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Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a Nepalese priest of one of the Vajrayana Buddhist lineages, will hold various workshops in Honolulu this week in addition to making appearances at Kapiolani Community College for International Education Week.
Prajwal is a master of the Charya Nritya dance tradition and other ritual forms and the founder of Dance Mandal: Foundation for Sacred Buddhist Arts of Nepal, which aims to preserve and expand the art form.
Based in Portland, Ore., Prajwal offers sacred movement workshops, classes and performances throughout the United States, according to his website, www.dancemandal.com.
His schedule in Hawaii includes:
» Nepalese Yogic Dance Workshop: Sunday, 1 to 3:30 p.m., Still and Moving Center, 1024 Queen St., $35; reservations, 397-7678. The workshop will be followed by another at 4 p.m. on "Healing Through Loving Kindness Practice," with Bhante Sujatha from Sri Lanka. An additional fee will be charged; no experience necessary.
» Refuge Dance Introduction: Wednesday, 1:10 to 2 p.m., Pacific Buddhist Academy, 1710 Pali Highway. Open only to academy students and staff.
» Refuge Dance Workshop: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Bodhi Tree Dharma Center, 654-A N. Judd St., free/donations; information, 537-1171. No experience is necessary. Buddhist practitioners take refuge daily in the "three jewels: the buddha, the dharma and the sangha."
» The Healing Arts of Nepal: Thursday, noon to 1 p.m., Kapiolani Community College’s Ohi‘a Cafeteria, free; information, 734-9438. Prajwal and Sushil Mulepati will guide participants through the Mahakala, a sacred temple dance of Nepal, and the Batuka Mantra Chikitsha, singing-bowl sound therapy and healing.
Prajwal also will take part in a free panel discussion on "Art and Spirituality" at KCC’s Koa 200 (Watercolor Studio) from 1:45 to 3 p.m. Thursday as part of International Education Week, which starts Monday and wraps up Thursday.
Other panelists Thursday include Kauila Clark, a Hawaiian spiritual practitioner; Elshikh Ismail, imam of the Muslim Association of Hawaii; and professor emeritus of art Duane Preble.
For details about the full schedule for International Education Week, contact Carl Hefner, International Education Week coordinator, at 734-9438 or email hefner@hawaii.edu.
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