Who Tara is for me....

[maggie]

For a few years I considered myself a "Goddess Woman". I found myself at the time very drawn to Tara. My background with her was the Tibetan "Tara".

Then I felt some confusion about my focus on the Divine Feminine Goddess (without consideration of Divine Masculine God) as an unbalanced contemplation. The association I had at the time with "The Goddess" was toward becoming a priestess in a traditional lineage with a particular form and rituals. I dropped out. I thought I needed to be neutral in some indefinable way I was attempting to understand. I became abstracted from the basic care and feeding of my own life for awhile at the same time.

I am still here in a body and it is female and I need some connection to this physical that I cut off some how. In the last few months, I have found myself drawn again to Tara.
I have started to call on Tara again to help me.
The following quotes come from here: http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myth ... _white.htm

"In Tibetan, Tara is known as “Dölma” (Sgrol-ma), or “She Who Saves.” In particular she represents compassion in action, since she’s in the process of stepping from her lotus throne in order to help sentient beings."

I also have been studying the remnants of the probable "Mother civilization" directly seeding our own recent "history". It is my suspicion that Tara as "goddess" is the recollection of culture after the decimation from earth changes. What is key is COMPASSION in Action. IMO compassion is put in action by ameliorating conditions of suffering and what is REAL suffering is very basic...hunger, thirst, cold, sickness......all very basic and when not accessable, in need of compassionate response.

I am thinking about about Tara from the perspective that Tara represents the "process" of transmitting natural earth connected REAL principles of culture that may save humanity through basic care and nurture. Certain earth skills save us from the earthly dangers and the spiritual ones that come arise from our physical suffering. After all, in a world that is not needy and starving, where is the need to steal from others? In a world of abundance, IMO the attraction to Peace becomes strong? This compassionate action of giving what is missing is reflected to me in what has been said about Tara:

"Tara, Goddess of Peace and Protection

Goddess Tara is probably the oldest goddess who is still worshipped extensively in modern times. Tara originated as a Hindu goddess, a Great Goddess -- the Mother Creator, representing the eternal life force that fuels all life.

There are many embodiments of Tara, but the best known are the White Tara and the Green Tara.

The peaceful, compassionate White Tara gently protects and brings long life and peace. The more dynamic goddess, Green Tara is the "Mother Earth", and a fierce goddess who overcomes obstacles, and saves us from physical and spiritual danger.

In Sanskrit, the name Tara means Star, but she was also called She Who Brings Forth Life, The Great Compassionate Mother, and The Embodiment of Wisdom, and the Great Protectress.

Adopted by Buddhism, she become the most widely revered deity in the Tibetan pantheon. In Buddhist tradition, Tara is actually much greater than a goddess -- she is a female Buddha, an enlightened one was has attained the highest wisdom, capability and compassion. . . one who can take human form and who remains in oneness with the every living thing."

Recently I have been studying the possibility that our recent history of civilization (RE)started from the North and here is Tara again:

" The oldest reference to the goddess Tara, perhaps, is found in an ancient saga of Finland thought to be 5 thousand years old. The saga speaks of a group known as Tar, the Women of Wisdom.

A version of the Goddess Tara exists in virtually every culture. Indeed, it is said that the Goddess Tara will assume as many forms on earth as there are needs for by the people.

The Celts called their Great Goddess Tara. Her name is thought to be the root of the word Tor, which is a mound of earth or hillock imbued with spiritual energy or connection to the other worlds.

We also hear the echo of her name in the Latin word for earth, Terra, a connection between Tara and the concept of "Mother Earth".

The Goddess Tara is also associated with Kuan Yin, the great Chinese goddess of compassion. In South America she was known as the ancient mother goddess Tarahumara.

The Cheyenne people revere the Star Woman who fell from the heavens and whose body became the earth that provided them with food.

