Love as a Dance in Kathmandu

After a long journey, we finally arrived at the Kathmandu airport, where it seemed hundreds upon hundreds of other tourists, trekkers, and pilgrims had also arrived. Just getting through the visa lines took several hours because nearly five planes arrived at once. Once we were through, however, we were greeted with smiles and kataks by Andrea, our American friend who has spent 28 years in Nepal, our
Nepalese travel agent, and the nuns who would be dancing with us. We were all whisked to lunch at the Tibet House in Boudha.

We learned that these nuns have been preparing with Andrea for a year to dance their own mandala with us, so the Taras enjoyed meeting their counterparts (i.e. the Western "True Refuge" dancers met the Tibetan nun who would be dancing "True Refuge.") We then settled at our hotels, the Happy Valley Guest House and the Cyber Guest House (yep, you guessed it, a cyber cafe right in the hotel... though the technology and facilities here are much less advanced than we had in
McLeod Ganj... my apologies for how much delay there was before I could send these posts). We topped the day off with a lovely dinner at the Stupa View restaurant. Our tables were set up on the roof top where we had a magnificent view of the Boudha Stupa. Under the light of the nearly full moon, we ate our tofu burgers and the first green salad we'd had in weeks.

On Wednesday we began rehearsing with the Kopan nuns. First we joined them in their meditation hall in the morning for their Tara puja.... chanting, bells, drums, etc... it was a powerful way to begin the day. Then we went up to the monastery where we would dance inside the Gompa (temple) itself. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to watch the nuns dance their praises. Women traditionally did not perform sacred dance in Tibetan tradition, especially not nuns, so this is a big step for these women. They are only allowed now because they are fortunate enough to be in a very progressive monastery. Lama Zopa and his predecessor Lama Yeshe believe the nuns should have the same educational and spiritual opportunities as the monks, and that includes sacred dance. Our dance offering on Thursday for Lama Lhundrup, the abbot, and the others at the monastery was a historic occasion, breaking through traditions and the nuns' shyness. As we watched them rehearse, we were each moved by their beauty and grace. They easily incorporated mudras into their dancing because the mudras were part of their bodies' vocabulary. However, their shyness also showed. Many were afraid to look at the audience, looking at the floor or frowning. They all also pulled away as much as possible, so much so that the mandala itself actually traveled further and further back, a first, according to Prema. With some encouragement from Andrea and Prema, though, they seemed ready for the offering the next day.

We danced in a triple spiral, much like the center of a dharma wheel or the Celtic triskelion symbol, with seven protectors. The two Western mandalas framed the nuns' mandala, which was beautiful because their costumes were different. Designed by Andrea, the nuns' costumes were more traditional, with an apron over a full skirt, much like the Tibetan chuba. The colors were also slightly different
because they used a different traditional system of the 21 Taras. Since all of the nuns' heads were shaved, they wore elaborate headpieces with hair like Tara's: long hair in the back, a topknot, and an elaborate crown. With Tibetan deities, each of the adornments are significant, so the nuns were also festive in their necklaces and
bangles. Fully dressed, the nuns looked so much like Tara, it was as if 22 thankas (sacred paintings) had come to life. It was so beautiful.

The next day we danced to a packed hall. At first it was a bit difficult because some of the monks and men in the audience were amused to see the nuns dancing. The nuns showed great courage in the face of their shyness and the laughter of the monks and continued without faltering. The power of Tara shone through. Afterwards, Lama Lhundrup offered each dancer a katak and a small monetary gift. This is significant because it shows he valued our dance as a true dharma offering. The other nuns from Kopan also honored each of us with kataks and gifts.

After lunch, Lama Lhundrup met us with a big smile. He spoke some English, but he also had an interpreter. First we chanted Bodhicitta, the dedication to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. "That you have come here is very, very good," he said. "All of you that have great faith in Mother Tara and have performed Tara practice and are on the path to attaining Tarahood, this is very,
very good." The translator told us, "When we talk about Mother Tara, we talk about her great compassion, especially her responsibility for all Tibetans," Lama Lhundrup corrected him, "Not Tibetans, all ladies!" This caused many laughs. He told us about Tara's history, and that Tara is a deity of the purified wind. "All activities, whether peaceful, intensive, or restive, Tara can give all these activities," he said. He also talked about Tara's 21 forms. "To reach all sentient beings, she takes different forms. All are the same Tara, but she manifests in different forms according to conditions." He told us that suffering is very evident in this world, so we must generate love and compassion in response to it. "When you perform the Tara dance, your appearance is peaceful, but it is also important to enhance love and compassion every day. While performing, you must also remember that all the appearances and audience are created from the mind and do not truly exist as they
appear. This also must be explored and internalized.

He also emphasized that the practice takes us outside of our ordinary bodies. "When a practitioner meditates, she does not appear as a body made of flesh and bone. The practitioner appears in a pure Tara body. It is possible to appear as the pure Tara body of light. When one undertakes this practice, one becomes more and more in a state of purity, so everything we see is pure." He told us that
through Tara's mantra, all types of conflict and war may end. "The mantra has the full power to save from all fears, to eliminate all suffering and to actualize all good qualities." The main point, he told us, above all else, is love.

So, on this day of the full moon, the first day of November, we practiced love. On the day of a full moon, all of our prayers are amplified 100,000 times. So we prayed for all of our friends and family. We prayed for peace throughout the world. We prayed for all who are suffering. And our prayers ring out as love.

Bright Tara Blessings,
Jessica Zebrine