West Orange, NJ
West Orange - World Peace Tour
Hosted by Empty Cloud Monastery
- Dates
- · EST
- Location
29 Ridgeway Avenue · West Orange, NJ · 07052
- Admission
- Free, donations welcome
About this program
Join the monks of Sera Jey Lawa Khangtsen at Empty Cloud Monastery as they create a Twenty-One Taras sand mandala, a sacred work of colored sand dedicated to peace and compassion.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Tara embodies enlightened compassion in action. Her twenty-one forms express qualities such as wisdom, protection, courage, and the compassionate activity that helps beings overcome fear and obstacles. The mandala offers an opportunity to reflect on these qualities and cultivate them in daily life.
The mandala opens on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, at 11:00 AM and is open for viewing every day. On Sunday, December 27, the monks offer a talk and chanting at 4:30 PM. On Tuesday, December 29, at 2:00 PM, the mandala is dissolved and the sand is carried in procession to nearby water.
You don't have to be Buddhist, and newcomers are welcome.
Highlights
· 11:00–11:30 AM
Opening ceremony· 4:30–6:00 PM
Talk and chanting: Tara, Compassion in Action· 2:00–2:30 PM
Mandala Dissolution Ceremony
Daily schedule
All times are local (Eastern Time). The monks break for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM each day.
All times are local (Eastern Time, EST).
Mandala viewing hours
- 11:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–4:30 PM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–4:30 PM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–4:30 PM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–4:30 PM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–4:30 PM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00–2:00 PM
Show
Opening ceremony
Ceremony
Chanting and consecration of the site before the Twenty-One Taras sand mandala begins.
Mandala outline
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Talk and chanting: Tara, Compassion in Action
Teaching & talks
The monks share the meaning of the Twenty-One Taras and offer chanting. Open to all.
Mandala construction
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Mandala construction (final work)
Mandala viewing
Mandala completion
Mandala viewing
Lunch break (no mandala work)
Meals & breaks
Final viewing of the completed mandala
Mandala viewing
Mandala Dissolution Ceremony
Ceremony
The completed mandala is ritually dissolved, a teaching on impermanence. Guests may receive blessed sand.
Procession carrying the sand to nearby water
Ceremony
The blessed sand is offered to the water to carry blessings of peace into the world.
Plan your visit
- Admission
Free, donations welcome
Public events are free; donations are gratefully accepted and support the monks of Lawa Khangtsen and the tour.
- Photography and recording
Still photography without flash is welcome during public creation hours unless otherwise noted. Please refrain from photography during closing ceremonies.
- If this is your first visit
You can come and go. You can sit on a chair or on a cushion. You do not have to bow. You do not have to be Buddhist. The monks may work in silence much of the day; quiet conversation around the edges is welcome.
Learn: I'm new — what to expect
Host organization
Empty Cloud Monastery
A gender-inclusive Buddhist monastery in West Orange welcoming people for meditation, teachings, and community practice.
29 Ridgeway Avenue · West Orange, NJ · 07052
Host website