Dear Friends and Sangha Members,

As the snow gently falls on the land, it is with hearts full of gratitude and joy that we write our end-of-the-year letter to you.  With the help of so many, this has been a landmark year for Tara Mandala. We have seen the Tara Temple rise like a lotus from the sacred land, opening its doors to those who have come for pilgrimage and practice, creating a stable home for the wisdom nectar of the Dharma. 

After years of heartfelt aspirations, the long-kept secret lineage of the Dzinpa Rangdröl (Self Liberation of Clinging) treasure cycle connected to Machig Labdrön began to be offered to Lama Tsultrim and the community.   In celebration, we performed a nine day, round-the-clock great accomplishment ceremony, Drub Chen, with the support of over 160 participants, and 11 Lamas.  Our Sangha performed the traditional dances in full regalia every evening. 

This summer, after an extensive visa process, Khenpo Urgyen Wangchug, an expert in this rare lineage, left his homeland of Bhutan for the first time and traveled to Tara Mandala.  He has blessed our community with his vast knowledge by teaching our residents traditional ritual arts and Tibetan language. He will be joining the community on an ongoing basis. He is learning English rapidly and is a joyful presence here.

In March, Feeding Your Demons became a National Bestseller, and has now been published in German, Dutch, French, Korean, Romanian and Portuguese. Lama Tsultrim’s 2009 teachings ended with a three-week European tour with standing room only audiences in Germany, Holland and Switzerland. It’s been wonderful to see how universally the demon work resonates.

The temple and residence hall have made it possible for Tara Mandala to extend its retreat season, offering an additional three months of teachings.  Our expanded curriculum included a homeopathy school and more embodied practices through mindful yoga and massage. These bountiful offerings drew a large number of enthusiastic volunteers, and our enrollment numbers doubled from last year. Our community gardens nurtured the retreatants and residents with fresh greens, vegetables and flowers throughout the season.

During this time of great need, Tara Mandala is truly a resource for the world and the Tara Temple is a unique manifestation of beauty and inspiration. Many people have been touched by the blessings of Lama Tsultrim’s teachings and the realization of her dream. Today opportunities for deep practice are rare and places dedicated to long-term retreat are even more scarce. Tara Mandala is currently offering support for three dedicated practitioners sealed into one to three year retreats. We are committed to building another retreat cabin this spring to meet the increasing demand for solitary retreat opportunities.

Our sangha spreads across the globe and for many Tara Mandala acts as a touchstone to the Dharma, a haven for rest and renewal, a sanctuary of deep practice and a source of insightful, authentic teachings. As one retreatant said, “I feel like I can go home and be kinder and more attentive to my family after spending a week at Tara Mandala.”

Our auspicious connection continues to bear fruit through mutual giving and the cycle of interdependence. We need additional funds of $350,000 to complete the temple, library and artwork, and to continue the translations of the Dzinpa Rangdröl. In addition, we are continuing to upgrade our staff housing in support of our dedicated, hard-working residential staff. Please consider including Tara Mandala in your end of the year giving.  You can link here, or contact Tara Mandala, 970-731-3711 to make your donation.

May the merit from your generosity bring benefit to all beings!

With love and blessings this holiday season,

Lama Tsultrim, David, Tara Mandala Board of Trustees and Residents

TARA MANDALA | PO BOX 3040, PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO 81147 | (970) -731-3711 | Non-profit 501(c)3  Tax ID# 84-1270902 | All donations are tax deductible.