1 Red Swift Courageous Tārā
RED SWIFT COURAGEOUS TARA LESSON
The first Tārā among the Māndala of the 21 Tārās is undoubtedly a first-rate heroine. When I first began practicing her, I wondered why she held that Number one spot. However, a closer examination of her name provides some insight into her personality and mission. In Tibet, she is known as Noble Feminine Buddha Tārā Nyurma Pamo or Jetsun Drolma Nyurma Pamo. Jetsun represents the supreme protector with feminine Buddha qualities in body, speech, and mind. Drolma denotes her role as a liberator or savior, guiding others away from suffering, fear, and negative thought patterns toward enlightenment. Nyurma highlights her swift and no-nonsense nature, always ready to act without delay. Pamo designates her as a heroine, committed to the liberation of all beings with unwavering dedication. She is always at the ready, never fatigued or uninterested, and responds instantly when called upon. As the first to be called upon, she embodies love, compassion, and power. In tough situations, Red Swift Courageous Tārā empowers you to remain steadfast in your compassion, empathy, and kindness while also staying open-minded and resolute.
Red Swift Courageous Tārās Appearance
Her body and face are in a vibrant red hue, and her expression is a mixture of determination, seriousness, and joy. Her teeth are visible, and her eyes, including her third eye, are open and emit a lightning-like flash. This flash is a symbol of the instantaneous sensation of her spiritual power and grace. In her left hand, Tārā forms the three jewels mūdra, where her t ḥum b and forefinger rest at her heart center, and her other three fingers fan upwards. These fingers represent the refuge of the three jewels, including Buddha Nature, which is enlightened compassionate awareness like bodhicitta, Dharma, which is Buddha's teachings, and Saṅgha, which is the community of practitioners who take refuge. The readers here, you and I, are all part of the Saṅgha.
With compassion, she empathizes with your situation. Seated on a lotus throne, she holds a red vase that possesses the power to prevent and transform negativity. In the center of the throne lies a moon disc which is illuminating her like a spotlight.
The reason she is the primary go-to and the first in the Māndala. This is due to the amalgamation of her love, compassion, and power. Her energy is intricate, encompassing a no-nonsense approach akin to someone who knows what is best for you and isn’t afraid to guide you in the proper direction. She may exhibit an intense demeanor, akin to a friend who is aware of your limitations but encourages you to improve and develop. With Red Courageous Tārā on your side, you experience the support and energy of her compassion and encouragement. She can give you the boost of self-confidence you need to change and grow spiritually.
Knowing that Red Courageous Tārā is by your side fills you with a sense of compassion for yourself and allows you to hold space not only for others but for yourself. You feel capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. At times, you may be directed towards working on social or political causes such as women’s rights, homelessness, ending war, or social injustices and inequities. This could stir a sense of anger within you. Still, this anger signifies that you have valid concerns about a particular situation, community, or individual whether it is global or in your small community. These concerns can motivate you to work towards resolving these issues, even if it leaves you feeling like it’s a hopeless situation. This is where the value of Red Swift Courageous Tārā's compassion comes into play. When you feel overwhelmed or unsure of what to do - whether it be due to family members who have toxic addictions or lack of responsibility or not knowing how to support a friend or community who is hurting - The energy of Red Swift Courageous Tārā can provide you with the strength and guidance you need to move forward.
I had a teacher for many years named Gurumāyī Chidvilāsanda and I spent many years attending her programs and practices at her ashram in upstate New York. She is a Sarasvatī (Saraswati) Monk from India and they wear red. I particularly remember a time when she was giving a talk about stopping all your floundering around and buying into the stories and dramas of your life like infatuation, obsession, and things that take away from your focus on spiritual sādhana or evolution. She had a look of sternness on her face but at the same time, although her talk was fiery and intense, I never felt so much love from her. She was telling the truth, she was a teacher urging her students to drop the mundane and toxic circumstances of what appeared to be real and instead of becoming one with outer reality, to look to the inner self the pure inner consciousness, the truth of things.
This reminds me of a quote I sometimes contemplate; In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, it is said: “The creator pierced us with outward facing apertures, and because of this most people look outwards and not to the inner self. A rare and wise person (that would be you and me) turns the gaze around and looks inward to the self.”
It's possible that you experienced toxic family dynamics during your childhood or even today with certain family members or in-laws. You might find yourself struggling to resolve conflicts with others or offer comfort to a friend amid illness or loss. By connecting with Tārā's enlightened perspective, you can tap into a wellspring of patience and strength. This allows you to confront your frustrations head-on and identify the fear and grief that may be blocking your ability to feel compassion. Tārā's teachings emphasize the interconnectedness of all beings and events, underscoring the importance of releasing negative emotional attachments that keep you trapped in a cycle of drama and conflict. When faced with challenging situations or people, ask yourself if it's worth the impact on your nervous system. This is where Tārā's practice can be particularly helpful. It's normal to feel triggered, but by observing and pausing, you can learn to release emotional baggage and cultivate a more peaceful, compassionate approach.
