Stepping into a Bon sanctuary, the scent of juniper smoke curls through the air as monks intone age-old prayers—an atmosphere that feels both timeless and alive. At the heart of this heritage lie a handful of rituals that stitch together community, healing and cosmic balance.

• Torma Offerings: Colorful dough sculptures, or tormas, take center stage in almost every Bon ritual. Crafted into deity forms or symbolic shapes, they’re presented with butter lamps and incense to invite protective spirits or to placate restless forces. Watching these tiny masterpieces being arranged is like witnessing a baker’s art meet sacred geometry.

• Chham Dances: Donning vivid masks, dancers become wrathful deities or benevolent guardians in elaborate performances. It’s not merely theatrical—each stomp and twirl is believed to subdue harmful energies and bless the ground. In regions around Everest this spring, small villages revived these dances after a hiatus, drawing younger generations back to their roots.

• Smoke and Fire Puja: Sangsol, the signature smoke offering, uses juniper and barley flour to cleanse spaces of negativity. On particularly auspicious days, a fire puja (Mey) erupts in a blazing spectacle—flames consuming written petitions to obstructive forces. The crackling bonfire becomes a fiery ledger, obliterating obstacles in one fell swoop.

• Gutor Ceremony: Just before Losar (Tibetan New Year), families perform Gutor to chase away spirits that have overstayed their welcome. Homes are swept, tormas placed at thresholds and evening gatherings echo with chants designed to reset the spiritual calendar.

• Phowa Transference: At life’s threshold, phowa guides consciousness toward liberation. Experienced adepts gently transfer a dying person’s awareness to a pure realm—a practice that has drawn interest from global mindfulness seekers curious about death’s spiritual dimensions.

• Yantra Yoga Sessions: Long before modern yoga studios popularized mindful movement, Bonpo masters devised Yantra Yoga—fluid postures linked with breath and visualization. Recently, online workshops have introduced this gentle flow to western audiences hungry for an alternative to conventional asana classes.

Whether dancing under the monastery eaves or quietly offering smoke to the mountain gods, Bon’s ceremonies weave a rich tapestry of protection, purification and profound connection.