Photo: Statue of Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913), an African-American abolitionist and political activist. Statue located in Boston, MA, USA.
Dear Tara Mandala Sangha,
In honor of Black History Month, our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Council is sharing resources that illuminate the history and culture of People of African Descent in the United States as a way to celebrate and study Black writers, artists, historians, and educators. Click here to view the resources below »
For upcoming Virtual Retreats led by Black Dharma teachers at Tara Mandala, click here »
At Tara Mandala, we recognize that our Dharma practice is a process of waking up on all levels: personal and collective. We recognize that each individual’s liberation is interconnected with the liberation of all beings. This is an essential aspect of the Bodhisattva ideal: to aspire to wake up for the benefit of all beings, not just for oneself.
Some people may ask: What does racial justice have to do with dharma practice? In response, it can be helpful to reflect on the meaning of the Sanskrit word “dharma.” At a fundamental level, dharma means “truth,” “reality,” or “phenomena.” In Hinduism, it means one’s personal duty in relationship to the world. In Buddhism specifically, it refers to the teachings of the Buddha on the universal truth common to all individuals, thus the term, “Buddhadharma” was coined to signify the specific teachings of the Buddha – primarily the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path. Yet, Buddhadharma refers not only to the Buddha’s teachings, it also refers to the later teachings of various Buddhist schools that help explain and expand upon the Buddha’s teachings. In this way, Dharma refers to the ultimate reality of “the way things really are.”
Photo: Ida Bell Wells-Barnett (1862 – 1931) – An American investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. (Photo from Wikipedia)
Therefore, by extension, any pursuit of truth or justice that relates to our collective liberation and healing can be understood as Dharma practice. Social Justice, Racial Justice, Environmental Justice, Gender Justice, to name just a few, are all forms of practicing Dharma, what Thich Nhat Hanh calls “Engaged Buddhism.” It is in this inclusive and expansive understanding of Dharma that we center at Tara Mandala.
Dharma is also one of the Three Jewels in which we go for refuge: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (community of practitioners). So Dharma therefore, should also be a place of refuge, healing, and safety from injustice.
In this way, we can understand Dharma to include practices that increase our capacity for truth, justice, and liberation. Essentially, dharma as “justice” means to understand what is just, what is true, what is harmonious and aligned with reality. When we are aligned with reality, we suffer less. This is the core teaching of the Buddha and the great masters who have walked the path. Unfortunately, the history of white supremacy in the United States, and in many parts of the world, has presented an obscuration to reality. It has served as justification for immoral acts such as slavery. It has also, in the process, presented a system of devaluing Black people, their contributions to culture and society, and their humanity. This harms Black lives and all who hold white supremacist views, consciously or unconsciously.
At this time, the current circumstances demand that all of us engage in the personal and collective work to uproot white supremacy and racism in our culture. In particular, those of us who are white-bodied need to take the time to learn and get activated. No matter where you live and who you are, white supremacy has touched your community in some way or another. To learn more about the meaning of white supremacy and liberation through the lens of Dharma, read this talk by Rev. angel Kyodo Williams.
Photo: Black Womans/Womxn March Protest. New York City, New York/USA – July 26th, 2020
Black History Month is a time to remind ourselves to lift this obscuration, learn about the lives of Black sisters and brothers, and their contributions to society, to culture, and to all of our lives. We hope you explore the resources below to learn more about Black history and culture. Our curated resources range from introductory materials for those who are new to this work, to advanced material for those who are already engaged.
We encourage Tara Mandala Global Sanghas to consider signing up for some of the online courses we list below or consider starting a book study group using one of the recommended books below.
We would love to hear what you are doing for Black History Month and beyond, please share your suggestions on our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook pages.
Yours in the Dharma,
Tara Mandala EDI Council
Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer, Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton, MacAndrew Jack, Celeste Young, and Joanne Brion
Suggested Resources
Non-fiction Books:
Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kend
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
Blackballed: The Black Vote and U.S. Democracy by Darryl Pinckney
Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight against Medical Discrimination by Alondra Nelson
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
How to Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal M. Fleming
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Fiction:
The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Roots by Alex Haley
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehesi Coates
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Dharma Books:
The Way of Tenderness by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
The Deepest Peace by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
Sanctuary by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
Love and Rage by Lama Rod Owens
Mindful of Race by Ruth King
Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace by Angel Kyodo Williams
Black & Buddhist: What Buddhism Can Teach Us About Race, Resilience, Transformation & Freedom. By Ayo Yetunde, & Cheryle A. Giles
Get involved, take action:
- Support the ACLU, get on their newsletter and sign petitions, etc.
- Support the NAACP, get on their newsletter and support their initiatives, etc.
- Cultural Somatics University: Free Racialized Trauma Course with Resmaa Menakem
- National Museum of African American History and Culture: Talking About Race: Being Antiracist
- White Awake’s website – Resources page for white bodied folks doing anti-racist work and education
- SURJ – Showing Up For Racial Justice has chapters you can join all around the U.S.
- Spiritual Activism 101 with Rachel Ricketts
Podcasts:
• United States of Anxiety Podcast “Future of Black History” series:
- “Origin Story of Black History Month” – This first episode discusses the complicated relationships with this annual celebration that includes frustration and joy.
- “The Life and Work of Ida B. Wells” This additional episode from May 2020 tells the story of Ida B. Wells’ defining role in 20th Century American politics.
- “Juneteenth, an Unfinished Business” This third podcast from June 2020 reflects on the annual celebration of Emancipation including personal histories and music.
