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INFORMATION:
 Meditation is an important function which may be aided by the use of certain hand gestures (mudras) and chanted mantras (such as the famous mantra of Chenrezig: "om mani padme hum").
Tantric practitioners make use of special rituals and objects.A lama may make use of a dorje, a small eight-pronged dumbbell-like object representing a diamond-strong sceptre which represents method or compassion, along with a handbell known as a drilbu which represents wisdom. A ritual dagger or phurpa is symbolically used to kill demons, thus releasing them to a better rebirth.
A number of meditation techniques are employed by different traditions, including mahamudra, dzogchen, and in the Kagyu school the Six yogas of Naropa. Qualified practitioners may also study or construct special cosmic diagrams known as mandalas which assist in inner spiritual development.
A mandala is a perfect world. You can build these metaphorical worlds as part of meditation practice. The base is upturned and the concentric rings are then built up on top of the base, using materials such as rice, corn or semi precious jewels to provide the substance for the upper rings to sit on. The end result is a 3-d representation of a mandala or celestial world, contained in your lap. The mandala is then dismantled to reinforce the buddhist attitudes toward impermanence of all things in this or other worlds.
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