Evansville Day School was pleased to welcome two Tibetan monks from the Tashi Kyil monastery in northern India on Tuesday. They shared information about their country, culture, work, and spiritual practices with the Middle and Upper School students before giving them an opportunity to ask questions. Thank you to our new Upper School social studies teacher Holly Ziemer for arranging this special learning experience!

The monks practice in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, and their spiritual leader is the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. The Tashi Kyil monastery moved from Tibet to northern India after the Dalai Lama fled from Tibet and took up residence in India in 1959. These monks are currently visiting several cities in the United States to spread awareness about their spiritual practices and to raise funds for their monastery.

Since arriving in Evansville on Sunday, the monks have been constructing a world peace sand mandala at Neu Chapel at the University of Evansville. They will continue constructing the mandala through noon on Thursday; then they will deconstruct the mandala and disperse its sands into the Ohio River, a Buddhist tradition that demonstrates the impermanence of all life.

We are so grateful to the monks for sharing their culture with us, allowing our students to expand their global mindedness and learn how other cultures find balance.