The ancient Egyptian Goddess Ishtar who, in her myths, came to earth from the heavens and instructed her people to co-mingle and intermarry with the earthlings to give them the benefits of their learning and wisdom was yet another incarnation of the Goddess Tara."

Was civilization REstarted by seemingly "god and goddess" like beings after horrible earth changing cataclysm?
At any rate, I am taking Tara on again as I seek to REStart my own life which seemed devastated for awhile....with the goal of sharing being happy and free.
After moving away from being a Goddess Woman, I resolved some questions....I am a female and I can just relax and just be female at this time. I am a woman and this means something new to me now. Tara is important to me now again as a touch point of my intention.

"It is told that Tara first appeared rising from a lotus blossom in the lake that had formed from Avalokitesvara's tears of compassion, tears that fell when he first beheld the scope of suffering in the world.

Because of her essential goodness, she was granted the right to assume her human form as a man. But Tara elected instead to remain in her womanly form.

The Goddess Tara vowed:

"There are many who wish to gain enlightenment
in a man's form,
And there are few who wish to work
for the welfare of living beings
in a female form.

Therefore may I, in a female body,
work for the welfare of all beings,
until such time as all humanity has found its fullness."

Just wanted to share the mantra that I am taking on:

[youtube]https://youtu.be/lqcWl6VAB_M[/youtube]

"OM represents Tara’s sacred and enlightened body, speech and mind.
TARE means liberating from all discontent.
TUTTARE means liberating from the eight fears, the external dangers and also from the internal dangers such as ignorance and delusions.
TURE means liberating from duality; it shows the true cessation of confusion.
SOHA means “may the meaning of the mantra take root in my mind.”

[Blue Rising]

In the past year or so, I was drawn to Green Tara. Being drawn to someone like this doesn't really happen often for me, this was the first time actually. I was doing inner work, and realized that my life had been full of situations that began to fill me with distrust. Or rather than fill me, I guess they emptied me of trust. I found Tara, was drawn to those same words you shared. And I found in her a beginning. She represents a time of joy, of the beauty of compassion in a free way. Not in a contrived way, not out of pity, but the free giving of a maiden I guess. A compassion that I can remember, from before life whomped on me. Of the manifestations of Tara, Green Tara feels to me as the youthful one, possibly she is the innocence.

Green Tara sits on the mantle in our living room. Little One, my grandson who is 7, absolutely adores her. In fact, I just told him Tara's story, (the one you shared, of course) and he sat listening so intently, so wrapped up in it. I sometimes wonder if he is drawn to her because he understands this type of childlike compassion.

About halfway through your post, I immediately wanted to share a mantra with you that I have enjoyed working with. I had to laugh, then, upon seeing the actual mantra I wanted to share, sitting there at the end of your post. I haven't worked with this mantra in a while, and I am so thankful that you have brought it back to me. You gave me a gift, and I wanted to say thank you.

Much Love,

[maggie]

In the past year or so, I was drawn to Green Tara. Being drawn to someone like this doesn't really happen often for me, this was the first time actually. I was doing inner work, and realized that my life had been full of situations that began to fill me with distrust. Or rather than fill me, I guess they emptied me of trust. I found Tara, was drawn to those same words you shared. And I found in her a beginning. She represents a time of joy, of the beauty of compassion in a free way. Not in a contrived way, not out of pity, but the free giving of a maiden I guess. A compassion that I can remember, from before life whomped on me. Of the manifestations of Tara, Green Tara feels to me as the youthful one, possibly she is the innocence.

Green Tara sits on the mantle in our living room. Little One, my grandson who is 7, absolutely adores her. In fact, I just told him Tara's story, (the one you shared, of course) and he sat listening so intently, so wrapped up in it. I sometimes wonder if he is drawn to her because he understands this type of childlike compassion.

About halfway through your post, I immediately wanted to share a mantra with you that I have enjoyed working with. I had to laugh, then, upon seeing the actual mantra I wanted to share, sitting there at the end of your post. I haven't worked with this mantra in a while, and I am so thankful that you have brought it back to me. You gave me a gift, and I wanted to say thank you.