• Scene on Radio Podcast
- “Seeing White” – This is a great fourteen-part documentary series that we suggested for our Tara Mandala Severing Attachment to White Supremacy (SAWS) Sangha this year. Learn about where this notion of “whiteness” came from, what it means, and what purpose it serves. Even though it was released in 2017, it is still relevant today.
Retreats led by Black Dharma teachers at Tara Mandala:
Anatomy of Meditation
With Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton and Arturo Peal • March 27 – 28
Join us for a weekend of fun and relaxation as we guide you through therapeutic experiences that will help you find ease, comfort, and joy in your meditation practice. Often we avoid meditation due to physical limitations or discomfort, and this need not be the case. Come learn how you can adapt your meditation seat and posture so that meditation is a place of refuge and nourishment for body and soul. Arturo Peal, known as the “Anatomy Whisperer” brings humor and wisdom to his teaching, with over 30 years of educating yoga teachers, body workers, and movement specialists across the globe through his classes in Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Therapeutic Touch. He has a unique gift for translating complex scientific concepts into tangible teachings for his students, raising awareness of how the body works. Arturo will offer experiential anatomy and ergonomic advice as it relates to finding ease in meditation … Read more »
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Chöd Daylong Intensive
With Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer • May 1
Chöd is a unique blend of the Tibetan Shamanic traditions and the Buddhist tradition of compassion and emptiness. This centuries-old practice is sung, and is accompanied by the use of a traditional Chöd drum and bell. Healing comes when fear, fixation, and self-clinging are cut through. Devoted Chöd practitioner and Senior Teacher Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer will offer a special opportunity for seasoned and brand new Chöd practitioners to receive support in their practice, ask questions and receive advice with helpful tips and reinforcement. Lopön Karla is a Tara Mandala Senior Teacher, has been practicing Chöd for 31 years, and has assisted Lama Tsultrim on many Chöd retreats. She has co-taught Chöd since 2013 with Lama Tsultrim and Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton. She has also taught and led Chöd Practices for the NYC Tara Mandala Sangha which she leads. In October 2012, she received the Chod Empowerment from His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje. She leads a monthly BBIPOC meditation practice for Tara Mandala … Read more »
Journey into the Dakini Mandala: Meditation and Writing – Online Course
With Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer and Ranjini George • May 5 – June 16
Seven-week online course, journeying into the heart of the Five Wisdom Dakini Mandala, and learning ways in structuring our own narrative, in creating a spine, a necklace, to hold our story together. Supported by ancient mandala practice in the context of Tibetan Buddhism, we will develop confidence and trust to tell the story that we long to tell. Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer will be teaching alongside Ranjini George. Ranjini holds a PhD in English (Northern Illinois University, USA), an MA in English (St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, India) and an MFA in Creative Writing (University of British Columbia, Canada). She was a Georges and Anne Bochardt Fiction Scholar (Sewannee Writers’ Conference) and received the Arnold B. Fox Award for Research Writing (Northern Illinois University). More recently, she won the first place in Canada’s inaugural Coffee Shop Author Contest for her travel memoir, a work-in-progress, Miracle of Flowers. She was born in Calcutta, India, lived in Kenya, the US, and the Middle East … Read more »
Liberation through Love and Rage
With Lama Rod Owens • May 28 – 30
One of the things that we can learn is how to let our anger show us where we have been hurt. We can let this great unveiling happen through the profound practice of radical love. When we embrace this deep wish to be happy, then we can move into the cultivation of our anger, which can place us into a direct relationship with our rage. Lama Rod Owens is an author, activist, and authorized Lama (Buddhist Teacher) in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Rod is the co-founder of Bhumisparsha, a Buddhist tantric practice and study community. Lama Rod is also a teacher with the Daishin Zen Buddhist Temple, the Urban Yoga Foundation, Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme), a visiting teacher with Natural Dharma Fellowship and the Brooklyn Zen Center. Lama Rod has been a faculty member for the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s professional education program in mindfulness … Read more »
Being Light Messengers of Darkness
With Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel • June 10 – 16
Join Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, for a retreat on midwifing darkness and blackness in these times. If destruction is at hand, the protectors of the world, the dark mothers, the messengers will step in and midwife what is coming to assist us and help destroy what isn’t. We can’t know what is coming so we don’t know what to destroy beforehand. If we kill something of darkness before we see or know it, we might eliminate, pre-maturely, something sent to assist us. Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, born to parents who migrated from rural Louisiana at the start of WWII, has walked through many different doors spiritually and academically. She was ordained in the Suzuki Roshi lineage. She has a PhD and she’s also a poet and author. Essentially, she’s a Seer in which she has woven herself into various frameworks to ultimately bring forth her visionary work … Read more »
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Fund
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarship Fund at Tara Mandala was established in 2015. Thanks to the generosity of our sangha members, this Fund is able to award scholarships for onsite retreats, online programs, and program fees for long-term practice programs (Magyu, Gateway, and Ösel Nyingtig).
The Fund for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion awards scholarships to Black, Brown, and Indigenous people of color and/or those who are underrepresented due to their gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, social class, ethnicity, or socio-economic situation.
About our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work at Tara Mandala:
Tara Mandala works to create an environment where the richness of diverse perspectives, backgrounds and life experiences are appreciated and welcomed. We support the expression and experience of cultural literacy. We offer training to our staff, teachers, Living Dharma Apprentice Program (LDAP) participants, and our broader sangha with resources that strengthen the cultural literacy of our community at large. We have founded a BBIPOC (Black, Brown, and Indigenous People of Color) Meditation Sangha, an anti-racist Severing Attachment to White Supremacy (SAWS) Sangha, and we are in the process of creating an LGBTQIA+ Sangha.
To learn more, visit our website.
