Green Tara Thangka

Hand painted with vegetable color & gold, Green Tara Thangka. 

The Green Tara embodies the healing energy of release from fear and ignorance. Human ignorance comes in many forms—from jealousy to pride—and it's the healing energy of Green Tara that brings awareness and relief from these negative aspects. Green is also the color of vibrant energy and activity, which explains one of the aspects associated with Green Tara as the goddess of action. She is often depicted with her right leg extended forward—ready to spring/move forward at any moment. Another aspect of green color is the freshness and newness of energy, which reflects Green Tara's youthfulness and playfulness. However, the main feature of all Taras—no matter which color expresses their specific energy—is Tara's pledge to being in female form.

"There's a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to the goddess Tara…she vowed, 'I've developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman.'"