NaNoWriMo, here I come... and other musings

Okay. I tried this once before, but my o-fic muse refused to stick with me long enough to really get anywhere. But this time, I think, I stand a decent chance.

( I'm gonna NaNoWriMo - and yes, I know I'm nuts. )

Wish me luck when the time comes. I could certainly use it!!!

Was incredibly lucky enough to live close to where the monks from the Drepung Gomang temple (associated with the Dalai Lama) created a sand mandala at a local community college. I was able to watch it being created - an amazing process that took about 3½ days to accomplish. This is what they created:



And then yesterday, I and about 500 others watched them "deconstruct" (as in demolish) it. First they ran a ritual implement through it at cardinal points and the corners, and then went after it with 3in wide brushes until it was a pile of sand about 2in high and 7in in diameter in the middle of the board.

What an impressive lesson on impermanence and letting go that was!!

They made letting go of the beauty they'd created look SOOOOOO simple:



I have some of the sand from the mandala safely tucked into a little amulet necklace. Even my learning disabled son JJ enjoyed watching them make and then destroy the mandala. He even was with me last night for the closing ceremony of the monks' visit here.

Needless to say, today is an "up" day...