8/25/11

Goddess of the Week: Tara

Green Tara, Nepal, fourteenth century. Gilt co...Image via WikipediaMelissa wants a goddess for protection. I have the perfect one: the Tibetan Buddhist goddess Tara.

Tara has twenty-one character traits and each one is signified by a different color. But the two main ways that Tara manifests herself are as Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara protects you from fear and all the things that cultivate fear (longing, pride, loss, all that stuff). White Tara protects you and your loved ones from illness so that you can all live a long life. So, really, Tara has got you totally covered protection-wise. She'll keep you healthy and she'll free you from all the fear-based baggage that keeps you from rolling with the guaranteed punches of life.

Here's a neat story about Tara. Millions of years ago in a different world or dimension, Tara was a woman named Yeshe Dawa. After living many lives, she had finally gotten really close to enlightenment. She was so close to enlightenment that these monks came up to her and said, "You are so close to enlightenment. You should pray that in your next life you're born male so that than you can finally reach enlightenment and become a buddha."

She was all, "Dude, buddhahood is not about gender. Enlightenment is not just for men, and it is no easier for men to achieve than for women. I will pray that I never be born a man. I will pray that I always be born a woman and that I achieve enligtenment as a woman so that I can help ALL women become enlightened." She did finally reach enlightenment--as a woman--and she became the many states of Tara. However, she didn't actually become a buddha. She could have, but she chose to wait outside the gates of Nirvana and send us compassionate vibes until all the ladies are as enlightened as her. Once we're ready, she'll totally join us at the Nirvana Bar for a mojito. But even before then, with Tara on our side, we can feel totally protected from within and without.

What do you say, Melissa? Is that what the doctor ordered?

Channel this goddess: When you are afraid, when you are ill, when interior or exterior forces paralyze you with fear and you need protection, when you face a glass ceiling.

Need a goddess: I got goddesses! Post a comment explaining what you need or want a goddess for. Check back in a week or two and see what you got. Submit to peer pressure. Everyone else is getting a goddess, why not you?
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13 comments:

Watson said...

I totally love Tara! She is just what I need too.

Lindsay N. Currie said...

I can absolutely use this goddess - a lot actually. I suffer from self-confidence issues frequently and the fear is paralyzing indeed! Great post!

Anonymous said...

I would have sworn Tara was Celtic.

Mairie said...

Tara is the place in Ireland where the god and goddesses live, where the High Kings of Ireland were chosen. The kings married themselves to the earth so Tara was the earth goddess of the Celts - as well. High Kings represent the Sky God Taran -Tara and Taran symbolised 'completeness' to most of the Celtic countries.

I like this Tara too - she certainly knows who she is.

Tony Van Helsing said...

I hate to admit, but even Buddhist blokes can be dickheads.

Unknown said...

My Army date got pushed back, so I've been shamelessly lurking around the edges of your blog again- but this post is so wonderfully appropriate for me right now that I had to say THANK YOU! Now, back to the lurking.

Petrea Burchard said...

Oh no, I never need Tara. Nope. Not ever. Un unh. Not. No. Not scared. Me. Nope. Fun read, though, Margaret. I'll probably just bookmark this for the hell of it.

Shell Sherree said...

Mojitos with Tara at the Nirvana Bar. Sounds like a good book to me.

claire bangasser said...

Like Daisy, I totally love Tara! She is just what I need as well :-)

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Great color sense plus she stood outside the gates of Nirvana helping other chicks. High five for Tara

Najma Velshi said...

Just what I needed today!I like the rolling with the punches bit(:)

Susan Campisi said...

I'll take a shot of Tara's compassionate vibes as I work my way to the Nirvana Bar. I love that she's all about leading the ladies to enlightenment.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely what the doctor ordered! Thank you, Margaret! Tara, the enlightened feminist, rocks super hard and so do you.