If there is a homeland for all beliefs in the mind, Tibet is such a place. The Rooftop of the World is mostly open sky country without any worldly noises; sky so bright and clean it is as though the sun washes the entire space every morning upon rising. Over there! And there! Snow-covered mountains and peaks lofty and majestic, peacefully mirroring the humble heads lowered in the boundless and unfathomable lake at their feet.
Yak, nomads, children, goat herders, monks, nuns – nowhere else on earth will you find such a peaceful place and people.
This is the Tibet I visited in the summer of 2009. I was living in China for a year teaching English to high school students and managed to explore over twenty-five cities and thirteen provinces. Tibet was easily my most memorable. I was so profoundly impacted by the beauty and friendliness of the Tibetan people I was a changed person upon leaving the Tibetan plateau. I contemplated for months on how to help their culture stay alive, in my own small way.
I created this site to bring to the world the remarkable artistry and craftsmanship of the Tibetan people and their brothers and sisters in the Himalayas, Nepal, and India. With the help of authentic artisans, monks, street vendors, small business owners – I am able to make available to you some of the treasures from these magical and relevant areas in our world through my online market, Barkhor Square.
Along with giving back to the people who make these treasures with their hands and hearts, I am donating a percentage of all my sales directly to Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa, Tibet.
Tibet enlightened me, and I hope I can bring some of these insights to you through shared appreciation for the spiritual and genuine caring for our fellow man. The country of Tibet still echoes in my soul through murmuring prayers floating in the air between temples invisible among mountains, glaciers, and lakes.
Tibet and her neighbors are for all minds. They represent adventure for her courageous people who overcome the hardships and dangers of living and worshiping their spirituality open and freely. They are where dreams can still be realized for people who love the world and are seeking its beauty in all things. They are pursued by scholars and artists and empathetic souls alike for their age-old relics and crafts – Tibetan Treasures. Meanwhile, they continue to be shrines for pious souls. And whoever you are, if you come to Tibet or perhaps bring a little into your own home, may you enjoy your own peace with us.
Sean Ward
Jennifer Bevan
TibetanTreasure.com
BarkhorSquare.com