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Archeologists claim that humans inhabited the Tibetan Plateau some twenty-on thousand years ago, though the written history of Tibet dates back to the seventh century. Its unique art, literature, food, and music have been shaped by the Himalayan Mountains, contact with India, China, and Mongolia, and the Buddhist religion.
From Feb. 22 to March 5, seven Gaden Shartse monks from Tibet visited Siskiyou County, sharing their culture.
The Gaden Shartse Monk World Tours began in 1989, shortly after the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize. “He wanted to share the message of peace, universal ethics, and compassion,” Jangchub Chophel, the American monk who travels with the Tibetans, serving as their spokesperson, said. “Mt. Shasta was one of the first places to host a tour; the senior Lama (spiritual teacher) this year was one of the monks who came 21 years ago.”
The tour lasts a year and a half; the monks travel all over the United States, from Harvard to rural elementary schools. For the past 21 years, during their local stay, the monks have visited Juvenile Hall in Yreka. This year they visited elementary and high schools throughout Siskiyou County as well as College of the Siskiyous.
“This was a very special first time for us,” Chophel, who was a high school teacher and yearbook advisor before he became a monk, said. “It was great to visit the schools.”
“The tours have grown over that time,” Chophel added. “Our mission is to carry the Dalai Lama’s message, to engage in universal dialogue, and to share the Tibetan culture. Tibetans are a minority in their own culture, and they’re trying to keep the culture alive in Indian refugee settlements. We live in the second largest; we have two monasteries, one nunnery, and nine Tibetan villages.”
“At least 500 to 600 kids were introduced to the Tibetan culture, its sounds, its dances, and art,” Chophel said. “We showed two slide shows about our life in India in the refugee settlements. It was exciting and fun – we even did the yak dance!”
The Josephine Taylor Fund of the Shasta Regional Foundation and the Mt. Shasta Friends of the Tibetan culture provided the funds for the school visits.
Dave Cowsky, a member of the Friends of the Tibetan culture, attended all the school events. “I was really struck by how engaged the students were, from kindergarten through college and at Juvenile Hall,” he said. “One Jackson School fifth grader, hugged by one of the monks, said he’d never wash those clothes again!”
Archeologists claim that humans inhabited the Tibetan Plateau some twenty-on thousand years ago, though the written history of Tibet dates back to the seventh century. Its unique art, literature, food, and music have been shaped by the Himalayan Mountains, contact with India, China, and Mongolia, and the Buddhist religion.
From Feb. 22 to March 5, seven Gaden Shartse monks from Tibet visited Siskiyou County, sharing their culture.
The Gaden Shartse Monk World Tours began in 1989, shortly after the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize. “He wanted to share the message of peace, universal ethics, and compassion,” Jangchub Chophel, the American monk who travels with the Tibetans, serving as their spokesperson, said. “Mt. Shasta was one of the first places to host a tour; the senior Lama (spiritual teacher) this year was one of the monks who came 21 years ago.”
The tour lasts a year and a half; the monks travel all over the United States, from Harvard to rural elementary schools. For the past 21 years, during their local stay, the monks have visited Juvenile Hall in Yreka. This year they visited elementary and high schools throughout Siskiyou County as well as College of the Siskiyous.
“This was a very special first time for us,” Chophel, who was a high school teacher and yearbook advisor before he became a monk, said. “It was great to visit the schools.”
“The tours have grown over that time,” Chophel added. “Our mission is to carry the Dalai Lama’s message, to engage in universal dialogue, and to share the Tibetan culture. Tibetans are a minority in their own culture, and they’re trying to keep the culture alive in Indian refugee settlements. We live in the second largest; we have two monasteries, one nunnery, and nine Tibetan villages.”
“At least 500 to 600 kids were introduced to the Tibetan culture, its sounds, its dances, and art,” Chophel said. “We showed two slide shows about our life in India in the refugee settlements. It was exciting and fun – we even did the yak dance!”
The Josephine Taylor Fund of the Shasta Regional Foundation and the Mt. Shasta Friends of the Tibetan culture provided the funds for the school visits.
Dave Cowsky, a member of the Friends of the Tibetan culture, attended all the school events. “I was really struck by how engaged the students were, from kindergarten through college and at Juvenile Hall,” he said. “One Jackson School fifth grader, hugged by one of the monks, said he’d never wash those clothes again!”
“The visits were well received by principals, teachers, and students,” added Della Clark, another member of the Friends of the Tibetan culture.
Siskiyou County residents had another opportunity to learn about Tibetan culture; Clark opens her house to the monks during the tour. The public was invited to attend Chenrezig (Compassion) workshops, healing rituals, and to witness the creation and dissolution of a sand mandala.
“Many community members came to watch the mandala evolve. So did people from Grass Valley, Placerville, and Japanese tourists,” she said.
The monks create the sand mandala over a seven day period. “They create a sacred space to receive the sacred blessings of a particular Buddha; it’s a symbolic representation of the Buddha’s home,” Chophel said. “The one they’re working on this time is Chenrezig’s mandala, the mandala of compassion. Its purpose is to benefit all sentient beings.”
“The monks work meticulously throughout the week to create a beautiful environment, inviting the Buddha’s presence. On the seventh day, they perform a sacred ritual, asking for blessing and consecration, then sweep the mandala up, to symbolize impermanence,” he smiled. “The ritual, from start to finish, reminds us that nothing lasts forever. Don’t get too attached to anything. Every day is precious.”
“We give out small bags of sand to all who attend the dissolution ceremony,” Chophel added. “What’s left we pour into a river or body of water so it will return to the earth.”
“This was a wonderful mandala,” Clark said. “Their entire visit enriched our lives; over twenty local businesses provided transportation and meals for the monks, as well as offered donations.”
Community donations support the refugee settlements, education, and the monasteries. “The last tour provided for a small medical clinic in our monastery,” Chophel said.
“Tibetan culture is ancient and unique,” Chophel said. “Survival is a fact of everyday life; we can all learn much from how they live, how they prosper despite formidable obstacles.”
Those interested in learning more about the Tibetan culture, the Gaden Shartse Monks or wanting to donate money may visit www.MountShastaFriendsOfTibetanCulture.org or www.gadenshartsetour.org.
