The Mystical Arts of Tibet -"Those Guys Really Meant It!"

Yesterday evening, 10 March 2007 we saw a performance of "The Mystical Arts of Tibet" at our local theatre. Coincidentally Saturday 10 March was the 48th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprisng. On 10 March 1959 Tibetan people in Lhasa rose up against China's occupation of Tibet and as a result tens of thousands of innocent Tibetan men, women and children were killed by the occupying Chinese forces. Since then Tibetans have waged a non-violent campaign for freedom from occupation. The Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery are masters of a performance tradition which dates back 2,500 years. Their performance features multiphonic singing, in which the monks simultaneously intone three notes at the same time, as well as traditional Tibetan instruments such as 10-foot long dungchen trumpets, and a variety of horns, drums, bells, and cymbals. Rich brocade costumes and masked dances, such as the Dance of the Sacred Snow Lion, add to the splendor. The Washington Post calls Sacred Music, Sacred Dance “A universal expression of the human subconscious " The Mystical Arts of Tibet tour has three basic purposes: to make a contribution to world peace and healing; to generate a greater awareness of the endangered Tibetan civilization; and to raise support for the Tibetan refugee community in India.

It was an extraordinary event for this small(ish) Oklahoma town. The theatre was almost full, for the event had attracted extra visitors from outside the local area. I was unsure what to expect, even though I'd read a lot of information on the internet, my western mind couldn't translate it sufficiently.

What we saw and heard was quite amazing. 9 monks made up the troupe of performers, with another acting as narrator. The monks had an aura of peace about them, their frequent smiles were genuine. Although we couldn't understand some of the narration, due to accent difficulties, we caught enought to get the gist of what was being presented, and how the symbolic dances related to life on Earth. Vocal performances were hypnotic, the monks' gentle voices blending , and descending so deeply it seemed impossible for those sounds to come from humans.

The instruments used were unknown in the west. Some are shown in my husband's photgraphs. You can click each thumbnail to see a larger version. The costumes worn by the dancers were quite beautiful.

A favourite part of the performance, for the audience, was the Snow Lion dance. Two snow lions form part of the Tibetan Flag. (See above.) At the end of the dance the lion opened its mouth and a banner proclaiming 'WORLD PEACE' unfurled, to rapturous applause and cheers. The performance was certainly doing its work!!

It was something I'm very glad I had the opportunity to see. Later, in the foyer, the monks were selling a variety of goods in aid of Tibet. I smiled as I noticed some of the local men there in cowboy hats, some in dungarees and bib overalls - almost "straight from the fields" next to them were the Tibetan monks with shaved heads and wine coloured robes. East met West, indeed!

As the performance ended my husband turned to me and said "Those guys really meant it - they're not politicians !" Yes siree - they sure did!

The Week That Was

First, a thank you note to John and Susan Townley of Astro Cocktail for their article on "The Astro Blogosphere", and for including me in the list of blogs featured. I'm surprised to be there, among so many experts, but feel very happy to tag along.

Thank you!
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This week's news left more questions than answers.

Is that really the tomb of Jesus?

Why is there a hole in the earth's crust in the middle of the Atlantic, and why do I keep thinking about Atlantis when I read about his?

Are the two items above linked by a common astrolgical factor ? Neptune (mysteries) and Uranus(discoveries) currently in each others sign of rulership, Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus in Pisces (known to astrologers as mutual reception).


What is a "mensch"? I discovered the answer to this question, which arose after reading Michael Winship's article "The Voyage of the Snark". Mensch is a Yiddish word, and according to Wikipedia it refers to a particularly good person, like "a stand-up guy," a person with the qualities one would hope for in a dear friend or trusted colleague. This excellent article comments on the level to which some journalists and other media people are sinking these days. Mr Winship awarded the title Mensch of the Year (thus far) to fellow Brit. Craig Ferguson, who hosts the Late Late Show here in the USA. Good!





It was sad to read that John Inman, British comedic actor died on Thursday, aged 71. He was always able to make me laugh. His humour was never hurtful to anyone - it's a great and rare talent to be able to make people laugh at nobody else's expense, John had this talent.
In his natal chart the Sun was in the kindly sign of Cancer, Mercury in lively Gemini, possibly the Moon there too, and Venus in Leo - the consummate showman. "An excellent fit, Sir", as Mr. Humphries would have said. He'll be missed.


Tonight we'll be going to the local theatre to see a group of Drepung Loseling Buddhist Monks perform Sacred Music and Dance for World Healing - "The Mystical Arts of Tibet". The Loseling Monks are renowned for their multiphonic chanting known as zokkay (complete chord). Each of the chantmasters simultaneously intones three notes, thus each individually creating a complete chord. The Tibetans are the only culture on earth that cultivates this most extraordinary vocal ability.

It should be a memorable experience. More on this tomorrow, no doubt.
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PS: I obtained the instructions for converting my long list of labels (index) into a "Cloud" from phydeaux3 at THIS LINK. The instructions are clear and easy, even for a cyber-klutz like me!