“The key to awakening is recognizing the appearances in the world as the radiance of the essence ground, and our true nature as the vast universe itself.”
– Lama Tsultrim Allione
Magyu: The Mother Lineage is a supported path of practice at Tara Mandala dedicated to the sacred feminine and based on the teachings of Lama Tsultrim Allione. Recognized as an emanation of the 11th century Tibetan yogini, Machig Labdrön, Lama Tsultrim has a heartfelt commitment in this lifetime to provide students with authentic teachings from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, with a special emphasis on the practice of Machig’s lineage. Magyu is a core Tara Mandala lineage program that provides an opportunity for students to engage deeply in transformative meditation practices that arise out of the experience and mindstream of Lama Tsultrim.
Machig Labdrön, whose teachings and practices of Chöd (literally “severance” or “cutting through”) have profoundly influenced all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, developed several different lineages during her lifetime, including one called Magyu, or the Mother Lineage. There are many practices in this unique lineage that came through Machig Labdrön’s meditation experiences with direct transmissions from deities. While student’s of all gender identifications held and propagated these profound lineages, Machig’s second son, Tönyöm Samdrub, was the main lineage holder of her Mother Lineage. At Tara Mandala, Lama Tsultrim has been inspired to follow this model by establishing the Magyu Mother Lineage program at Tara Mandala.
Magyu: The Mother Lineage program is an invaluable opportunity to enter an extremely fresh stream. This path cultivates both spiritual and emotional awakening, integrating ancient Tibetan Buddhist practices with fresh teachings appropriate for the modern practitioner. The psycho-spiritual integration work in this path inherently distinguishes it from other traditional Buddhist paths. The Magyu program works directly with each individual through helping them to identify their encumbered emotional patterns and apply relevant practices to transform those patterns.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
The Magyu program has an open structure with progressive levels of training, so that students may work their way through the suggested retreats and practice accumulations according to their own timing and inspirations. This approach allows flexibility for the householder yogin for having a baby, an illness, having a job or other commitment in the world, or some other life-changing situation. You may enter this training path at any time of year and each level includes a set of practices taught under the spiritual direction of Lama Tsultrim, Magyu Dorje Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam and other Senior Teachers. The vision for this program is to create a container, or sangha, where one is held, guided, supported, and truly witnessed in their practice to ensure that their aspirations are fully realized.
All Magyu: The Mother Lineage students are supported in a variety of ways, such as being assigned a personal Kalyanamitra (spiritual mentor), attending regular live webcasts throughout the year with Lama Tsultrim Allione, Magyu Dorje Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam, or other Tara Mandala Teachers, given access to an active private group and portal on the Tara Mandala Network for connecting with other Magyu students to share experiences, regular virtual group practice sessions, and an abundance of informational resources such as teachings, meditation practice guides, practice logs, and the recordings of all Magyu webcasts.