As mothers, aunties, grandmothers, caretakers and meditators, we are the core of our families and communities. This workshop is designed to offer a place of rest and transformation within the embrace of our practice and community. By taking time to care for ourselves and witness the gifts we are offering, we will fortify our connection to ourselves, our families and our communities. 

We will strengthen our connection with our spiritual and somatic refuges and our own strengths as people and as mothers. We will practice Meta. Through ceremony, we will have an opportunity to heal and reclaim the parts of ourselves that want repair. We will call in grace and ease to our birth and mothering paths while honoring our capacity for nourishing precious human life. We will deepen our ability to rest in our meditative practice, bodies and the earth. We will be supported to return to our lives Renewed. 

In this daylong retreat you will have the opportunity to:

• Experience the refuge of being supported by many loving wisdom beings and your earthbody
• Connect with your strengths
• Be witnessed for the gifts you have offered our world through your mothering path
• Experience practices within the container of ceremony which repair our paths of birth and motherhood, such as difficult: births of your own or your children, relationships with your mother or mothering, abortions and miscarriages…
• Increase compassion for yourself, your family, your ancestors
• Develop a supportive, nurturing, and generative community 
• Learn meditation practices to support our path of motherhood and grandmotherhood

Who Should Attend? 

• This retreat is open to all who identify as people mothering or grandmothering. It is also open to people struggling with issues of motherhood, becoming a mother, or in their relationship with their own mothers.

Recommended Reading

There is no preparation needed for this retreat.  However, you may enjoy reading from any of our recommended booklist:

• Return to The Great Mother by Isa Gucciardi, Phd
• Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community by Sobonfu Somé
• The Tibetan Art of Parenting by Anne Maiden Brown
• Mothering from the Center by Tami Kent
• Healing After Birth by Jennifer Summerfeldt MACP
• Momma Zen by Karen Miller
• Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn
• The Mama Sutra by Anne Cushman
• The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson
• Call of the Wild by Kimberly Ann Johnson

Recording Access: 

All participants will have a 1-year access period to the recordings. 

What is a Tara Mandala Online Program?

Tara Mandala offers online programming via live and pre-recorded curriculum that give you the opportunity to access dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience personal retreat and hands-on learning, while connecting with other participants through easy-to-use online platforms and an engaged community network. When needed, the program description and schedule will inform you in advance if and when a specific online session must be attended live if a direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. Access to recordings of all sessions will be available for additional viewing for one year. 

Tara Mandala Program Pricing

GENEROSITY RANGE 

Choose an amount within this range if you have the financial security and capacity to support Tara Mandala at a higher level. The contributions we receive within this range make it possible for us to offer a below-cost Access Range to those practitioners with a limited income.

 This range is for you if you:

• Own your own home and live comfortably without financial worry
• Have investments and savings 
• Easily have access to money in times of need or emergencies
• Have the desire to help make the Dharma more accessible to others

SUSTAINABILITY RANGE  

Choose an amount within this range if you have the financial capacity to sustain Tara Mandala’s ability to offer high-quality programs. The contributions we gratefully receive within this range enable us to keep our prices low while covering the basic program costs. 

 This range is for you if you:

• Have the capacity to meet your basic financial needs
• Make your rent or mortgage and other monthly payments 
• Are generally able to purchase new items and experiences for yourself
• Can afford to take trips and go on retreats

ACCESS RANGE  

Choose an amount within this range if you have limited financial capacity or are currently experiencing financial hardship. The contributions we gratefully receive within this range go toward covering costs and are supported by contributions of those who choose the Generosity Range.

 This range is for you if you:

• Have difficulty meeting your basic financial needs 
• Are experiencing housing, employment, or income instability
• Live paycheck-to-paycheck and and lack money in times of need
• Face challenges due to devaluation of your currency against the US dollar. 

Offering dana to the teacher: The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. Information on offering dana to the teacher will be provided during the virtual retreat. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here. 

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance

Tara Mandala offers two types of financial assistance: Deferred Payment Plans and Scholarships. You may apply for one or both of these types of assistance. Read the terms carefully as outlined on the financial aid application. Please see this page for further information.

Sustaining Sangha:
If you are currently a member of our Sustaining Sangha, you may apply your Online Program discount to this course.

Click Here for Our Online Programs Cancellation and Refund Policy

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
The live sessions of the program are listed below. All times are Mountain Daylight Time. 
Please use this link to see how this daily schedule translates into your timezone.

Saturday, May 13, 2023:
10:00-11:30am: Opening Session
Break: 11:30-11:45am
11:45am – 12:30pm: Teaching session
Lunch Break: 12:30-1:30pm
1:30-3:00pm: Teaching session
Break: 3:00-3:15pm
3:15-4:00pm: Closing session