Tārā's practice can be incredibly beneficial in these situations. It's important to recognize that feeling triggered is a common and normal aspect of the ḥum an condition, so there's no need to be hard on yourself when it happens. Instead, take a moment to observe your emotions, pause, and work on letting go of any emotional baggage or drama that may be present.
It's natural to feel triggered and experience a heightened response from your nervous system when you find yourself in a toxic family dynamic or when someone attempts to involve you in one. Similarly, feeling upset when a loved one is unwell is completely understandable.
One effective way to care for your nervous system during these challenging times is to incorporate the Red Swift Courageous Tārā practice into your routine. By practicing this technique, you can cultivate a sense of courage, strength, and resilience that will help you navigate difficult situations with greater ease and grace.
* * *
Red Swift Courageous Tārā Praise
I praise the swift and valiant Tārā, with a gaze as fast and as quick as lightning, who courageously emerged out of an open lotus flower appearing from tears on the face of Avalōkitēśvara, the compassionate ruler of the three worlds
Meaning if this Teaching
In all the praises of the 21 Tārā’s, there are layers of teachings. This particular Praise harkens back to the Tārā origination story I told you about in the forward, when the God Avalōkitēśvara shattered to bits and was put back together again by the other bodhisattvas. This story reminds me of the ḥum pty Dumpty nursery rhyme except in this Praise Avalōkitēśvara is put back together again and unlike him ott dumpty who couldn’t be put back together again, he was, which was incredibly miraculous, and Avalōkitēśvara knew this and he cried. You can imagine his relief. Once Avalōkitēśvara was restored to his complete form, tears streamed down his face in abundance. These tears gathered to form a pool, from which a stunning lotus flower bloomed. Within its open center emerged Tārā, a Buddha in her own right and the embodiment of compassion. Avalōkitēśvara was transformed, gaining a thousand arms, countless faces, and the boundless ability to free all beings. He also realized that he now had a partner in Tārā, who shared his same mission. The traditional interpretation of this well-known tale is that Tārā was created from the tears of Avalōkitēśvara's compassion, bursting forth fully formed from his emotions. So we can see that Tārā was born of the ultimate miraculous compassion. Now when you hear phrases like the three worlds in Tibetan Buddhism as Westerners we don’t have a reference for this and it’s a very common metaphor in the Vājrayāna Non-Dual teachings.
So, what does The Three Worlds mean?
The Buddhist understanding of the universe is based on an ancient Aryan concept that divides the world into three layers, namely the earth, atmosphere, and sky. In Buddhism, these are renamed as the Desire Realm (Kāma-loka), the Form Realm (Rūpa-loka), and the Formless Realm (Ararupa-loka). Essentially what this means is that everything is the One. Even those things that appear as different realms are all a part of the ultimate non-duality matrix of the universe.
Formlessness Realm or Vast void/Śūnyatā (Shunyata) where all potentialities reside/non-dual view,
The Desire Realm can be, stories, fantasies, longings, and thoughts, these can be positive like creativity, or negative like obsessions, and impulsive actions, and Form Realm is objects animals, people, and plants look separate but in reality are connected in obvious and subtle ways.
So in a way, this part of the Praise is saying that Tārā was born out of the Non-duality energy of the One-Vibration ( universe). The part about being water born or born of tears refers to the fact that during times of critical transition points or challenges, it is important to seek comfort and inspiration. It can be disheartening to witness your triggers regarding, wars, famines, and the lack of progress for the vulnerable while those in power refuse to help. These obstacles may seem never-ending, leading one to feel tempted to give up or turn away. However, the story of Avalōkitēśvara can serve as an inspiration to seek help from Tārā, to hold space for yourself and others, rest, be ok with the places you can not control, and continue working by calling on Tārā, her teachings, her mantras, and her energies. She is the female Buddha of compassion and understanding. In the praise, it mentions she is lightning quick and her gaze transmits the help you need to stay strong and open, even in the face of tremendous suffering and turmoil. In Vājrayāna Buddhism, the metaphor of lightning refers to the awakened energy of the Non-dual universe. Lightening is another way of talking about the transmission of enlightenment and miraculous awakened consciousness and in terms of this, Red Swift Courageous Tārā has your back. She isn’t fooling around, she is there for you because she was born of the compassion of the multiverse. All you have to do is call on her and work with her and the practices of the 21 Tārās and you have a map for working with your energies, that’s why Red Swift Courageous Tārā is number 1, first and foremost you get the understanding from this Praise that she is leading the parade courageously without fear and she will not hold back.
