Tibetan Buddhism Products at Tibetan Spirit - Ritual Items and Buddhist Art

Greetings from Asheville, North Carolina - the new home of Tibetan Spirit! While many of you have probably learned about this new chapter for Tibetan Spirit, no doubt this will still be news to many of you - our returning and new customers. For over fifteen years, Tibetan Spirit has been owned and operated by Dharma practitioners, offering affordable and more importantly, quality Dharma supplies to practitioners and communities that do not have easy access to such items in their neighborhood. Furthermore, the past owners of Tibetan Spirit have always dedicated a portion of its earnings to the support of Tibetan Buddhism, to the education, housing, medical support and general welfare of monks and nun and to projects that promote Dharma, peace and harmony in the world.

In our most recent trip to Nepal, we were saddened to learn about the great number of Nepali artisans who have been enticed to neighboring countries to teach their traditional skills and expertise to corporations, which are engaged in mass production of Tibetan Buddhist art and ritual-objects in hopes of profiting from the growing market for these traditional goods. At Tibetan Spirit, however, we have always chosen to support small, traditional and often family-based artisans in Nepal and India, even as increasing pressure from rapid globalization is quickly eroding the sustainability of such businesses. With your constant support, patience and goodwill, Tibetan Spirit has been able to stay in business while keeping our prices low and operating based on Dharma principles.

With the move of Tibetan Spirit to North Carolina, we are very happy to announce that we have taken the mission of Tibetan Spirit to a new and ambitious level. Beginning in October 2011, 100% of the profits of Tibetan Spirit go towards the support of Dharma! Tibetan Spirit is now owned and operated by Urban Dharma (NC), a new Buddhist center, a community-in-progress in western North Carolina. At Urban Dharma, we are committed to the growing of Dharma locally, for Dharma to take roots in our lives here in this corner of the world, in this part of North Carolina, on the soil of these Appalachian mountains. We believe that when our local lives are sane, complete and grounded through the Dharma, we will be better families, friends and neighbors, more responsible citizens of the world, and more courageous bodhisattvas working for the benefit of all mother sentient beings. "Aspire universally, think globally, act locally!"

Furthermore, we want to assure you that even as we at Urban Dharma are dedicated to building a viable and sustainable local Buddhist community and resource in North Carolina, Tibetan Spirit will continue its support of monastic communities in the Himalayan region. We will continue to make donations to projects that better the lives, education and training of monks and nuns, endeavors that relieve suffering whether directly or indirectly, and missions that promote peace, acceptance and harmony in our inner and outer lives.

In the coming months, we will be sourcing new items, overhauling our website, and improving the efficiency of our volunteer staff. Since we are no longer privately owned, we are now reliant on volunteers, many of whom are just learning the online retail business. However, we are confident that with your continued support and understanding, along with the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers, we will not only succeed in continuing to provide the great products, prices and customer service that Tibetan Spirit has been known for, but that we will continually improve on our performance. So meanwhile, please bear with us as we embark on this new chapter and stay tuned!

For the benefit of all,

Tibetan Spirit/Urban Dharma

Welcome to Tibetan Spirit!