Green Tara. White Tara. Red Tara. Tibetan Tara. Seven-eyed Tara. Indian Tara. Tantric Tara. Shmashana Tara, Tara of the graveyard. Tara of compassion. Tara of grace.
In the following article, we will talk about different hypostases of Tara and the Great Macrocosmic Power that stands at the heart of all these different manifestations.
Tara in Tibet
In Tibet, Tara is the Mother of all bodhisattvas. Avalokiteśvara wanted to remove the state of samsara from all beings, to remove ignorance and suffering. When he thought he had succeeded, but he could not succeed, he cried, and one of his tears entered a flower with many petals. As many petals there are on this flower, this is how many aspects of Tara manifested to help him to fulfil his mission.
In Tibet, she is one of the most important deities. Almost all currents of Tibetan schools involve Tara. She is very much evoked as the goddess of compassion, and she is the protector. In the aspect of green Tara, there is the mantra Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha, which means “I prostrate to the Liberator, the Mother of all Victorious Ones”.
Tara in India
In India, we find ancient depictions of Tara in the teachings of the great Mahavidyas. She is the second Mahavidya. Kali, who is somehow very famous in India, is the first. In Indian depictions, Tara looks very similar to Kali. These depictions are much less shown in the world than Tibetan depictions of Tara, but they are very ancient, and there were many exchanges between these two traditions.
The Great Macrocosmic Power Tara
Tara was traditionally known as the shower of the path, as the morning star, the star that guides devotees in the night. She is somehow the light of the first spiritual awakening, the light of understanding and her worship is arguably one of the most accessible forms of spiritual practice. There are other mahavidyas, like Bhagalamuki, for example, for which the preparation to worship them and connect to them is much more complex, and you need a high spiritual level to reach.
With Tara, all you need to do is be a good child of God. There is a wish inside everybody who has a concept of divinity, wisdom, and love of the universe, just to be children again. Like when we were three or four and we asked our seemingly almighty parents for what we needed, and they took care of us.
Tara is like that. You just ask. She is the emergency mechanism of the Universe. Whenever you call, there is a quick number. She is the saviour. You call and she comes very quickly. She is quick to help and quick to save. If you have a burden, pray to Tara and she will carry that burden.
Practising with Tara
To meditate and pray with her brings joy, sweetness, and intimacy, which are inexpressible. It brings a profound knowledge that one is protected, that she will never ever let go. If a child is walking on very unstable ground and he is holding on to his mother, he might fall because he is very small and his hand is weak. But if the mother is holding strongly onto the child’s hand, he will not fall, even if his legs give way. She is strong enough. She will hold.
Giving one’s heart to Tara, she holds on to us, and then there is euphoric joy. There is a feeling of relief; you know you are held. You meditate with her, and then you become similar to how she is. Then, some life situation comes where we would usually get annoyed or indifferent to other people’s suffering, and then this compassion flows through us, infused through meditation. We find ourselves in the same situation, but this time with immense care and compassion.
If we follow this compassion, it is an act of worshipping Tara. Then, if we do something sweet for others, it sweetens the heart, and Tara comes even closer. And then our meditation will go even deeper, and then more of that compassion and care will arise. And then life becomes worship of Tara, and meditations are just a crowning of this life of service and dharma. Visions will appear, filled with light, with joy, with sweetness.
Where to Learn About Tara
In our school, you can go to study the Esoteric Yoga Course or the Esoteric Tantra Course. In the third year, there is a whole set of teachings about Tara. Then you receive her Yantra and her Mantra, and you can practice with these elements. But even if you have no initiation, you can just repeat one of her long mantras, worship her statue, and offer candles. You can listen to Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha while driving. You can gently love Tara.
To quote from the Bhagavad Gita: “In the same way that man comes to me, I come to him.”
If you love Tara a little bit and gently, she will also love you a little bit and gently. It will be feelable. You will get a taste of it, and you will be hungry, and then you will start to love her a lot. And then she will love you a lot. It will be the greatest love story that has ever happened to you.
The worship of Tara is quite widespread. Maybe you already practised with her. Maybe you went to a temple, or maybe you meditated with her mantra. We are very curious to read your impressions in the comments.
This video was transcribed by Zita and edited by Charlie from the following video:
