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The Art of Chöd (July 2004)
This spring Nityananda Institute received a $5,000 grant from The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, Inc. to produce a documentary about the art and iconography of Chöd. The project is called Art of the Chöd and will focus on the imagery and ritual implements used in the practice, using both old and modern examples. The film will explain and de-mystify the powerful symbolism of Chöd for those unacquainted with the practice. It will be the first documentary ever produced by the Institute.
As the many practitioners in the Institute community know, Chöd is an ancient ritual 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.
Chöd brings benefit to the total environment, including the practitioner. The ritual involves a total sacrifice of everything identified as ourselves, but it in no way diminishes us—it only makes us bigger. This understanding is essential to authentic spiritual practice. As Swamiji says, “Chöd is the ancient underpinning of all ritual practices.”
The idea for the film arose because the imagery associated with Chöd is graphic and the deities invoked can appear menacing to the uninitiated, who are not aware of the purpose of the practice. By explaining the purpose of the ritual, the documentary will promote understanding of these images and the nature of the practice among a wider audience. The film will be marketed to museums, colleges and universities, public and cable television stations, and Tibetan Buddhist organizations and centers.
The documentary will be produced in DVD format and will feature footage of Lama Wangdu performing the practice, passages from the text practiced at the Institute and Lama Wangdu’s and Swamiji’s commentary, and paintings, sculpture and ritual implements from public and private collections, including collections of students at Nityananda Institute and the collection of The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, Inc.
This project is the first step toward another, longer film the Institute would like to produce—a documentary about Lama Wangdu’s life. It will afford a chance to hone our filmmaking skills so that we can do justice to that precious subject.
Sarah Mocas wrote the grant proposal, and she will work with George Cohn and Marilyn Ritter (Creation Ground Media) to produce the documentary. Leiko Coyle will assist in locating images and art work and managing the photo shoot. Lani Baker will be directing the photography. We’ll also call on Vivina Ree’s expertise in Asian art.
All the Institute members involved are donating their time, but we are looking for donations to cover the cost of printinng the DVD and packaging.
Nityananda Institute, Inc.
P.O. Box 13310
Portland, OR 97213-0310 USA
Phone: 503-231-0383
e-mail: friends@rudrananda.org
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