Nityananda Institute to Produce "Art of the Chöd"
Nityananda Institute has received a grant to produce a documentary film about the art and iconography of the Chöd, an esoteric Buddhist ritual. The purpose of the film is to explain to a general audience the underlying meaning of the graphic imagery associated with the practice.
Portland, OR (PRWEB) July 11, 2004 -- Nityananda Institute (http://nityanandainstitute.org) has received a grant from The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, Inc. to produce a documentary about the art and iconography of Chöd, an esoteric Tibetan Buddhist practice. The project is called "Art of the Chöd" and will focus on the imagery and ritual implements used in the practice. The project will explain and de-mystify the powerful symbolism of Chöd using older as well as contemporary examples of the imagery.
Chöd is an ancient practice traditionally performed after dark in cremation grounds or disturbed places. In the course of the practice, practitioners visualize making an offering of their own bodies, which are cut up, transformed into nectar, and distributed to various classes of guests who are called to participate. The guests include spirits and negative energies that cause harm and disease. After consuming the feast prepared for them, these spirits are satisfied and subdued and stop causing disturbances.
The practice of Chöd brings benefit to the entire environment. The imagery associated with Chöd, however, is graphic and the deities invoked can appear menacing to the uninitiated, who are not aware of the purpose of the practice. By examining the text and the motivation for the ritual, the video will promote understanding of these images. The film will be distributed to museums, colleges and universities, public and cable television stations, and Tibetan Buddhist organizations and centers.
The video will feature footage of a master Chöd practitioner performing the practice, passages from the text, and paintings, sculpture and ritual implements from public and private collections, including the collection of The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, Inc.
Nityananda Institute is a non-profit center for spiritual practice in the tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. Based in Portland, Oregon, Nityananda Institute was founded by Swami Chetanananda (http://chetanananda.org) in 1971. It offers programs in meditation, hatha yoga, Chöd and other ritual practices, philosophy, art and music.
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