Embodying Tara - by Chandra Easton (Paperback)

About the Book

"Tara, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, can manifest within all of us. In this accessible, illustrated introduction to Tara's twenty-one forms, respected female Buddhist teacher and practitioner Dorje Lopèon Chandra Easton guides you to activate your own power and healing by inviting Tara's awakened energy to come alive in yourself. Embodying Tara is a practical guide to core Buddhist concepts and teachings, featuring meditations, mantra recitations, and journal exercises to connect with Tara and your innate wisdom. The relatable stories from Buddhist history and the author's personal reflections will give you the tools to live a more compassionate life, befriend your fears, and overcome everyday challenges. The book lends a fresh approach and down-to-earth connection to one of Buddhism's most popular deities through stories of important women in modern history, like Jane Goodall, Nawal El Saadawi, Dipa Ma, Oprah Winfrey, and Yandana Shiva, and broader movements started by women, like Black Lives Matter and Me Too, that embody the qualities and enlightened activities of Tara. They demonstrate real-world compassion and generosity, as well as the capacity to transform anger into wisdom, harness joy to overcome adversity, and protect others from fear and danger. Their stories will inspire you to bring these aspects of Tara into the world in creative and socially conscious ways for the benefit of all"--

Book Synopsis

Realize the power of Tara, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, within yourself in this modern guide to her 21 forms.

Explore down-to-earth meditations and stories of real women who embody Tara's qualities.

Tara, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, can manifest within all of us. In this illustrated introduction to Tara's twenty-one forms, respected female Buddhist teacher and practitioner Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton shows you how to invite Tara's awakened energy to come alive in yourself through:

• insight into core Buddhist concepts and teachings;
• meditations;
• mantra recitations; and
• journal exercises.

The relatable stories from Buddhist history and the author's personal reflections will give you the tools to live a more compassionate life, befriend your fears, and overcome everyday challenges.

Find out how important women and movements in modern history have achieved this through their own embodiment of Tara's enlightened activities. The stories of Jane Goodall, Nawal El Saadawi, Oprah Winfrey, Vandana Shiva, Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and others will inspire you to bring these aspects of Tara into the world in creative and socially conscious ways for the benefit of all.

Review Quotes

"Chandra Easton has not only opened awareness of the diverse aspects and activities of the twenty-one manifestations of the sacred feminine in her brilliant book but brought them into the contemporary context by connecting each with a related woman and her multiple aspects. Though many are aware of Tara as the embodiment of wisdom and compassion in a female form, few know about the twenty-one Taras. This book brings them all alive, making them an accessible and inspiring presence in our lives."
--Lama Tsultrim Allione, author of Wisdom Rising and founder of Tara Mandala

"A treasure teaching, a vast and exquisite gift to our stressful lives out of balance. Chandra Easton challenges and encourages us to count our blessings and gives us a tried-and-true means to do so, awakening us to the freedom we enjoy through all our lives and deaths, and guiding us to recognize the countless 'cool heroines, ' or 'she-roes, ' the saving women everywhere that never give us up and help activate our own natural goodness no matter what!"
--Robert Thurman, professor emeritus, translator, and author

"Connecting with Mother Tara is one of the most powerful ways to bring peace and harmony to individuals and the world."
--From the foreword by Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, coauthor of Tara's Enlightened Activity

"Lopön Chandra offers the most accessible, in-depth, inspiring, step-by-step guide to embodying the twenty-one emanations of the great goddess, Tara, for the benefit of compassion in action for countless generations. A treasure and a classic is born from her living lineage with Lama Tsultrim and Tara Mandala as a companion for all on the path. Emaho!"
--Shiva Rea, yogini and author of Tending the Heart Fire

"'I shall work for the benefit of sentient beings in a woman's body.' And here she is, Tara the savioress, a bodhisattva or a buddha--to me the essence of the divine mother or goddess we invoke in my Indian tradition by calling her forth through visualization, meditation, and mantra. Chandra's lyrical voice shares the history of Tibetan Buddhism and Tara, provides specific practice instructions, and illuminates Tara's qualities in modern-day women and the enlightened activities of communities around the world. With the blessings of her teachers and her long-standing deep sadhana, Chandra's book offers us a clear guide and inspiration to whirl in the mandala of Tara, so we may enter her mindstream ourselves."
--Nina Rao, chantress and seeker

"How wonderful that at this time in the world, the goddess Tara is revealing her ever-deepening presence in the form of this book. Now we have in the most accessible yet deeply moving way all we need to find our way home to our compassionate mother, Arya Tara."
--Krishna Das, American chant leader and Grammy nominee

"Tara has inhabited the royal seat of representation for the divine feminine for many ages. In this delightfully thorough book, Tara is explored in her twenty-one facets of unity. From her ancient roots in Asian folklore to living examples of her wisdom and compassion, Tara is made relevant for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. If we enter this book through the prism of the three wisdoms of Buddhism (listening, contemplating, and meditating) we are skillfully directed to nourish the radiant multidimensionality of Tara dwelling within each of us. I can't wait to share this beautiful book with my many Dharma sisters on the path of awareness."
--Sarah Powers, author of Insight Yoga and Lit from Within

"Chandra Easton's book gives clear and direct guidance on how to approach and choose the appropriate mindset; how to develop the technical skills to access the goddess; and how to experience her within the innermost depth of one's own soul."
--Emma Balnaves, teacher of Hatha Yoga and producer and director of Agniyogana

About the Author

CHANDRA EASTON is a teacher, scholar, practitioner, and translator of Tibetan Buddhism. She is the Vajra Teacher (Dorje Lopön) at Tara Mandala Retreat Center under the guidance of Lama Tsultrim Allione. She studied Buddhism and Tibetan language in Dharamsala, India, and at UCSB's religious studies department. During her studies, she co-translated with her mentor, B. Alan Wallace, Sublime Dharma: A Compilation of Two Texts on the Great Perfection (Vimala Publishing, 2012). Seeking to bring forth the voice of the empowered feminine in Buddhism, Lopön Chandra regularly leads retreats and classes on Tara for various organizations, develops programs and curricula for Tara Mandala, and teaches nationally and internationally.