The Green Tara Mantra: A Liberating Practice
The mantra of the Green Tara comes from the most popular goddess of Buddhism. Green Tara is the goddess of universal compassion, enlightenment and virtuous deeds. She is said to be the mother of all Buddhas.
The word Tara means “liberator”. According to Buddhist belief, it mainly releases fears from external threats. Among the latter, according to tradition, we find the fear of elephants, lions, fire, snakes, thieves, rough waters, slavery and evil spirits. Therefore, the mantra of the Green Tara is a ritual to ward off all these dangers.
The mantra of the Green Tara also protects against internal dangers. These are pride, ignorance, jealousy, hatred, stubbornness, attachment, unsettling doubts and greed. For Buddhists, this is a very powerful mantra that offers tranquility and security.
Meaning of the Green Tara mantra
A mantra is a set of syllables, phonemes or words that some beliefs have psychological and spiritual power. Etymologically, it means “mental instrument”. Each mantra leads to a specific state of consciousness or state of mind. The mantra of the Green Tara is used to deal with fear and insecurity.
The mantra of the Green Tara is composed of the following words and syllables: “ Om tare tuttare ture soha ”. It refers to Tara, the goddess of universal compassion and green, the color of vitality for Buddhists. Its deeper meaning is as follows:
- Om : it has a link with the body and the spirit, with the coming together of the universal divinity.
- Tare: it is about liberation from suffering, feelings and lower forces.
- tuttare: it represents protection against internal and external dangers.
- Ture: it is a protection against physical illnesses and a generating word of peace.
- Soha: this is the long-term action of protection against internal and external dangers.
Meditation and the Green Tara mantra
The mantra of the Green Tara has a deep meaning for Buddhists. In the West, many people practice this type of mantra. These represent a way to feel more peaceful and relaxed. The majority of people do not give them the same connotation as Buddhists. However, they use it to become stronger.
The Buddhist tradition says that the best way to pronounce this mantra is through meditation. Certain steps are necessary for the mantra of the Green Tara to be fully effective:
- Find a quiet place. Sit down, close your eyes and breathe.
- Think about the problem that needs to be addressed.
- Focus on the idea of a disappearance of anxiety and fear.
- Say aloud the mantra: “ Om tare tuttare ture soha ” and repeat it several times.
- Mentally visualize a green sphere as you repeat the mantra and breathe deeply.
- When a feeling of calm appears, breathe for a while and resume your routine.
Is this type of means effective?
It is difficult to establish the real effectiveness of this type of ritual. We know that evocative words said repeatedly have a calming and relaxing effect. Somehow, they help the brain vibrate at a different, much more peaceful frequency.
It is true that we are programmed to move closer or further away from certain experiences. We also organize interpretation systems. Sometimes we do it in a conscious way. However, most of the time we don’t realize it. Therefore, our attitude brings us closer to some beliefs and moves us away from others. So we can interpret what is happening to us in different ways.
So, when a person thinks that a ritual like the Green Tara mantra has a special and powerful meaning, he surely will have it. Likewise, it will probably not generate any effect on the most skeptics. Let us remember that the human mind is complex and deep. It is a world still full of mysteries which is capable of anything.
Our thoughts Do you know what mantras are, those words or phrases from Hindu culture that help to calm our mind?
