33 Forms of Tara, et alia

October's blog was written in a breathless rush, needs some re-modeling.  But I don't want you to miss the sweet & chewy center of it.

Voilá:  my recent --as of October, 2018-- discovery that Green Tara (Japanese 'Kannon,') takes 33 forms.  Serendipity? or just confirmation of the number  placed in my ear while I was retreating in the mountains of Epirus?

Anyway, here is the citation:

"The Kannon can appear in many different forms to save people according to their time and place. The Avalokitesvara Sutra mentions 33 specific forms. Says Shaku Soen (deceased), lord abbot of Engakuji Temple in Japan: "She will be a philosopher, merchant, man of letters, person of low birth, or anything as required by the occasion, while her sole aim is to deliver all beings without exception from ignorance and suffering."   BuddhistArtwork.com

Green Tara adorned with Painted Agate rosary.

In Other Nows...

The 33 Names of Goddess is about to emerge in booklet form.  I will be working with another writer early next year to expand and refine the text, but right now we (read: y'all) need some easy reference to the wee-bitty practice and an explanation of its provenance.

Workshops are now Conversations. I have decided to dismantle the workshop form and put something simpler in its place.  Given the fluidity of my habitat for the next few months, these Conversations will be fairly spontaneous; you may get an invitation to a coffeehouse or park bench or fireplace.  (Oh, if you would like an invitation, please join the EE Mailing List.)

We'll go over the basics and gossip about how the Practice may or may not be working.   Bring your garland ~ I'll bring others if you want to swap.   Easy-peasy. And free.

We did publish an eBay page to sell a) the Garland, b) the Garland and Luminaria, and c) the Garland, Luminaria and Booklette in sets. Via eBay, the memory aids are anchored to the Garland.  But for those who have taken the workshop and/or already have the Garland, the Booklet and Kundaluminaria are available ($11 each) on the password-protected pages of this website.  You should have the  password; if not, write to me...!