Monk Dancers Of Tibet

Esteemed author and photographer Matthieu Ricard has captured in vibrant full-color photographs and fascinating text the meaning behind the elaborate preparations and spectacle of the sacred dances that are central to the Tantric tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Ricard profiles the monks at the Shechen monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, who are devoted to preserving this sacred art form. The dances, which are considered a spiritual gift from the monks to the lay community, are teaching stories presenting Buddhist values, and each costume, movement, and gesture has significance and meaning.