Find Tibetan Crafts at Tibet Arts in Cambridge, MA

“Free Tibet” may be a rallying cry for trendy U.S. do-gooders these days, but finding an authentic sample of this endangered culture can be difficult, especially if you live half a world away in New England. Luckily, Tibet Arts, which has been serving Cambridge since 1996, offers an array of spiritual items and clothes from Tibet, India, Nepal and neighboring lands.

As you approach the store, gauzy outfits of pastel cotton and antique bronze statues of the peaceful seated Buddha promise an atmosphere softer than the hectic street scene of Porter Square. A light, fine-grained smell of incense envelopes you when you step in; with this scent in your nose and a CD of meditative chanting in your ears, you find yourself wrapped in calm, easily forgetting that Tibet Arts lies just off the city’s loudest street, Massachusetts Avenue.

Tibet Arts is renowned throughout the region, and rightly so, for its Buddhist devotional supplies. A variety of inexpensive, high-quality incense sticks (most at $5.00 to $10.00 per package) and holders are available, as well as mats and hangings for meditation. The coolest item in this section is the exclusively designed compact altar ($95.00), encased in crimson padded brocade and warded with a Double Dorje symbol to invoke protection. The case contains small statues, offering bowls, incense, a prayer wheel and all other items needed by Buddhists on the go (or on a budget!).

In the back of the store, a selection of books and CDs lets you study up on Tibetan culture and Buddhism. Customers new to Buddhist philosophy may want to start with the works of Pema Chodron. An American Buddhist nun, she combines the familiar affirmations of self-help culture with practical applications drawn from Buddhism. For more in-depth study, Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama are well-represented on the shelves. The authors’ nationalities span the globe, but their works emphasize a common theme of peaceful self-awareness that, once applied to the world, spreads compassion everywhere.

Besides religious items, Tibet Arts showcases beautiful pieces of jewelry, often with spiritual symbolism, that run the gamut in price. On the lower end, at $22.00, there’s a hand-crafted brass set of earrings and a pendant with a geometric, interlocking Endless (or Lucky) Knot design. As one of the eight symbols of Buddhism, the Endless Knot represents the interdependent nature of all life, as well as the union of compassion and wisdom. For those with more money, a jewelry set (pendant, earrings, ring) decorated with bold orange-red coral and a spiral motif, costs $150.00.

Clothing is available at the store as well. The lightweight, flowing cotton blouses and skirts have a simple design and timeless appeal. Hand-made jackets and caps, covered with intricate embroidery in red, blue, green and white, keep you warm and please the eye. Tibet Arts runs seasonal sales, making their already affordable apparel even more so.

For those who seek information about Tibet or even a moment of quiet, Tibet Arts is the perfect place.

Tibet Arts
1925A Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(781) 643-4656
http://www.tibetarts.com
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sun 12:00 – 6:00 PM