Thursday, 11 August 2022

August Full Moon Altar: Thousand Hand Kwan Yin


This month's full moon altar honours Thousand Hand Kwan Yin, the Buddhist bodhisattva who empathizes with the world's suffering. She stands on an altar cloth representing her Heart of Compassion, accompanied by lotus candle holders and connective golden beads.

This symbolic version of Kwan Yin has "a thousand hands" with which to extend aid and comfort to those who need it. Her thousand hands are usually arrayed like a fan emerging from her heart chakra, as depicted in this lovely porcelain statue which I found in an Asian import store in Edmonton several years ago.


Here's an amazing video of the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe doing a gorgeous precision dance routine honouring Thousand Hand Kwan Yin. Because all the dancers are deaf, there are several white-robed directors on stage helping the female and male dancers synchronize with the music. Their dance is positively kaleidoscopic in its complexity and beauty!

 

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, August 2022]

32 comments:

  1. Absolutely gorgeous! You have the most stunning collection of statues.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The video is amazing! Thank you for sharing it, Debra.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love!
    I think this could be my fav altar to date. I really like the idea of white and red.
    And that video is mesmerizing. I watched it twice. I can't believe the dancers are deaf...


    XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  4. So beautiful! Difficult to believe they are all deaf!

    ReplyDelete
  5. yin yang. many definitions. the light and the dark. if yin: Kwan Yin a thousand hands of compassion: what and who is the yang?
    the Ol'Buzzard

    ReplyDelete
  6. On a related note: Al Roker (NBC morning weather) calls it the "Full Sturgeon Moon" and it will be very bright. So the Perseid Meteor Shower which also occurs tonight will not be as clearly visible due to the brightness of the moon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Amazing video! Thank you for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Perfect altar; stunningly beautiful video!! TFS!

    ReplyDelete
  9. At first in the fingernail shot I thought you were all ready for Valentine's Day....then looked at the post heading. She is a lovely goddess. What do you do with the pass alter goddess? Do you display them all or store them till it's their alter time?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your full moon altar is beautiful and the dancers' costumed routine is visually stunning! However, all those arms, eyes on hands and flickering finger points also reminded me of a peacock's tail and crustaceans' creepy legs....

    ReplyDelete
  11. @ Mistress Maddie -- I put up a new altar every month and dismantle the previous one, putting everything away back where it came from. Most of my Goddess statues live in a large display cabinet in my living room most of the time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a wonderful post! The dancing is so beautiful. Thanks for explaining the function of the people in white robes, too.

    I always look forward to your monthly altar entries,and the explanation with them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The dance is amazing. I'm glad I watched it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stunning! So amazing to think they’re deaf.
    Mesmerising

    ReplyDelete
  15. A thousand hand GuanYin is very renown in oriental nations. She lessens all forms of suffering lending a hand in every form and entity. Almost every family has one either in the home or in their own hearts.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Simply incredible. I wonder if the lead dancer gives instructions.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Awesome coordination deaf or not.

    ReplyDelete
  18. That was so pretty to watch. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! that dancing is amazing. Such precision.

    Imagine how much you could get done with a thousand hands! If you had the brain to match that is.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The altar is beautiful. The dance is stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ooh, yes, that dancing is incredible. Thanks for sharing, Deb.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kwan Yin, quiet Goddess of Compassion, a guiding light. A statue of her can be found in every room of my house (ok, not the bathroom). I love the altar - simple and poignant.

    That dance was amazing! Truly kaleidoscopic and absolutely beautiful. Thank you, Debra.
    E

    ReplyDelete
  23. I turn into a wolf on a full moon. That's how I know there is one.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I too love how you honor and ritualize the passing of the seasons with such apropos and beautiful things.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What the world needs are about a billion of her.
    The video is absolutely breathtaking and mesmerizing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Your altar is lovely, and the video is mesmerizing, Debra!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are welcomed and appreciated!

However, comment moderation is on and no comments will be published from trolls, haters, bots or spammers.