Long Life Empowerment of White Tārā In-Person

We ask that people who will be attending the White Tara long life empowerment in-person at the Burlington Public Library register ahead of time. This will help us to better prepare to welcome you for this special event.

As the season changes and autumn leaves finish their dance of impermanence, let us come together to nurture our practice and strengthen our community, including a social time afterwards with light refreshments. 

During the ceremony participants will be led through a series of special meditations to receive the blessings of the holy body, speech, and mind of Tārā, connecting them with her practice in a deep way.

An initiation (jenang) is a ritual through which the teacher connects students with the holy body, speech, and mind of the deity through a series of meditative visualizations and ceremonies.

Participation requirements: Geshe Sonam has said that the empowerment is received with taking Refuge and Bodhisattva vows and commitments. Geshe la is allowing participants to experience this ceremony as a blessing rather than as an empowerment - without Refuge and Bodhisattva vows or commitments. Doing the White Tara meditation practice is far more powerful after receiving an empowerment. If you wish to take the empowerment, then, with that intention, repeat the vows out loud when instructed to do so during the initiation. If you wish to simply receive a blessing during this ceremony, maintain the intention to receive a blessing, and remain silent when asked to repeat the words of the commitments. 

Geshe Sonam asks all participants to maintain a vegetarian diet on the day of the initiation, and if possible the morning before the initiation to avoid eating the five pungent plants: garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and chives, and eggs.

Note that the White Tārā retreat on December 29-31, is open to everyone, with or without the empowerment, with some modifications in concept and visualization for those who have not received the empowerment.