The Tara Mandala turns in Vermont
By Suki Ciappara
On the weekend of May 4 and 5th the Vermont Tara Circle hosted a Tara retreat weekend and Mandala Dance Offering. There were 12 Taras and it was
sublime – intimate, deep and delicious.
Taras Jane, Phyllis and Phyllis’ 13 year old daughter, Jayanna drove down from Ottowa. It was Jayanna’s first mandala.
We started the retreat on Friday night with some deep relaxation and qi-gong led by me. Janice led us in a wonderful dharma discussion with an emphasis on Tara and Her practice. We danced a few dances that we learned at Tara camp on Kauai. We set up altars in preparation for the weekend.
The next morning we set our motivation and intention, did the visualization of Tara, calling Her to be with us, and then began to form the mandala. We went thru the dance practice twice and then broke for lunch – a sumptuous feast. We went through the mandala again and followed with a TARA nap, which was almost my favorite part …. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
After getting glittery and bindied and top-knotted and putting on flowing silks we danced Tara’s Mandala. IT WAS DELICIOUS, deep and profound.
We had a four year old Balinese Tara named Amina with us who wove between our legs and reveled in being in the mandala and then wandering away to color or eat an orange.
We all fell in love with her and her mom Kimberley, a professional dancer and new friend who was mind blowing,she got the moves down in one go through!
What a blessing! Om Tare!!!
