O Tara, Joy of the World,
let your presence be more fully known by us
clear away whatever obstacles there may be
and let the light, comfort and inspiration that you are be known ever more fully by us now
pacify suffering conditions and help us to live well
encourage us to outdo what we thought was possible before
stabilize whatever we have now of health, virtue, wisdom and good fortune,
and increase, to meet our needs, whatever we may lack
O Glorious Tara, hope of the world, to you we all pray,
May your blessings be upon us all, so that we can, each one of us,
achieve our aims, and peace, and fulfillment
~ Amrita Nadi, Prayer to Mother Tara (p.34 - 37)

The Goddess Tara is a Bodhisattva, the Savioress, and the Mother of Liberation; She who is a guiding light and bridge between the worlds. I also call her the Blessing Goddess and to her I turn for sanctuary and guidance. She is an action Goddess, assisting in transitions and delivering us through challenging times. Her forms are many and not only is she an important Shakti Goddess and a form of Shabda Shakti, but also the most popular Buddhist Goddess with 21 forms.

Just like Kuan Yin, Tara’s practice has expanded globally and with it her capacity for compassion and intercession extends to all sentient beings.

“Tara is the feminine form of OM or OM personified as Goddess. Tara is the unmanifest sound that exists in the ether of consciousness, through which we can go beyond the entire manifestation. Tara is OM that has the appearance of the ether and which pervades the ether as its underlying vibratory support, but also transcends it. OM is the unmanifest field behind creation, which is the destroyer as well as the creator of the universe.” Dr. David Frawley, Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses

The name Tara comes from the Sanskrit root “tri” which has two meanings:

“to take across” – as in an ocean, a river, a mountain or a difficult situation. Tara is viewed as the Savioress – the saving knowledge.
“a star” and “to scatter” as the stars in the heavens. Tara inspires our aspirations and leads the way as our heavenly guide.

OM precedes all other mantras. Only through their connection with OM can other mantras be effective or be understood in their specific natures. As such, Tara contains within Herself all mantras, and only through Her grace can we come to understand and use them properly. Tara is perhaps the most important Goddess of mantric knowledge, the very personification of mantra Shakti.” ~ Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses by Dr. David Frawley

TARA’S MANTRAS

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

Om and Salutations to the Mother of All Blessings.

Om and Salutations. May the Mother of All guard and protect me and fulfill my needs.

SHAKTI BIJA MANTRAS

Shakti Bija mantras are single syllable embodiments of the Universal power of Shakti, as well as the embodied elemental force. Through the power of the bija mantra, we are flooded with pranic force and the radiance of consciousness on all levels.

Tara, because of her multiple aspects within Hinduism and Buddhism, has two Bija Mantras:

STRIM (pronounced STREEM) is the Shakti Bija Mantra for the Hindu Tara and it holds the power to stabilize.

Strim (pronounced ‘streem’) contains the Sa-sound of stability, the Ta-sound which gives extension, and the Ã-vowel that provides energy, direction and motivation. It is connected to root meanings such as to stand, to spread, to take a step, to rise or traverse from one level to another. It brings about an expansion and spreading of energy that can follow a horizontal expansion, a vertical ascent, or a spiral movement.
Strim is said to be Shanti bija or the ‘seed syllable of peace’ and carries the Shakti of Sat or Pure being. Stri in Sanskrit also means a woman. The mantra Strim provides the power of the Divine feminine (Stri-Shakti) to give birth, to nourish, to protect and to guide. It is similar to Shrim in sound qualities but more stabilizing in its effects. ~ Dr. David Frawley

TRIM (pronounced TREEM) is the Shakti Bija Mantra for Tara. It holds the elemental power to transcend.

Trim (pronounced ‘treem’) is another version of the Tara mantra, but more specifically a mantra of Tejas or fire. Without the Sa-sound, it has more an energy of crossing over and ascending. Tri relates to the number three in Sanskrit and to the bridging of dualities. Trim is also the seed mantra of the Trishula, the trident of Lord Shiva, which is his most powerful weapon.
The mantra Trim is good for taking us across difficulties and overcoming inimical forces. It is said to be the sound of Tejas, or the subtle essence of Pitta, which relates to valor, courage, daring and fearlessness. ~ Dr. David Frawley

OTHER FORMS OF TARA

Tara is the second of the Mahavidyas, the Tantric Wisdom Goddesses, and she represents fierce Truth and compassion. In this form, Tara is similar to Kali:

