Brookhaven monks begin week-long sand mandala project in Sandy Springs
Drepung Loseling Monastery members will display a Medicine Buddha sand mandala at Unity North Atlanta Church from Nov. 22 to Nov. 29 with free admission.
By Luis Medina ·
Monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery in Brookhaven will create a Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala at Unity North Atlanta Church in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
The monks will use millions of grains of colored sand to build the artwork in the sanctuary at 4255 Sandy Plains Road. Public viewing is free, and the organizers accept love offerings from attendees. The project runs from Nov. 22 through Nov. 29.
The creation process involves the use of chak-purs, which are slender metal funnels that release thin streams of sand. The monks guide the sand into precise lines and elaborate patterns, transforming a basic outline into a detailed image. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this specific mandala represents spiritual healing, physical recovery, and relief from suffering. Visitors can observe the design grow over the course of the week.
An opening ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. to consecrate the space and establish the sacred grid that guides the construction. Guests may watch the artists work or take time for quiet reflection. A special Dharma talk is planned for Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m., which will cover Buddhist teachings on awareness and compassion. The monks will connect the sacred art to daily life during this session.
The project concludes with a closing ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m. The monks will ceremonially dismantle the mandala by sweeping the colored sand together. This act serves as a teaching on impermanence and the practice of letting go. Attendees at the closing event will receive a small bag of sand as a memento. A caravan will then take the remaining sand to release it into living water, a tradition that symbolizes the spreading of healing blessings.
Viewing hours are set for the following schedule: Sunday, Nov. 22, from 2 to 6 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 23, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 12 to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 25, from 12 to 6 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 26, which is Thanksgiving Day, from 2 to 6 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 27, and Saturday, Nov. 28, from 12 to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 29, beginning with the 2 p.m. closing ceremony. More information is available at unitynorth.churchcenter.com.
