Finding Tara

       

 I was never a, “If you can’t see it, it isn’t there,” kind of person, but I wasn’t a dandelions-in-my-hair, tie-dyed spirit guide either. As previously mentioned in other blogs, I became jaded in regard to anything metaphysical after my husband of seven years dumped me for a fantasy - a pretty, blonde self-proclaimed medium who sold crystal skulls, bought married men element pendants, and met them for lunches at quaint New England bistros.

Granted, no resemblance, still one of my girls 

After my divorce, I worked my ass off and rarely slept in order to regain my independence. In two years I became self-sufficient, living in my own apartment, working two successful teaching jobs, and maintaining a healthy relationship. Still, something was amiss. Confidence, peace of mind, and healing were things that eluded me thanks to years of feeling inadequate and expandable. Then during my divorce party in the Spring of 2013, I reunited with a grad school classmate, and things wistfully started to change. 

Upon my request via random and desperate text, Mind Key creator Danielle Rose introduced me to Brian Froud’s Faeries’ Oracle among other resources on faerie, goddesses, crystals, herbs, moon cycles, yoga, etc. To this day I remember sitting in her home office, filling a canvas bag with almost every book she owned. I was hooked. 

Everything I read or researched made sense to me. At this point, I am not ashamed to say that I never received the same enlightenment from church. My parents, who are very born-again Christian, tried to steer me towards the Baptist church. Despite disapproval from the ones who put me on this Earth, I took a different road, and I have been on the down-low ever since, at least with my family. Nevertheless, I continue my journey. When I think I couldn’t be anymore moved by this spirituality, something else leaves me breathless. 

I found a little metaphysical shoppe called Soul Journey while taking a different route home from work one day. It was there I discovered Laurie Sue Brockway’s The Goddess Pages, Patricia Monaghan’s The Goddess Path, the many works of Doreen Virtue, and so many other writers, poets, artists, healers, and spirits whose words continue to resonate with me - a secure but wavering being who needs to believe there is something more to existence than what I can see or touch.  

Brockway's wonderful book 

Then I discovered Tara - the Hindu goddess of protection and compassion - and in doing so, I continued building a stronger connection to self. Sure, I was ecstatic to learn there was a strong, feminine deity with my name. But more importantly, Tara became a companion and symbol for my continuous soul journey - a journey that will hopefully lead me to the key to understanding my own mind, where my mind needs to be, and how my mind needs to protect my body. 

According to Laurie Sue Brockway,“Om Tare tu Tare ture soha…essentially translates to: “Hail Tara…Her enlightenment and compassion protects me and liberates me from external fears and internal delusion…May I honor this in myself!” 

And that, in essence, is Mind Key - finding that key that unlocks your mind to your truth. Follow the Green Tara Chronicles to learn more about this tumbled-rock covered road to self.  

Journeying with The Green Tara



Tara Ann Lesko

Tara Ann Lesko is a woman of many talents.  Art, poetry, teaching and exploring spirituality are her loves and she enjoys helping others get in touch with their creative side through art and writing.

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 The Goddess Tara vowed:

"There are many who wish to gain enlightenment
in a man's form,
And there are few who wish to work
for the welfare of living beings
in a female form.  

Therefore may I, in a female body,
work for the welfare of all beings,
until such time as all humanity has found its fullness."

Years ago, when I was still under an illusion of contentment in regard to who I was and what I was doing in the world, a gas station attendant told me that in Arabic my name meant “star”. I knew “Tara” meant “tower” in Gaelic, and I had mixed feelings about this origin. Truthfully, the origin of my name didn’t matter too much to me. My Dad named me after a soap opera actress that reminded him of his mother. That’s as far as the meaningfulness goes. 

Additionally, I was the tallest kid in my class, every year, and I continued to grow to be an abnormally long-legged female at 5’9. Regardless, I rarely felt like I loomed over anything with power or command. But the best part about a star is that it doesn’t have to command, or dominate, or stand out. It just is. A star is there among billions of other fiery balls of gas--a small part to a whole, a grain of salt lost on a black background with countless other granules. 

Almost two short years ago, I learned there is an actual goddess named Tara. Considering the spiritual changes that were occurring at the time, I was immediately intrigued to learn more. She is a Tibetan or Buddhist goddess who is often depicted as having green skin; hence, she’s often referred to as Green Tara. However, she is represented in many different colors depending on her energy. The best part about her is you never know what color she’ll be at any moment in time. 