Much Love,

Lovely!! I feel gifted too. Love, Maggie

[Blue Rising]

Thank you for including a picture of her, maggie. I was trying to share my own Tara, and couldn't figure out how to insert it. It isn't online....

Gawd, she's breathtaking. So beautiful.

I would love to hear about your experience with her, with this energy. The first specific recollection I have of learning about any gods/goddesses was mythology in college. I believe it was in literature classes, decades ago. That was my first introduction, and they were probably Greek. I had never heard of any Pagan or Hindu or Tibetan goddesses until...oh, I would say in the last couple of years.

As I began to do cursory investigations, I really could not wrap my head around *what* goddesses are. At first I thought they must be archetypal energies that someone decided to make physical representations of. Later, I wondered if they had been different incarnations of entities, not from around here. Maybe they were earlier species that lived on the earth. Anyway, I seem to have connected with some of these, but that doesn't mean I have come any closer to my own understanding of exactly what they are. I know Green Tara, though not well. I know Quan Yin's energy, to about the same degree. There are several that I can touch, but it is really odd that it feels like they are inside me.

Sorry, I hope I am not derailing or anything. I do tend to ramble. Anyway, I just wanted to invite you to share any of your experiences or knowledge you have gained, any experiences you feel comfortable sharing. Mine is limited, as you can see, haha.

[Moonlight]

I too have come across Green Tara in my travels. Her mantra has accompanied me for a while. I am happy that she popped up in my consciousness again through you, Maggie. Thank you.

What was it about her that attracted me? I recall being impressed that she chose to remain in female form to work for the welfare of all beings. I see her connection with the Earth and all her children. Was it in a time where I was visiting the female pain body ? I just can't recall... I'm so tired these days that my brain seems to be in a constant fog.

She always seem to show herself at just the right time, that I know.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

[Rob Halford]

Tara you say?
Yeah, we can do that.................

[Hermit]

[maggie]

Wow, so much beautiful feedback that Tara is touching many of us. I feel that the energy of Tara is of the great Mother principle in form.
I observe also like Hermit that this Great Mother is Universally known and appears in her many aspects....

I am only now feeling Tara to be personal. I feel I want to experience the qualities she holds but also like how it feels to call on her presence. I have a sculpture of a Green woman on my altar who is Tara of the Appalachians....

At the same time, I am just now seeking a relationship.
.
Through my own willingness to engage with her I think she becomes personal. This is a key because I think I create the relationship by being willing. But engaging with her is also an invitation to me offered by Tara who is not an imaginary but a MYTHIC being....and this Connection with the MYTHIC which is called by me (or anyone as we do call the connection in) is a mystery. I love Tara more and I like her becoming "real" as I love myself more and become more real......

Hard to express what I mean.....

Here is something interesting to me....Rangjung – A sacred image of Green Tara in stone that emerges by itself....

http://www.mother-god.com/rangjung.html
"The phenomenon of Rangjung is well known in Tibet and Nepal. It consists of the emergence of an image of the Goddess Tara from a sheer rock face. It is regarded as a miraculous Grace bestowed by the Goddess Tara, and a source of supernatural blessing.

Such "emerging" images are found throughout Tibet and Nepal.

Please look at this picture. This is a rangjung that has appeared in Nepal. It has been "pushing" out of the rock for over twenty years. When Miss Norma Levine, who took this photograph, first saw it, it clearly resembled the general outline of a seated female figure. At the time of this photograph it had become, as you see, much clearer."



"No visit to Kathmandu is complete without a day trip to Pharping, a little hill that has several holy spots. Upon arrival, one reaches upon a little temple built into the side of the Pharping hill that seemingly enshrines a bare rock that smothered in red Sindhura powder. Upon closer inspection, one would perceive a large roughly carved image of Ganesha and a smaller image of Tara.

