The Myth of Tara

In Sanskrit, Tara means something like “She who ferries across.” The best-known Tara in Tibetan Buddhism is Green Tara, who represents compassion in action, awakened action. Hinduism also has a Tara: a fierce transformer. Meanwhile, various New Age mythologies conceive Tara as a kind of higher-dimensional earth, Gaia at a higher octave.

I don’t mean to be dismissive by calling any of this a “mythology.” Myths are vehicles for truth, whether literal or not.

Some years ago, I began sharing the following story, titled The Courtship of Tara. I was only vaguely aware of Tara’s role in various mythologies. The name just came to me. The water rises from many springs.

The Courtship of Tara

The World-man is the collective being of all humanity in its masculine aspect, the oversoul of mankind. He is a vast and magnificent being; every man who ever lived is one of his cells.

Once not too long ago he was full of vigor and zest, eager to create, eager to build bigger and higher, better and more, oblivious to the consequences. But recently he has looked upon the body of the earth his mother, Mother Gaia, and his stirrings of unease have turned to grief and alarm. Because, it is apparent that Mother Gaia is very ill.

One day the World-man goes to Mother Gaia and says, “Mother, you are not well. I am afraid for you. I believe I have taken too much and too recklessly. Tell me what I can do.”

She repies, “I am not just sick, I am dying. And when I die, when my animating spirit has departed the world, life systems on earth will collapse. The whales will die. The fish will die. The oceans will die. The forests, the frogs, the insects, all will perish. All but you, humanity. You will not die, but you will be alone, my son, alone in your climate-controlled cities, eating lab-grown food, with only digital simulations of the life you have destroyed.”

“That’s terrible! Oh mother, is there no hope? I will try to do better. I will do less harm. I will leave a lighter footprint. I will implement sustainable growth, how about that?”

“It is too late for that, far too late,” says Mother Gaia. “I am dying.”

“No! Let me die instead. Earth will be better off without me. I’ll erase civilization. I’ll go back to being hunter-gatherers. I’ll go extinct so life can thrive.”

Anger flashes in Mother Gaia’s eyes. “Do you think I birthed you for no reason? Do you think you were my big mistake? Do you think I want you to remain a child, or even to die? No. Every gift I have given you, your abilities of hand and mind, and all the materials for civilization, all has a purpose. You will know what that is when you come of age and marry.”

“You see, another feminine spirit desires to animate earth. Her name is Tara. If she comes, earth will blossom in a profusion of life and beauty greater than you have ever known, even in your childhood. And the good news is: Tara is already in love with you. For she will not be your mother as I am, but your lover, your partner. Together you will create much beauty and spread it through the cosmos.”

“Wonderful!” exclaims the World-man. “When is the wedding?”

“Not so fast,” says Gaia. “She is in love with you, but she is not convinced that you are ready or qualified to be her consort. You are going to have to woo her to win her consent. You must show her that you love her, too.”

“How do I do that?”

“With gifts. You must bring her gifts of courtship. You must bring her gifts that demonstrate you love life (for she is the spirit of life) and that you are sincere in your desire to serve life. Only then will she consent to give you her hand.”

Gaia explains, “Every act that any human being does in service to life and beauty lands as a gift into Tara’s lap. Even if no other human admires or acknowledges those acts, Tara does. She sees them and receives them. Any gift to life—human or otherwise--is a gift to Tara, and the more brave and beautiful the gift, the more it will move her. She will approach you, step by step, and as she does earth will burst into new abundance.”

“Yes!” says the World-man. “How much time do I have before I start?”

“There is no more time. You have to start now. You see, my son, I am slipping soon into a coma from which I will never awaken. Already the indigenous people speak of the spirits fleeing the sacred rivers and forests. Already the dying is accelerating. My life systems will fail one by one, and if your courtship is not successful before the last one fails, then you will no longer have any life to which to give. You will have chosen another path.”

“I will begin the courtship now,” says the World-man.

The World-man gazes once more into the fading eyes of his mother. He kisses her hand and whispers goodbye.

Leaving her side, he visits every person on earth. Can you feel him now, urging you to make courtship gifts for Tara? Can you feel his ardor?

Tara is present too. Can you feel her hopeful gaze?