Buddhists to Mark Tibet Week Throughout Southland

In an ancient meditative ritual, Tibetan Buddhist monks will construct a colorful sand mandala, representing the sacred cosmos and a map to enlightenment, at Loyola Marymount University as part of Tibet Week, beginning Monday. The week also will feature several opportunities for Christian-Buddhist dialogue.

The weeklong activities will include visits by the monks from Ganden Shartse Monastic University in India to Loyola Marymount’s theological classes Tuesday; Tibetan Buddhist cultural night featuring chants, music, dance and food Wednesday; and a Tibetan debate ritual with theological students Thursday, along with an afternoon discussion on religion and science. On Friday, the painstakingly crafted mandala will be ritually dismantled to symbolize Buddhist non-attachment, even to enlightenment itself. The sand will be returned to the ocean in closing ceremonies featuring Loyola Marymount President Robert Lawton and Geshe Gyaltsen, the Dalai Lama’s United States representative.

The university is at 7900 Loyola Blvd. in Los Angeles. (310) 338-7706.

* In other Tibetan Buddhist events, His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche consecrated the first three-dimensional mandala built in the United States at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena this week. Rinpoche, founder of Chagdud Gonpa Foundation, and mandala project director Lama Chodak Gyatso Nubpa also announced plans to build a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in Southern California. Foundation officials envision an ornate, multistory sacred mansion that will include a Tibetan Buddhist studies program, healing center and retreat facilities for meditation practice. The project, called Zangdok Palri, USA (The Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain), aims to preserve Tibet’s vanishing cultural heritage and offer a spiritual resource to Southern Californians. (323) 953-0755.

* Orange County Buddhist Church will celebrate the birthday of Gautama Buddha with special services Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Commemorating the legend that flowers bloomed in glory at the birth, the congregation will place a flower-covered shrine in front of the altar, pour sweet tea over a statue of the Buddha and offer flowers.

* A Japanese cultural exhibit and performance featuring dance, martial arts, a tea ceremony and other arts, along with a bazaar with games and food booths, will be held April 7 from 2 to 9 p.m. and April 8 from 2 to 8:30 p.m. The church is at 909 South Dale Ave. in Anaheim. (714) 827-9590.

PASSOVER

“Reggae Passover, Songs of Freedom,” will feature cantors, reggae artists and West African drummers and dancers Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Hillel, 12325 Riverside Drive in Valley Village. The event is sponsored by the temple and Parks Chapel AME. (818) 763-9148.

* The Society for Humanistic Judaism will hold a Passover Seder April 8 at 4 p.m. at the Radisson Huntley Hotel, 1111 2nd St. in Santa Monica. (818) 981-3422.

EVENTS

Leo Baeck Temple will launch a “homeless awareness week” Sunday with a multimedia presentation featuring a choir performance, exhibition by homeless photographers, panel discussion and interfaith service to honor homeless people who have died. The event is co-sponsored by Making Change Newspaper and the UCLA Department of Social Welfare. The event will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. at the temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Other events will include a poetry reading Thursday from noon to 2 p.m. at the UCLA Public Policy Building, Room 2343, in Westwood and a Passover Seder with the homeless at Palisades Park in Santa Monica on April 10 at 4 p.m. (310) 476-2861.

* The Unity of Tustin campus will sponsor a workshop, “CPR for the Soul,” Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at 14402 S. Prospect Avenue in Tustin. Tom Justin, an author and corporate strategist, will discuss how to listen to your inner voice and use it to improve your spiritual and business life. The campus also will present a “Holy Week Prayer Vigil” beginning Thursday at 9 p.m. and ending Easter Sunday, April 15. (714) 730-3486.

* Salam Al-Marayati, director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, will speak on “The Muslim Position on Current Affairs in the Mideast” at the 11 a.m. service Sunday at the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, 2936 West 8th St. (213) 389-1356.

* Josie Broehm will present a workshop on “Dreams and the Creative Spirit” today from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino. Cost is $40 including lunch. (818) 784-4515.

* The Los Angeles Eckankar Center will present a free workshop, “Past Lives, Dreams & Soul Travel: Keys to Spiritual Truth,” today from noon to 1 p.m. at the Santa Monica Public Library, 1342 6th St., Santa Monica. (323) 469-2325.

* Mark Chaves, University of Arizona sociology professor, will report on his new national survey of American congregations and parishes Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Seaver Hall, Room 100, at Loyola Marymount University, 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 338-2986.

* Father Leo Booth, an Episcopal priest and recovering alcoholic, will present a workshop, “10 Insights Into Creative Living,” Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn at the Hollywood Freeway and Vineland Avenue in Studio City. Booth’s ministry has focused on treating addictions as symptoms of wounded spirituality. The seminar, sponsored by the Unity Church of Burbank and North Hollywood, costs $20 at the door. (818) 841-4037.

* The 13th annual Women Connecting Women conference will feature the Rev. Altagracia Perez, pastor of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, today from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Mount St. Mary’s College Doheny Campus, 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles. The conference was created by Catholic women to discuss their hopes for church and society but now focuses on issues of Christian unity. Registration is $18 at the door. Partial scholarships are available. (213) 477-2640.

* Rabbi Claudio Kaiser-Blueth will speak on “Where Judaism Is Different” Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon at Temple Ner Tamid, 10629 Lakewood Blvd., Downey. A kosher lunch will be served after the program, which is sponsored by the Ezra Center for Mature Adults. Cost is $5 for Ezra members, $6 for nonmembers. (562) 861-9276

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