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The monks in St. Louis, circa 2014. Photograph by Thomas Crone
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On Tuesday evening, a rainstorm had just let up and diners were beginning to assemble at Benton Park’s well-regarded landmark of cuisine, Frazer’s. Inside, the bar hummed with happy hour business and the dining room slowly picked up patrons as the rain abated. But something unusual was taking place just inside the doorway, a sight not normally seen at this popular spot on an average, late summer afternoon.
There, several of the eight monks taking part in this year’s Sacred Arts Tour of the Drepung Gomang Monastery were positioned with several tables’ worth of goods; others were scattered inside and out, discussing Buddhism and their journey with guest. The colorful wares they were selling were created by fellow Tibetans-in-Indian-exile, who live the villages outside of the 3,000-man monastery. As with this past weekend’s appearances at the Festival of Nations, the commercial side of their operation was going briskly and the monks were certainly doing their part to send funds back home.
The spiritual gift that they were leaving with the patrons of Frazer’s would follow shortly, as the eight monks assembled shoulder-to-shoulder, just alongside the doorway. As they chanted for about 10 minutes, a few well-heeled, confused diners were greeted by the restaurant’s namesake owner, Frazer Cameron, who invited them to sit for a spell and enjoy the unexpected-to-them experience.
This week, the monks will take part in a variety of activities in St. Louis, including the construction of two sand mandalas, a couple of public speaking addresses and two more restaurant blessings.
Here’s a list of their scheduled appearances.
Through Thursday, September 3, World Peace Mandala creation, UM-St. Louis’ Millennium Student Center, mid-mornings through early-evenings; dissolution ceremony on Thursday at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Friday, September 4: Rooster South Grand, 5:30-6:30, chants and dinner
Sunday, September 6: The Royale, 5:30-6:30, chants and dinner
Monday, September 7: Shinzo Zen Center, 6:30-8:30 dharma talk and chants
Tuesday, September 8–Thursday, September 10: World Peace Mandala creation, Emerson Performance Center at Harris-Stowe, mid-mornings through early-evening; dissolution ceremony on Thursday at approx. 4:30 p.m.
Folks around town should also expect to see the group moving about the city on their days off. Already, they’ve canoed the Mississippi River and plan on visits to the Gateway Arch, the City Museum and other area attractions and well as quickly-called-together speeches at local colleges.
A Flickr site of their visit will be kept here.