Kali and Tara are similar in appearance. They both are described as standing upon a supine Shiva in an inert or corpse-like form. However, while Kali is described as black, Tara is described as blue. Both wear minimal clothing, however Tara wears a tiger-skin skirt, while Kali wears only a girdle of severed human arms. Both wear a garland of severed human heads. Both have a lolling tongue, and blood oozes from their mouths. Their appearances are so strikingly similar that it is easy to mistake one for the other. Tara is shown standing in Pratyalidha posture (in which the left foot is forward). Her Bhairava (consort) is Akshobhya, a Bodhisattva who is in the form of a cobra coiled around Tara's matted hair. She wears a crown made of skulls of five meditating Buddhas. Tara has eight forms called Ashta Tara and the names are Ekajata, Ugratara, Mahogra, Kameshwari, Chamunda, Neela Saraswati, Vajra, and Bhadrakali. Tara is said to be more approachable to the devotee (Bhakta) or Tantrika because of her maternal instincts. wiki

“White Tara is particularly associated with healing, protecting and stabilizing your life-force.” ~ Gelek Rimpoche

Compassion, mercy, unending love, protection, and peace are the gifts that White Tara brings to us. Breathe in Her love and breathe out all that creates chaos in your mind and life. Breathe in Her light and breathe out the patterns and energies that are heavy and bringing you down. Breathe in Her protection and breathe out fear and sadness. White Tara is vigilant in her healing, filling devotees with her soothing, moonlike calm and augmenting their life force with her own.She is also called Sita Tara (Pure Tara) and in Nepal she is called Saptalocana Tara, Seven-eyed Tara. Her distinguishing features are, of course, her seven eyes (the two on the face, her third eye, and one eye in each palm and the sole of each foot) and her position on the lotus which is meditation posture with both legs tucked. She may have two or four hands with one in the boon-giving gesture and one holding lotuses at three stages of growth.It is said that “the mere sound of her name dispels death, sickness, misery, and bestows long life”. Her areas of particular influence are healing and long life. Some sects call her Myrtyvancana Tara – Tara Who Cheats Death. Her healing can cure not only physical but psychic ailments as well. See White Tara Shrine

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE NAMA TARE MANO HARA HUNG HARA SVAHA

TARA RITRÖ LOMA GYÖNMA is peaceful and yellow red like saffron. Devotedly reciting her mantra dispels all deadly epidemics. Upon her utpala flower is a round vessel filled with nectar. Her eyes are like the sun and the full moon. From the sun of her right eye shines radiant light, destroying all disease-bearing beings. From the moon of her left eye, a rich stream of nectar descends healing all forms of disease, including their causes and consequences. ~ TaraMandala.org

Listen to Her Mantra here for stopping epidemics (YouTube)

GODDESS PRACTICES FOR TARA

Mantra Practice using Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha (Tara Mantra)- Listen to my Tara Playlist
Create Tara Crystal Grid for meditation and focus.
Gratitude Practices - through journaling, gratitude jars, gratitude in action, random acts of kindness, counting your blessings
Tune in and tune up your Heart Chakra
Sip lotus tea while repeating her mantras
Pray for healing for yourself, loved ones, the world
Request protection and deliverance from your challenges using her bija mantra TRIM (treem)

TARA’S ALTAR

Her image (statue or picture); images of a blue lotus (depicted in her hand); bowls of water, seeds, rice; candle(s); bell; dorje; mala for mantra practice; prayer flags or prayer wheel; Goddess mists or oils; crystals; OM symbol; white flowers.

Green Tara crystals: green aventurine, green calcite, green jade, malachite, nephrite jade, peridot, pistachio opal, prehnite.

HOLYDAYS

The 8th day of the lunar month belongs to Green Tara. (See Karma Kagyu Lunar Calendar)
The 15th day of the lunar month belongs to White Tara. (See Karma Kagyu Lunar Calendar)
Tara as Mahavidya (one of the primordial Wisdom Goddesses) - Her jayanti usually falls at the end of March or into April. Check the Goddess Calendars on MotherHouseoftheGoddess.com.

Connect with Her in the space between sound. Reach out in prayer and devotion for assistance and blessings. Chant Her mantra or just play it during meditation and feel the Goddess Tara seat herself in your soul. Soul healing, emotional healing, physical healing, wherever there is a gap or wound, Tara’s gentle, sustaining presence fills and soothes – just invite Her in.

May the Blessings of the Goddess Tara come into your life and lift you into communion with Her bright presence!

Xoxo Kimberly

BOOKS & RESOURCES

A Collection of Prayers to Tara by Jason Espada (amazing online pdf)

Tara the Inner Guru (about her Mahavidya form) by jaimaa.org

Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses by Dr. David Frawley

Embodying Tara by Chandra Easton

Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna by China Galland

Meditation on White Tara: The Goddess of Vitality and Longevity by Lama Choedak Rinpoche

Tara by Rachel Wooten

Tara the Feminine Divine by Bokar Rinpoche

The Cult of Tara – Magic and Ritual in Tibet by Stephan Beyer