So as a recap, Red Swift Courageous Tārā is no-nonsense, fearless, knows what you need, is extremely quick and ready to help you, and is like a mother guiding her children. Her practice allows you to stay strong even in the face of adverse circumstances and she gives you the knowledge that true change is sometimes born of everything falling apart and coming back together with refreshed and new vigor. There is also the implication in it that gratitude and appreciation for the miraculous if the world is part of the change and to hold onto that knowledge even if it seems like everything is being shattered. In a person's spiritual journey or sādhanā, there can be many times when your concepts or egocentric attachments and those things you hold dear, seem to break down.
Red Swift Courageous Tārā Mantra
Oṁ Tāre Tuṭṭāre Ture Sarvā Tre Dhātu Vaśam Kuru Svāhā
ॐ तारे तुट्टारे तुरे सर्वा त्रे धातु वशं कुरु स्वाहा
Meaning of Red Swift Courageous Tārā's Mantra Meaning
These sacred sounds create an intense or concentrated form of energy, activating Tārās energy and emanation surrounding you. It is a form of enlivened consciousness. It can plant a seed within your awareness to transform you from within, in all the ways Red Swift Courageous Tārā can help you. Freedom from fear contracted states, and eventually ultimate liberation.
• Oṁ - the sound of enlightened consciousness,
• Tāre - an active form of the word Tārā, meaning star, navigator, savior, and liberator
• Tuṭṭāre - represents supreme joy, derived from glimpses of the enlightened state
• Ture symbolizes the swift removal of fear.
• Sarvā - denotes all of an individual's realizations, emotions, and reactions
• Tre Dhātu - refers to the three worlds: formlessness or vast void, desires, stories, fantasies, longings, thoughts, objects, animals, people, and plants, all of which are interconnected.
• Vaśam - is the command to authorize and control emotions, even those that reside in the unconscious mind.
• Kuru - is the insistent directive to take action.
• Svāhā - is the final affirmation that all will come to fruition. Let it be so.
* * *
The Practice:
We will be starting with an Invitation and visualization of Tārā in our imagination. If imagining is difficult for you, then you can just feel the feeling of this Tārā within yourself.
To begin, we visualize or imagine large Spaciousness - night sky, open ocean, vast space, Hubble telescope, and in that vast space is a circle of the Māndala of the 21 Tārā’s with Green Tārā at the center and orbs of the different colored Tārās surrounding her in a circle.
Invite Green Tārā to take form before us. She appears as a luminous subtle body of green light, seated on a moon cushion in the center of her lotus throne. Surrounding her are our teachers and their teachers, with all twenty-one emanations of Tārā in the background, appearing in varying colors. We imagine ourselves surrounded by friends, loved ones, and supporters, who are also surrounded by their friends. The visualization continues until an infinite number of beings receive the blessings of Tārā's practice, with her light pouring into us and those around us.
We start by invoking the Green Tārā Praise begins with an homāge to Green Tārā and the root mantra. Oṁ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
Repeat the Green Tārā Praise:
All gods and non-gods bow down, touching their crowns to her lotus feet. She removes all forms of poverty, both material and spiritual. We prostrate to Mother Tārā and praise the Venerable Exalted Tārā. Tare, the Liberator, is swift and courageous, removing all fear through Tuttāre and bestowing all benefits through Ture.
Repeat Green Tārā Mantra 1X
Oṁ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
ॐ तारे तुत्तारे तुरे स्वाहा
The Green Tārā Mantra can be broken down as follows:
• Oṁ is the sound of Enlightened Consciousness
• Tāre is an active form of the word Tārā, meaning Star, Navigator, Saviouress, and Liberator
• Tuttāre means supreme joy from having glimpses of the enlightened state
• Ture is the swift, remover of fear
• Svāhā so be it or let it be so
Speak the Refuge Prayer either verbally or internally to yourself.
For all of these beings and with all of these beings, I take refuge in the loving energy of Tārā, in the wisdom teachings from all traditions, and in the communities of spiritual practitioners around the world who have sought enlightenment in the past and are here now. May I be filled with love, compassion, equanimity, and joy, May I embrace true wisdom and understanding, and may I be surrounded by peace and compassion.
