“The mandala is a template or blueprint of wholeness. It has a center and four directions. Associated with each direction is a color, an element, an obstructed pattern and a wisdom. It is a way to understand yourself and also your world.”
– Lama Tsultrim Allione 

The Mandala of the Five Buddhas is for all students who long to cultivate and integrate the sacred and wise masculine within themselves. Buddhism sees the enlightened masculine as the capacity to act skillfully and with wise compassion. These are capacities that must be nurtured by all of us, regardless of our gender identity. The Jungian understanding of the psyche tells us that we all have both feminine and masculine energies moving within us, which he calls the anima and the animus. The work of healing and moving towards wholeness involves cultivating the wisdom aspects of both the feminine and masculine within us; otherwise, the hidden agenda of our anima or animus shadow can be destructive and self-sabotaging. 

With the Mandala Method, we offer a unique method to work with the anima in the Dakini Mandala, the animus in the Mandala of the Five Buddhas, and the union of the two in the Yab Yum Mandala. 

The Mandala of the Five Buddhas offers a practical method to awaken the enlightened masculine within by empowering us to bring into balance the mutually supportive inner feminine-masculine unity. It is this inner union that allows us to find strength and clarity within so that we may become “in-powered” and effective change agents in the world. The practice of the Mandala of the Five Buddhas brings together sound, visualization, and meditation, and provides an inner map and skillful means to help us transform challenging emotions into their liberated wisdom. 

In this 4-session program, students will be guided through an introduction to the sacred masculine, explore archetypes of the sacred masculine found internally and externally, receive introduction to practice the Mandala of the Five Buddhas (a daily meditation practice), explore the symbolism of the Buddha Mandala, and the connection to the skandhas. 

During this program you will experience transformation through the power of the mandala—a universal map of inner wholeness and embodiment. The mandala is a template of wholeness with a universal structure of the center and four directions, represented here by five families connected to elements, colors, seed syllables, emotions, psychological types, and wisdoms.

In this experiential program, you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn the Mandala of the Five Buddhas, embodiments of sacred masculine and wisdom, a daily meditation practice
• Explore the ‘Sacred Masculine’ within Vajrayana Buddhism and within one’s own personal life
• Receive teachings on the symbolism within the Buddha Mandala including the mental obscurations/skandhas, the animal thrones, and the mudras associated with each buddha family in the mandala and what they represent
• Build upon previous knowledge of the five buddha families to explore more deeply encumbered emotional patterns related to the masculine (internally and externally) and learn how to transform those patterns into the wisdom aspect of the particular family
• Engage in enhancement practices including Guided Journey with the Buddha, Art through Mandala Work with your Hands, and more
• Integrate with the five elements through specific meditation practices 

Practices Included in this Program are:

• Primary Practice:
  • The Mandala of the Five Buddhas, daily practice, the concise version
• Enhancement Practices: 
  • Life Review for all five buddha families related to the masculine
  • Guided Journey with the Buddha
  • Mandala Work with Your Hands 
  • Element Meditations
  • Unblocking the Encumbered Energy (Sound and Light Practice)

This rich course is part of the new Mandala Method Certification Program. This program guides individuals through deep work and practice with the mandala and certifies them to be able to use mandala work one-on-one with clients. Contact the Mandala Method team through this Contact Form for more information about the Mandala Method Certification Program. 

Who Should Attend?

• Anyone interested in exploring the enlightened masculine through mandala practice.
• For Certification Track participants, the prerequisite for this retreat is Mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis, or the self-paced version of the course, Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine. This prerequisite is also recommended, but not required, for other participants.
• Completion of this program fulfills the requirement for Magyu: The Mother Lineage practitioners.
• Anyone interested in becoming certified to use Mandala Work with clients and who hopes to complete the Mandala Method Certification Program. Completion of this program fulfills Mandala Method Level II requirements. For more information, email mandalamethod@taramandala.org. 

Recommended reading: 

• Wisdom Rising, Feeding Your Demons and Women of Wisdom by Lama Tsultrim Allione
• King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine by Robert Moore

Recommended Practice Supports:
Please visit the Dakini Store for additional (but not required) items to support your practice, such as:

• Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine by Lama Tsultrim Allione (May 2018)
• Practice Text for Mandala of the Five Buddhas (Print booklet version)
• 1 Buddha Mandala Image (laminated deity card)
• Wisdom Rising Practice Support Collection

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

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

• October 17, 2025 9am – 3pm MST
• October 24, 2025 9am – 12pm MST
• October 31, 2025 9am – 12pm MST
• November 7, 2025 9am – 12pm MST
• November 15th: 9am – 3pm MST (Certification add-on day for those on the Certification track only)
• TBD weekend practice sessions

FOR CERTIFICATION TRACK PARTICIPANTS ONLY

Certification Training Module  

Saturday, November 15, 2024 

9:00am – 3:00pm MDT
Certification Half Day for students seeking certification in the Mandala Method
Teachers in this session: Chögé Bridget Bailey and Chögé Lisa Erickson
Contact the Mandala Method coordinator through this Contact Form for more information.
Cost: $125
Please select the Certification Training Module add-on during registration to register for this session. 

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 Pricing Guidelines

As we work to become an equitable, diverse and inclusive community, our pricing guidelines are intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of resources that contribute to our access to precious dharma teachings. While we do ask you to look inward, please know there is no right or wrong answer. We encourage you to select the range/rate appropriate to your circumstances. To learn more about Tara Mandala’s pricing guidelines for Online Programs, In-Person Retreats, and Special Promotions, please visit this page. 

Installment Payment Plan Option at Registration

Understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different, Tara Mandala aims to make programs as accessible as possible. During registration, participants have the option to either pay the program fee in full or select the Installment Payment Plan. For those choosing the installment plan, a 25% deposit is required at registration, with the remaining balance automatically divided into equal monthly payments. The final payment is due 14 days before the program begins. If retreat enrollment occurs close to the start date, additional arrangements can be made. For any questions or special requests, the Finance Department is available via the email form provided here and ready to assist at accounts@taramandala.org.

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 program. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here. 

Sustaining Sangha:

If you are currently a member of our Sustaining Sangha, you may apply your Online Program discount to this course. To learn more about Sustaining Sangha membership, benefits, and discounts, click here. 

Click Here for Our Online Programs Cancellation and Refund Policy