THANGKA TALKS 04 Vaisravana, Guardian King of the North, explained by Carmen Mensink

THANGKA TALKS 04: Vaisravana, Guardian King of the North, explained by Carmen Mensink
First in the trilogy on ‘Buddhas of Wealth & Abundance’.
The other two Thangka Talks in this trilogy, about Jambhala and Vasudhara, will be uploaded in the coming months.

This Thangka Talk about Buddha Vaisravana in Tibetan Art is a small part of the 1-hour lecture that Carmen Mensink gave earlier this year during the thangka drawing course on this Buddha.  To see which classes are scheduled go to https://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/...

This video has subtitles in English, Dutch, Italian and Spanish (click on settings at the bottom right), other translations will follow.

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Tibetan Buddhist Art introduces Thangka Talks with Carmen Mensink: a series of super short lectures explaining the symbolism in Tibetan art. 

The talks can be about the different Buddhas and their symbolism (male Buddhas such as the Medicine Buddha and female Buddhas like Green Tara and White Tara), mudras (hand gestures), ritual implements, Tibetan mandalas, mantras, and Tibetan symbols (such as the Lotus flower and the rest of the Eight Auspicious Symbols).

This short lecture is about Vaishravana, one of the three best-known Buddhas connected to the accumulation of Wealth and Abundance, and how he is portrayed in the ancient Tibetan tradition of thangka painting (scroll paintings of Buddhas and mandalas).
Vaishravana is known as one of the Four Great Kings; the "Guardian King of the Northern Direction."
He holds a mongoose in his hand (an animal related to the meerkat) that spits out gems and jewels.
The depiction of Vaishravana is often confused with Jambhala (the next in the Thangka Talks trilogy on Wealth Buddhas), but he has a number of additional features; such as riding a beautiful snow lion and holding a banner.

Carmen teaches the art of Thangka Buddha drawing and Buddhist painting in the Tibetan tradition as well as Buddhist meditation and philosophy, at museums, universities, and spiritual centers around the world.
Connect with her on social media and check out the list of upcoming events:

Facebook: 
  / tibetanthangkapainting  

Instagram: 
  / carmenmensink  

Upcoming Buddhist art classes, lectures and other events:
http://www.tibetanbuddhistart.com/cou...

Newsletter signup:
http://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/t...

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More about the artist:
Carmen Mensink lives in Amsterdam and teaches this meditative and ancient Buddha art in Europe, Asia and the United States; in museums, universities, art schools and Buddhist centers. She also gives lectures on Tibetan Art and teaches buddhist meditation and philosophy.

Soon after her graduation from the Academy of Arts, Carmen started practicing Buddhism and began her twelve years of training in the art of Tibetan Buddhist Thangka (scroll paintings of Buddhas and mandalas). 

Carmen’s work has been displayed at different exhibitions in The Netherlands and Australia.
She is also being asked to work on related Tibetan art forms, including 30 feet/ 9 meter long floor paintings of the '8 Auspicious Symbols' to welcome the Dalai Lama in the Netherlands in 2009, 2014 and 2018: https://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/...

Painting these enlightened objects is like a meditation, and for Carmen it’s the ideal combination of practicing Art and Buddhism at the same time.

Through the dedication and joy she expresses in her teachings and that she passes onto her students Carmen inspires people on their own spiritual path.
Besides this she hopes to make a small contribution to pass on this beautiful tradition in the right way. The destruction of a lot of monasteries and old Tibetan traditions makes it even more important to keep this wonderful thangka tradition pure and alive. 

For more information on thangka painting and Carmen Mensink’s teachings, please visit her website http://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/

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