In keeping with centuries-old tradition, Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery create and then ritually destroy an intricate sand mandala painting.

The week concludes with a closing ceremony in which the sand is swept up and placed in an urn, a metaphor for the impermanence of life. As a gesture of healing, half of the sand is distributed to the audience, while the remainder is carried to a nearby body of water and released. The waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean, allowing its healing energy to spread throughout the world.