Patricia Telesco in 365 Goddess: A Daily Guide to the Magic and Inspiration of the Goddess writes, “Goddess Tara is probably the oldest Goddess who is still worshipped extensively in modern times. Tara originated as a Hindu Goddess, a Great Goddess — the Mother Creator, representing the eternal life force that fuels all life.”

Here are some tidbits about her different colors, according to celebratedivinefeminine.com. 

“Red Tara: This is Tara’s fierce aspect, associated with the ability to magnetize all good things. 

Black Tara: She is associated with power.

Yellow Tara: She is associated with wealth and prosperity. 

Blue Tara: She is associated with the ability to transmute anger.”  

Someone actually put Tara on sneakers <3 

 Before I continue, I have to admit to a period of prejudice when it came to anything having to do with the metaphysical. My husband, who I loved and revered more than any human being on Earth, met a beautiful young woman online who was involved with mediumship, crystals, psychic power, auras, and all that fun stuff. She captivated my husband to the point where he simply wanted a new life, and he felt he would find that new life with someone like her. Not with someone like me - someone who, at the time, had minimal positivity for numerous reasons. I don’t have the space to go into detail, but once my memoir, The Golden Skillet, is completely done and out in the world, you may gain a better understanding. 

Needless to say, I maintained for quite some time that anything having to do with the metaphysical was hippy bullshit meant for those who wanted to fulfill their own selfish needs without any consideration for anyone else’s well-being. 

I was wrong. 

Today, I have crystals, tarot, incense, faerie, and books. I’ve branched out and embraced so many realms of spirituality, and it has given me a wealth of connectedness and creative energy. That is why I have decided to begin The Green Tara Chronicles as a short extension to The Golden Skillet. This autobiographical piece will explore my journey through spirituality as an adult, the good and the bad, with the many faces of Tara at its core. The goal of this project is to encourage the reader to find enlightenment and fullness, to find her guide (or guides) into the divine feminine. 

Tara Mandala by Holly, from goddessschool.com 

I can’t say any one goddess is “my” goddess, not even Tara. But I do feel a kinship to this figure, by name and spirit, because she is never one thing to anyone. As you may discover in the Chronicles, this is me to a tee.  Stay tuned :) 

The Tara statue that sits in my living room

In a Nutshell: On Mothers

“The true value of a woman shines when she is one with herself and others.”

The Real Emancipated Woman  by Tamara Rokicki

Who hasn’t felt frustrated with their mother?  Haven’t we all at some moment or another?

In Make sure the kids wear coats: A Mother’s Day Blog, Charla Dury writes her feelings about a “helpful” suggestion her mother made one freezing Colorado morning. "Was it possible that my mom actually thought that, after my 17 years as a mother, I wouldn’t know to put a coat on my kids when it was cold?"

Despite certain difficulties, Charla recognized the power of Mom.  "My mom was the glue that held our family together and I feel like, without her, we’re all adrift in our own oceans, wrapped up in our individual lives,” Charla said.

In her post I learned a lot from my mother, Charla tells us how she is a lot like her mother.  "I see a lot of my mom in me though, even though some days I don’t want to admit it.  The teenager in me tells me its bad to be like your mom, but I still am."

In a way we are all mothers, aren’t we?  Isn’t there someone in our lives (besides our children) that we’ve nurtured, consoled, taught as a mother might.  Hasn’t there been at least one person in our lives (besides our mother) who has done this for us?

"No matter what kind of mothers we are, in the rigamarole of female life it is easy to forget three elements needed for strong female psyches- self-care, self-love, and spirituality,” Tara Ann Lesko writes in The Goddess Connection: Mothers and Maeve.

This week we talk about women (and caregivers) of all walks.  Our bloggers honor and comfort them and let them know that we appreciate them for who they are and all they’ve done, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day.

In her post, Saving our children from Mothers’ Day, Danielle Rose counters a Mother’s Day rant by Anne Lamott.  "Feeling less of a person because of society is a cross we all bear… Whether a mom (or non mom) on Mother's Day, a high school drop out on Graduation Day, an old maid or bachelor on Valentine's Day, or a kid being outed because of an ill placed birthmark, a high IQ, or standard social awkwardness. To insinuate that [Mother’s Day] causes pain in certain (or all) individuals is a blatant and sad disregard for our own personal power."

Mothers deserve the honoring they receive on the second Sunday of May - it’s an honoring they rarely allow themselves time for with all the demands of life.

