White Tara

My Aunt Nancy used to have a fat, happy Budda in her living room and when we were kids we rubbed his belly for good luck. I remember thinking that was very cool and some day I would get a Budda of my own. I still don't have one, not a fat happy one, anyway. But while I was in Castle Rock a couple of weeks ago, Carm took me to one of her favorite shops. They sold many figurines of Budda and others. They burned incense and played beautiful music. I don't know how long we spent there, browsing the shelves but it was delightful. There was one figurine that kept calling me back. I didn't know who she was or what she represented but she touched me in some way. I bought her and brought her home. She is White Tara.



White Tara is an emanation of Tara who is connected with longevity. One calls on her for health, strength, and longevity. Her white colour indicates purity, but also indicates that she is Truth complete and undifferentiated. She wears the Bodhisattva ornaments. She has seven eyes: the two usual eyes, plus an eye in the centre of her forehead and eyes in her hands and feet. These indicate that she sees all suffering and all cries for help, even in the human world, even in the worlds of pain, using both ordinary and psychic or extraordinary means of perception. She carries day lotuses.
This Tara is also known as Samaya Tara, meaning Vow Tara. This refers to Tara's vow to save all beings and also to our vow, which is a Bodhisattva vow like Tara's. Whereas the Green Tara is a young girl and has a mischievous or playful nature, the White Tara is represented as a mature woman, full-breasted and wise. Some practitioners comment that the energy of the two Taras feels a little different. Green tara is very immediate and quick. One calls to her for immediate assistance, and also often for help with worldly things like lover, wealth and so on, as well as spiritual things. She feels very close. White Tara seems to help more with longer-term problems, particularly problems of physical or mental health. It sometimes seems as if she is more distant, harder to contact at first. Then it is as if she sends us healing energies and mystical power and understandings.

How appropriate.... >grins<