Threads of Awakening: An American Woman's Journey Into Tibet's Sacred Textile Art by Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the beautifully written account of an American woman's journey into the making of textile thangkas, the Tibetan wall hangings depicting sacred Buddhist figures. Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo was so struck by the beauty of thangkas when in Tibet as a young woman that she set about mastering the art, taking years to do so (and receiving a Tibetan name in the process). Leslie recounts not only the fascinating story of her experiences in Tibet but also the history and meaning of the thangka and the Buddhist precepts behind it, setting out as she goes her own growing understanding of Buddhism and how it affected her life. Part of the story is a very hands-on, fascinating explanation of how thangkas are made, difficult to fully grasp at first but gradually becoming clearer, helped by the beautiful pictures of Leslie's work. A wonderful and instructive journey.



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