In The Real Emancipated Woman , Tamara Rokicki discusses the shifts all mothers, especially stay-at-home-moms have felt over the past fifty or more years.  "To diminish any role of a woman, whether it’s a traditional one or not, is still to confront her with the struggle we’ve faced all along: depreciation.  And that depreciation alone undermines the original rights fought for each woman; that she is valuable and equal to man, despite her choices in life."

All women fight for equality, but find ourselves losing something in return.  Regardless of how our lives look, we give to our loved ones until there’s little left to give, and then feel guilty for not giving enough.

In The Goddess Connection: Mothers and Maeve, Tara Ann Lesko offers inspiration for self-care. “No matter the age of a woman, there are inevitable feelings of inadequacy, or she simply doesn't feel desirable…. The goddess Maeve reminds us to sometimes put our own needs, wants, and desires first. After all, before we can be mothers to anyone or anything, don't we need to be fully aware of our individual spirits?"

What do you think about your mother-figures and Mother’s Day? We’d love to know what you’re doing to celebrate (or not!)

“Mothers (and fathers) are special.  Simply because they ARE.”

Saving our children from Mothers’ Day,   by Danielle Rose

Want more for Mother's Day?

Saving our children from Mothers’ Day (Danielle Rose)

The Real Emancipated Woman (by Tamara Rokicki)

Make sure the kids wear coats: A Mother’s Day Blog (by Charla Dury) 

I learned a lot from my mother (by Charla Dury) 

The Goddess Connection: Mothers and Maeve (by Tara Ann Lesko)

In a Nutshell: On Mothers (by Danielle Rose)

The Goddess Connection - Mothers and Maeve

We are all mothers in some way or another, whether we have children or we don't. Like it or not, as women we are caretakers and nurturers. We live in a world where few of us are impervious to the mommy realm. In the office, you may be the one everyone turns to for a mint or an Advil. You may be that one friend everyone turns to for advice, a listening ear, or a phenomenal recipe for a spinach and artichoke dip. Gardening, painting, writing, working - creations can give us a sense of motherhood if we are lucky enough to engage in what we love doing.

​No matter what kind of mothers we are, in the rigamarole of female life it is easy to forget three elements needed for strong female psyches- self-care, self-love, and spirituality. We rarely think to get to know the goddesses within us, and there are many to meet. The goddess Maeve reminds us to sometimes put our own needs, wants, and desires first. After all, before we can be mothers to anyone or anything, don't we need to be fully aware of our individual spirits?

The Goddess Maeve

Maeve - This Celtic goddess was all about celebrating her femininity, perhaps to an extreme, but it's best to look beyond all of the dominating sexuality. Maeve loved sex, but she loved power more. Legend has it she inflicted men with labor pains if they tried to invade her land, and when she had her period, she demanded that battles cease until her cycle was over. She knew how to get her way.

Remember Maeve when you may be shamed for your sexuality, whether it be rampant or stagnant. No matter the age of a woman, there are inevitable feelings of inadequacy, or she simply doesn't feel desirable. We turn to Mauve when we need mental and physical control over our cyclic pains, so think of her when you feel guilty about your PMS Terminator moods. She stopped armies when she was on the rag! That time of the month may suck at times, but we must maintain control and get what we need and want. So lock yourself in a room with a bottle of sweet wine (Maeve was also known for her intoxicating powers), some dim lights, maybe some Sylvia Plath, and remember that it's okay to stop the world.

Simple ways to keep Maeve with you on the regular:

• That glittery purple or blue eyes hadow someone told you was meant for teenagers - buy it!

• Dress in a soft, loose purple material that's airy and sexy,

• Find a spot on the ground to pour wine and watch it seep into the earth as a gift to Maeve. But not too much because that's just considered alcohol abuse. Say a little prayer of thanks to Maeve for guiding you through the turbulent rhythms and waves of being a woman on this planet.  

• Ask yourself when needed, "Who is responsible for my problems?" Imagine a voice answering, "You are."

That is Maeve. Tell her, "You're right."

Want more for Mother's Day?
Saving our children from Mothers’ Day (Danielle Rose) The Real Emancipated Woman (by Tamara Rokicki)
Make sure the kids wear coats: A Mother’s Day Blog (by Charla Dury)
The Goddess Connection: Mothers and Maeve (by Tara Ann Lesko) 
In a Nutshell: On Mothers (by Danielle Rose) POSTS 5/8/15