White Tara Retreat

In the heart of Sunray Meditation Society’s Peace Village is the sacred Shrine of White Arya Tara. Within the shrine is the consecrated statute of White Arya Tara who appears as a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism and the feminine form of the Buddha of Compassion in Vajrayana Buddhism. Visitors to the shrine can be found circumambulating the shrine (walking meditation) and engaging in sitting meditation as White Tara is very present to those who open their hearts and minds to receive Her blessings.

Long ago, White Arya Tara promised to always be born in a female body to assist sentient beings in achieving enlightenment. According to Sarvajnamitra, a tantric Buddhist who lived in Kashmir in the eighth century and who wrote the Sragdhara-stotram, or A hymn to Tara, she has a “universal form” (visva-rupa) that encompasses all living beings and deities, and which changes with the needs of each being. Her name means “One Who Saves” because of Her commitment to save sentient beings from suffering. As the embodiment of enlightened compassion and activity, White Arya Tara offers peace, compassion, long life, and prosperity to practitioners. She is the Mother of all Buddhas.

Sunray is pleased that the Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam of Drikung Meditation Center in Arlington, MA, will be at the Peace Village, on May 5-6, 2018, to deliver the White Tara Empowerment, Teachings and Practice, a very important practice in these times. Venerable Khandro Dhyani Ywahoo has shared that: “As human beings we have a significant responsibility in this time. It is to relate to those patterns in ourselves that lead to fear, doubt, and aggression in such a way that they are transmuted.” (from Voices of Our Ancestors).

by the White Tara Retreat Focalizers

[Click for Retreat Registration]

About Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam and Sunray Meditation Society:

Lama Sonam is the Spiritual Director of the Drikung Meditation Center. Born in Lhasa, Tibet, Lama Sonam began his Buddhist training when young within the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. At the age of 18, Lama Sonam took full ordination and became a monk (Gelong). Lama Sonam then went on to complete a retreat on Ngondro (Common and Extraordinary Preliminaries) and the Five-Fold Path of Mahamudra under H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and Gelong Yeshe. Lama Sonam received teachings and blessings from more than twenty-five great masters, including Nyedak Rinpoche, his beloved main teacher, and the Most Venerable Pachung Rinpoche, the renowned scholar and retreat master at Drikung Thil monastery. Lama Sonam also served as the personal attendant to H.H. Chungtsang Rinpoche, H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche, Tongkar Tulku, and H.E. Thritsab Rinpoche, and tutored American tulku Thadag Rinpoche (Jack Churchward). In 2003, Lama Sonam arrived in Boston to be the Resident Lama at the Drikung Meditation Center. Lama Sonam has shown himself to be expert in both the theoretical and practical aspects of training the mind through meditation and Vajrayana methods for awakening our Buddha Nature.

Sunray is an international spiritual organization committed to world peace and reconciliation. The Sunray Peace Village is a sanctuary, based upon the Cherokee (Tsalagi) Peace Village. It is where people of all religions and faiths may pray, make offerings, receive teachings, and create community based upon being in right relationship with the Earth and all living beings.