With Tibet occupied by China, much of the Tibetan Buddhist population is in exile in India. But this week, a small group of Tibetan Buddhist monks is venturing further afield — to Findlay.

Monks from the Gaden Shartse Monastery are traveling throughout the United States to educate people on Tibetan Buddhism. While in Findlay, they are also performing healing rituals specifically geared toward healing the community from recent flooding.The monks arrived on Tuesday and will stay until this weekend, when they will conclude their tour by creating a sand mandala and ceremonially destroying it, carrying the sand to the Blanchard River.

Findlay is part of a 10-month tour throughout the United States. Everywhere, they have been made welcome, said monk Chophel, who goes by one name.

The Gaden Shartse monastery is located in Mundgod, India but the monks travel throughout the world to share Buddhist teachings.

“It’s kind of like dharma on wheels,” Chophel said.

Monk Lobsang Wangchuk, said there is greater curiosity about Buddhism and greater welcoming of their message now than in years past. The monks have seen attendance go up at their events, for example.

The monks (also called lamas) are raising funds to furnish a hospital to provide free medical care in the region of their monastery. They raised funds to build the hospital on a previous tour.

Through an interpreter, Geshe Jampa Norbu, one of the lamas in the group, said the most common question they receive from Americans is their feelings about Tibet and, recently, the Beijing Olympics. Norbu said they did not advise boycotting the Olympics.

Since China invaded Tibet more than 50 years ago, much of the Tibetan culture has survived only in exile in India, Chophel said.

“In Tibet we can’t even study the Tibetan language,” he said. “You have to do that in secret.”

Peace is a central tenet of the Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, Wangchuk said. For example, the Tibetan people do not want to fight the Chinese occupation, believing that “if you harm other beings it creates more anger, more hatred.”

Buddhism includes a belief in reincarnation, and Buddhists believe that if you take up violence in this life you are likely to be reborn into a life of violence and war in your next life, Wangchuk said.

Wangchuk said the Dalai Lama, the head of state and spiritual leader of Tibet, is “probably the foremost spokesman” for world peace.

He said the approach is “the Tibetan people, waiting patiently over 50 years for the return of their country, and not striking back.”

Tenzin Lobsang, the monk who serves as the group’s interpreter, said the monks are hoping for increased human rights for the Tibetan people, including the right to practice their religion freely. Chophel said the Dalai Lama accepts that China has taken over Tibet but wants “greater autonomy” for the Tibetan people.

This weekend the monks will build a “medicine Buddha” mandala. A mandala is a design signifying the universe. Building a sand mandala can take anywhere from a day to 10 days, Wangchuk said. The purpose of the project is to provide healing from the floods that have afflicted Findlay. Wangchuk said this will remove people’s inner turmoil over the flood as well as healing the environment. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there are many spirits responsible for nature and the weather, beings that don’t have names in English, Wangchuk said.

“There are elementary spirits that live in nature that can affect the weather,” he said.

Norbu said the monks will be praying for an end to flooding. Their religion also focuses on care for the environment, and they will be spreading the word not to destroy forests or pollute water, he said.

While in Findlay the monks are also performing private healings. Wangchuk described this as a process in which the lama removes a person’s negative energies and “transforms them into inexhaustible bliss.”

This year for the first time, the monks are working with Century Health mental health clients. Gary Bright of Century Health said the organization has been providing counseling to flood survivors, and the monks’ focus on healing seemed a good match.

The tour has visited Findlay in the past. Area couple Phil Sugden and Carole Elchert met Wangchuk in California and learned that his mother lives in Findlay. They made arrangements for the monks to come to Findlay, and they’ve been here every three years or so since then.

Chophel said the monks are usually hosted by American Buddhists. While there are some cities in America that have large Buddhist centers, the monks prefer to visit communities that may have just a few Buddhists, in order to offer support and education.

“They don’t have this opportunity very often,” he said.

The monks frequently speak at Christian churches throughout the United States. While in Findlay, they led a healing event at the First Presbyterian Church on Tuesday. They will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Church tonight.

Wangchuk said there is a lot of common ground between Christianity and Buddhism.

“Every religion wants peace and happiness,” he said.

The monks will be speaking tonight on “Compassionate Practices of Buddhism” at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2415 Suite B, N. Main St. from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A $10 donation is suggested.

The monks will create the sacred sand mandala Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Findlay Municipal Building. The public is welcome.

At 1 p.m. Sunday, there will be a ceremonial destruction of the mandala and all in attendance will be invited to proceed to the Blanchard River where the sand will be placed as an offering to purify the surrounding environment.

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