However, this is not statues carved by artisans but spontaneous image that appear out of the rock. Noticed by pilgrims for over 3 decades now, Tibetan monks have built a chapel over it and monks regularly perform Tara pujas to it. Apparently, the image of Tara becomes steadily clearer over time. Tibetans calls this phenomena rangjung or ‘self-arisen’."http://www.davidlai.me/2014/02/

[Christine]

Known as the Mother of Mercy in the East, Kuan Yin has been worshipped by Buddhists for thousands of years. She is the greatest of bodhisattvas and embodies the totality of compassion for humanity.

So much beauty in this thread, thank you maggie, for She fills us full to overflowing.

[maggie]

She fills us full to overflowing.

I am feeling that overflow and am so grateful!!

Quan Yin and the silent song of the lightning white rose of wisdom



I ran across Robert Powell and want to read his work.



The central message for me at this moment FOR ME is that we will be assisted in forging a strong, grounded, practical, nourishing, chewy, delicious, resourceful connection in this NEW EARTH culture just by asking and by grace. It is not that we will be saved by the marketplace but that we will save the marketplace. The bridge to living the new culture is us but the builder is GREATER than we are.....

I am being a part of this earth SPHERE (hehe) and the reality is multi-dimensional and NOT an ABSTRACTION. The help to feel this truth is all around me, and spoken and written here as a prayer.

The realm of of matter digging in the dirt is sacred, wholey and not finished and messy. Yes, I thought I knew something? Now it's time to do the practical immersion IMO AND forget many of the knowns....HOW???
I feel more and more the personal Presence of skillful means and a loving guidance for what is incomplete and to be. This is not artificial IMO and I THINK maybe it is my salvation?

(Quotes I like below from Robert Powell about workshops he gave in 2011 but now's the time....https://sophiacommunity.wordpress.com/sophia-workshops/)
"Virgin, Mother, Queen
Keep us, Goddess, in thy grace.

All things corruptible are but a parable.
Earth’s insufficiency there finds fulfullment.
Here the ineffable wins life through love,
The Eternal Feminine leads us above.

These words by Goethe, the great German poet, point to the Eternal Feminine as the guiding power of creation. The Eternal Feminine–the Creative Matrix–has always been a source of illumination for the soul, offering precious wisdom, and loving guidance as to the true essence of our Being.

The Divine Feminine was revealed in Ephesus as Artemis–the Nurturer,
in Elleusis as Demeter–the Earth Mother,
in Taoism as the Tao–the Mother of All,
in Hinduism as Shakti–the Divine Power,
in Buddhism as Prajna Paramita–Perfect Wisdom,
Chinese Buddhism as Kwan Yin–the Goddess of Mercy,
and the tradition of ancient Israel (continued in the Russian Orthodox Church) as Sophia–Divine Wisdom.

The significance of Sophia in our time (is) as the archetype of the human soul, and as healer of body and soul who seeks to usher in an age of Peace. Through Her a bridge is built between the various religions and spiritual traditions of the world.

Sophia is called the “Mother of Humanity”, and “Rose of the World”. The “Rose of the World” can also be understood as a new flowering of human culture unfolding through the guidance of Divine Sophia........

.......An extraordinary Power — the in streaming radiance of the Divine Feminine — is making itself felt in the world to all who open themselves to Her. Whether we call Her the Great Mother, the Goddess, Mother Earth, the Dao, Isis, Kuan Yin, Maha Devi, Sakti, Tara, Prajna Paramita, Sarasvitai, Shekinah, or Sophia, She is awakening in hearts and minds around the globe. In the words of Teilhard de Chardin, from his inspired Hymn to the Eternal Feminine, “She is the unfading beauty of the times to come, who continues to disclose Herself.”

YES!! Stop a minute, breathe, and smell the roses. Love, Maggie