Tibetan Monks to Visit Unity North Atlanta Church

Visitors to Unity North Atlanta Church in Northeast Cobb are in for a unique treat in December.

Tibetan monks will be on hand to create the sacred Green Tara Mandala sand painting, to lecture and to perform Dec. 1-8 at the church at 4255 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta. Events are open to the public. 

The Tibetan Buddhist Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery over the seven day period will construct the sacred Green Tara Mandala using millions of grains of colored sand. Opening ceremony is Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m. when they begin the construction. 

Events include:

• Dec. 1-7. The public is welcome to view the monks creating the mandala. 
• Wednesday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. The monks will talk about how they as Buddhists use meditation as a pathway to enlightenment. 
• Friday, Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. The highlight of the week will be a presentation of "A Night of Tibetan Culture." The monks will talk about their culture, the situation in their native country of Tibet, and perform traditional dances. 
• Sunday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m. During the closing ceremony, the monks ceremoniously deconstruct the mandala and sweep the sand into a pile. Containers will be distributed to guests and the remainder of the sand will be dispersed into the Lake Cherful in Mountain Park to spread the healing energy of the Green Tara Mandala. 

All activities are family friendly. For more information, call 678-819-9100 or visit www.unitynorth.org.