Buddhist Monks in RVA

04/11/2026

Today begins two days of peace and healing with the Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery, on tour with the endorsement of the Dalai Lama!

Two-day discounted tickets or single-day tickets are available at TheLocalSaugerties.com

Sat. Apr 11, 8pm
Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace & Healing

Sunday Apr 12, 5pm
Puja Ceremony

Also on Sunday, enjoy Tibetan meals by Cafe Drake:
🔸Shan Tofu served on cabbage salad with fried shallots, crushed peanuts and chili crisp
🔸Thukpa Hearty Tibetan vegetable soup with hand-pulled noodles

Here’s what to know for this weekend events!

💛 Doors open 1 hr before events
🚗 16 John St. Saugerties, NY
🍷 Refreshments available both days; food on Sunday
🎟️ Tickets available online and at door as of this post
😊 No prior experience with Tibetan Buddhist practice is necessary; simply bring an open heart and intention for healing.

Join us for this unforgettable experience!

04/10/2026

Closing Ceremony today! The Loseling monks will continue working on finishing details until 11 AM and then the mandala of compassion will be left complete for viewing.

Friday, April 10, 12 PM
Old Chapel and Campus Pond
The week concludes with a closing ceremony in which the sand is swept up and placed in an urn, a metaphor for the impermanence of life. As a gesture of healing, half of the sand is distributed to the audience, while the remainder is carried to a nearby body of water and released. The waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean, allowing its healing energy to spread throughout the world.

UMass Fine Arts Center

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

I am deeply excited and proud that a centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist tradition will be coming to my own campus. In this Year of Compassion, it feels especially fitting to welcome a practice that embodies healing, compassion, interdependence, and impermanence.

From April 6 to 10, monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery will create an intricate Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva of compassion) sand mandala at UMass Amherst. The week begins with an opening ceremony featuring chants, music, and mantra meditation, and the community is invited to witness the mandala’s creation throughout the week, as well as attend a special lecture on community and belonging.

At the close of the week, the mandala will be ceremonially dissolved and released into water, reminding us of life’s impermanence and the spread of compassion beyond the space in which it was created, something especially needed in these challenging times.

Organized by the UMass Fine Arts Center with support from the Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts.
More information: umassarts.site/MysticalTibet



UMass Amherst

04/06/2026

Yesterday’s public meditation was so wonderful thank you for coming!

The monks have arrived in Amehurst Massachusetts at the University of Amehurst and begin a new Mandala until April 10th please follow their tour info at: www.mysticalartsoftibet.org

04/05/2026

THANK YOU so much to all of you for helping support the monks of Mystical Arts of Tibet for their visit to Richmond Va it has been a wonderful time for sharing culture, wisdom and kindness 🙏🏻

To support the monks online please visit:

https://www.drepung.org/Changing/changingmenu/help.htm
And use the Paypal link 🙏🏻

This group returns to Virginia this Fall at The American Theater in Hampton Va please follow the monks main website for info: www.mysticalartsoftibet.org or the venue site: https://www.hamptonarts.org/

04/05/2026

Thank you so much Maymont for hosting today’s meditation event 🙏🏻🕊️🌷

04/05/2026

Thank you again Dave Parrish Photography for capturing our lovely peace walk today!!

04/04/2026

TODAY is the final day of the Mandala!

🕊️come see the completed mandala from 10am-12pm

🌷Closing Ceremony will begin at 1PM and the mandala will be dismantled with special chanting. Small bags of the mandala sand will be passed out to attendees!

🕊️at 3PM the Peace Walk will start at the front of 1000 Blanton Ave and do 1 mile around the Byrd Park walking path ending back at the UU church to a short chanting session and handing out blessed string bracelets to attendees

🌷Don’t forget Sunday’s 10-11am meditation session at *weather permitting*

Thank you for coming out to support the monks this past week its been truly heart warming to see you all🙏🏻☺️

04/04/2026

Thank you WTVR CBS 6 News for covering us on your Youtube!

Monks create sacred mandala in Richmond