Drepung Gomang Monastery
2025 SACRED ARTS TOUR – Jan 20-26
Engaging Compassion
Hosted by – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – 401 Duval/Eaton
Sponsored by Key West Tara Mandala Sangha
DAILY EVENTS
SACRED SAND MANDALA – View as monks create the mandala ~ Please be respectful
TIBETAN ARTISAN MARKET – Handmade and sacred wares of Drepung Gomang Monks
SPECIAL EVENTS & CULTURAL CLASSES
Jan 20 – Monday – St Paul’s Church
11:30 am – OPENING CEREMONY and beginning of the creation of the Compassion Sand Mandala
Purpose & Meaning of The Sand Mandala of the Buddha of Compassion: “Avalokitesvara”
4:00 pm – Monks’ Closing Blessings & Tea Ceremony
5:00 pm – Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration and March
Join your Key West Community and view the Monks as they walk with the Ministerial Alliance on their 1.5-mile route beginning at Nelson English Park – 300 Catherine. Click here for parade route.
Jan 21 – Tuesday – St. Paul’s Church
9:30 am – Monks’ Morning Blessings & Meditation
10:15 – 11:30 am – SAND MANDALA WORKSHOP
Experience a lesson in impermanence as you learn the sacred art of creating a sand mandala
Donation $25 – Materials included – Limit 20 ~ Register Here
12:00 Noon – Short Dharma Talk – Geshe Chæden w/Lopön Ellen Booth Church
1:00 – 1:40 pm – MEDITATION 101 CLASS – Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Church
Learn simple methods for quieting the mind with Lopön Ellen Booth Church
If you’d like to learn more about Buddhism, visit our Resources Page.
2:00-3:30 pm – MANI STONES WORKSHOP –Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Church
Paint river stones in Sanskrit with Buddhist mantra of wisdom, compassion & good heart – “Om Mani Padme Hum”
Donation $25 – Materials included – Limit 25 ~ Register Here
4:00 pm – Monks’ Blessings & Tea Ceremony
5:00 – Sunset – DISSOLVING BOWL & WHITE STONE RITUALS – Near Salute’s on Higgs Beach
Join Unity of the Keys and the Drepung Gomang Monks for this annual ceremony. The Dissolving Bowl ritual invites each person to write down what they are releasing – unforgiveness towards oneself and others, unkind thoughts, fear, resentments, etc. and then releasing the paper into the bowl of water, watching it dissolve into nothingness. The White Stone ritual encourages each person to set an intention for the new year – a new name, an attribute, one or two words to describe that which we are affirming and to write that upon a stone. White stones and markers will be made available.
This event is free and open to all.
Jan 22 – Wednesday – St. Paul’s Church
9:30 am – Monks’ Morning Blessings & Meditation
10:00 – 11:00 am – St. Paul’s Service followed by Dharma Talk – Geshe Chæden w/Lopön Ellen Booth Church
2:00-3:30 pm – MANI STONES WORKSHOP – Parish Hall St. Paul’s Church
Paint river stones in Sanskrit with Buddhist mantra of wisdom, compassion & good heart – “Om Mani Padme Hum”
Donation $25 – Materials included – Limit 25 ~ Register Here
4:00 pm – Monks’ Closing Blessings & Tea Ceremony
TROPIC CINEMA FILM EVENT – THE MONK AND THE GUN
Please visit the Sand Mandala and Tibetan Marketplace at St. Paul’s prior to film event.
6:00-6:45 pm – Meet the Monks and Traditional Tibetan Chant and Horns
7:00 -9:00 pm – Movie: The Monk and the Gun – Q&A with the Monks
Tickets $25 – Limited ~ Purchase at www.TropicCinema.com or at Tropic ticket counter
Jan 23 – Thursday – St. Paul’s Church
9:30 am – Monks’s Morning Blessings & Meditation
10:15-11:30 am – SAND MANDALA WORKSHOP
Experience a lesson in impermanence as you learn the sacred art of creating a sand mandala
Donation $25 – Materials included – Limit 20 ~ Register Here
12:00 Noon – Short Daily Dharma Talk – Geshe Chæden w/Lopön Ellen Booth Church
4:00 pm – Monks’ Closing Blessings & Tea Ceremony
5:00-6:30 pm – MAKE MOMOS with the MONKS for a TASTE OF TIBET
Chef Paul Menta invites you to share in the preparation and tasting of typical Tibetan home cooking. Momos are steamed dumplings filled with spicy vegetables and served with dipping sauce. Momos symbolize social unity as families & friends often gather to prepare and enjoy eating together!
Donation $35 – Limit – 15 ~ Register Here
7:-8:15 pm – Ancient Healing CHÖD Practice with the Monks & Key West Tara Mandala
(Ritual practice of meditation, chanting & visualization to Cut through Hindrances)
Jan 24 – Friday – St. Paul’s Church
7:00 am – MONKS’ “Blessing of the Island” at Hugh’s View Rooftop – Studios of Key West – 533 Eaton
9:30 am – Monks’ Morning Blessings & Meditation
10:00-12:30 – MALA MAKING & MANTRAS WORKSHOP
Join the monks and Karen Moore of ZEN Jewelry to create a 108-bead prayer mala
Donation $88 – Materials included – Limited to 24 ~ Register Here
12:00 Noon – Short Daily Dharma Talk – Geshe Chæden w/Lopön Ellen Booth Church
1:00-1:40 pm –MEDITATION 101 CLASS with Lopön Ellen Booth Church
Learn simple methods for quieting the mind with Lopön Ellen Booth Church
If you’d like to learn more about Buddhism, visit our Resources Page.
Simply Sit – 30 minutes – Donations welcome – Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Church
4:00 pm – Monks’ Closing Blessings & Tea Ceremony
5:00-6:00 pm – TIBETAN CULTURAL PAGEANT – Front Courtyard of St. Paul’s Church
Monks perform Sacred Music with long horns & bells, Costumed Dance & Debates
Free to all but Donations Appreciated
7-8:30 – MUSIC CONCERT for COMPASSION – St. Paul’s Church
Skipper Kripitz & Tibetan Monks with Local Music Makers
Donation $20
Jan 25 – Saturday – St. Paul’s Church
9:30 am – Monks’s Morning Blessings & Meditation
10:15-11:30 am – SAND MANDALA WORKSHOP
Experience a lesson in impermanence as you learn the sacred art of creating a sand mandala
Donation $25 – Materials included – Limit 20 ~ Register Here
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm -Tibetan Cultural Pageant – Front Courtyard of St. Paul’s Church
3:00 -4:30 pm -Closing Ceremony & Dissolution of the Sand Mandala of Compassion
After recognition of contributing persons and appreciation to the monks for their gifts to the community, the fully completed sand mandala is swept up, symbolizing letting go. The sand is then taken to the sea in a Musical Procession led by the monks to Simonton Street Beach and offered with Final Blessings.
Jan 26 – Sunday – St. Paul’s Church
11:30-3:00 pm – TIBETAN ARTISAN MARKET –Handmade and sacred wares of Drepung Gomang Monks