I have to admit, I have a goddess practice. In this time of new-age-ness, the goddess is everywhere. And that's great. Unfortunately for me, it pushes my buttons of "this is really superficial". It seems to be wonderful for everyone else involved so that is great.
One of my personal favorites is Tara. And, for anyone living in CNY, I will be teaching a course on Tara for children enrolled in the Dharma Kids program at the Zen Center of Syracuse (www.zencenterofsyracuse.org). Tara is considered the "mother of all Buddhas" and became a Buddha in female form. All of her friends at that time in Tibet, tried to convince her she would be a better Buddha if she were a man, and she refused! She committed herself to complete enlightenment in female form. She functions as a savioress and supreme protectress. In Celestial Gallery by Romio Shrestha, he says, "The qualities of White Tara are ultimately inseparable from our own. Awakening is not a solipsistic retreat from unwanted realities, but a reaching outward to embrace the world with infinite compassion. If we see through to Tara's essence, she frees us from self-serving thoughts and encourages us to act selflessly, and wisely, for the benefit of all beings: the surest prescription for a long and fulfilling life".
I have to say based on personal experience that the practice of relying on Tara is amazing. Take yesterday, for example. I was having a very difficult time managing the schedule of running a small, growing business but is often jilted due to time constraints and parenting. School is over, wait-listed for camp, and the list goes on and on. I react to emails coming my way, not in a complete gripping manner but enough so that I actually later regret words coming out on the page. In light of this, I arrive at my daily sadhana (practice) and find myself in front of of Tara: great protectress, guide and just happens to be utterly sensuous and ravishing! (wouldn't it be great if someone called YOU that?! it must be our goal ladies: wise and ravishing). Within moments, my edges of frustration are melted, I step into the deep expanse of limitless love and compassion and I'm changed! Wheew! It's a total compassion battery re-charge.
So I encourage myself daily to "open seven eyes, like Tara, and be sure that everything you do, every step you take, every thought you think, is fueled by compassion. You will then be inseparable from White Tara, the embodiment of pure love". Thank you Romio Shreshtha for that quote and compiling this wonderful book!
For more information regarding Tara, and to find Gelek Rimpoches book, "The Tara Book", please visit www.jewelheart.org.