May I take refuge in the Buddha Tārā’s teachings and take refuge in the community of Tārā's Saṅgha or community. May my practice bring benefit to all beings everywhere throughout the entire world
Simple Version Refuge Prayer
I take refuge in the Buddha Tārā, the Dharma teachings, and the Saṅgha, a spiritual community of followers
Recite the Bodhichitta Prayer
Through the practice of giving, ethical conduct, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom, may I reach full enlightenment to be of benefit to all living beings? May I be filled with compassion and kindness, may I be an instrument of peace, and may I work for the benefit of all those around me. May my actions be pure and motivated by love, so that every corner of this world is touched by its radiance. May we all cultivate our inner light and use it to spread joy, understanding, and unity in this world.
Recite Four Immeasurable’s
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May all beings be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow. May all beings never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrow-less. May all beings live in equanimity, without attachment for those we hold close or aversion for those we hold at a distance, and live believing in the equality of all that lives.
Bring Forth a visualization of Red Swift Courageous Tārā
As you invoke the presence of Red Swift Courageous Tārā, her body and face emanate a fiery red hue. Her expression is both fierce and resolute, yet also exudes a sense of joy and contentment. Her teeth are bared, and her eyes, including her third eye, sparkle with the intensity of lightning. This lightning serves as a symbol of the immediate and palpable experience of her spiritual strength and grace. With her left hand, she forms the three jewels mūdra, with her t ḥum b and forefinger pressed against her heart center, while the other three fingers point upward. These fingers represent the three gems of refuge, namely Buddha Nature (the enlightened and compassionate awareness of bodhicitta), Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha), and Saṅgha (the community of like-minded individuals who practice the refuge, which includes yourself and all who are present with you at this time.
Visualize and bring Red Swift Courageous Tārās emanation before Green Tārā in the Māndala of the 21 Tārās.
Summon your Masters, Teachers, Loved Ones, and Guides to be in the Visualization. Chant Red Swift Courageous Tārās Praise and Mantra.
Optionally: Visualize the Seed Syllables in your Tārā
The ṭam टं in the Heart, The Oṁ ॐ in the Crown: ॐ , the aḥ अः in the Throat, and the ḥum हुं
below the ṭam टं in the Heart area.
Traditional Offerings
Make offerings to Tārā: Imagine placing in front of Tārā the traditional offerings of water to drink, essential oils flowers, incense, lights, bells, food, and music
Inner Offerings
You can offer any aspect of your life to Tārā for transformation. Whether you're struggling in your personal life or feeling distressed about the state of humanity, you can give those things to Tārā. Give your fears, shame, needs, ideas, problems, and situations - anything can be offered to Tārā.
Blessings and Transformations
Imagine Tārā sending you her blessings and insights, transforming the offerings you've given her into unobstructed wisdom blessings that you can use for your transformation but can then pass on to others.
Recite Red Swift Courageous Tārā Praise
I praise the swift and valiant Tārā, with a gaze as fast and as quick as lightning, who courageously emerged out of an open lotus flower appearing from tears on the face of Avalokiteśvara, the compassionate ruler of the three worlds
Recite Red Swift Courageous Tārā Mantra
Oṁ Tāre Tuṭṭāre Ture Sarvā Tre Dhātu Vaśam Kuru Svāhā
ॐ तारे तुट्टारे तुरे सर्वा त्रे धातु वशं कुरु स्वाहा
Repeat the mantra for Red Swift Courageous Tārā at least 21 times or 108 times whenever possible. You can use a Prayer Bead mālā if you have one or use your fingers. Relax in the tranquility of repeating your mantra and allow its energy to envelop you both internally and externally. Take notice and absorb its essence.
Meditation
Dedicate a portion of your time to meditation and reflecting on the genuine, deep-rooted bond you have with Tārā. This portion of the sequence is very important as it allows the energies and vibrations of the mantra to penetrate your being.
Dissolving the Visualization
Envision Tārā's emanation gracefully receding to its original place within the Māndala. Watch as the Māndala of Tārā dissolves into a luminous light and directs itself towards your heart, where a miniature form of Tārā is seated upon a lotus throne. Feel the light travel through your body in a counterclockwise swirl and out of your heart, permeating the cosmos. Remind yourself that Tārā is always with you
Offer the Merit
May the positive energy or merit produced by this practice spread throughout the vast universe. Dedicate the merits of your practice to the greater collective consciousness of the world, with the intent of bringing healing and enlightenment not only to yourself but to all beings.
Repeat the Red Swift Courageous Tārā Mantra One More Time to seal your practice.
Oṁ Tāre Tuṭṭāre Ture Sarvā Tre Dhātu Vaśam Kuru Svāhā
ॐ तारे तुट्टारे तुरे सर्वा त्रे धातु वशं कुरु स्वाहा
