Hurley Centre takes healthcare to the streets
There were groups from all the faith communities of Durban and from several schools who were given an inspiring explanation by another monk while two other Buddhist experts provided consultations on Tibetan healing and astrology.
The event closed when almost a hundred people gathered to watch the ritual destruction of the mandala as the sands were swept away. This was a reminder that the things of earth, no matter how beautiful, are temporary and only what is of heaven lasts forever. Packets of sand were distributed to well-wishers, some of the sand was then taken down to the pier and scattered into the ocean so that it would carry the blessings even further.
Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail WhatsApp number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts
