Embodying Tara by Chandra Easton

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.

Chandra Easton, along with being a current Esalen Faculty member, 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.