Tara Iconography

History of Tara

Wayists believe that Tara is the spiritual name of the most devoted disciple and apostle of Iesous, the soul being called Mari of Magadha. In the Christian tradition she is referred to as Mary the Magdalene, but she is not afforded the same importance as in Wayism.

Mari was a formidable Wayist. She spent more time in close companionship and learning at the feet of Lord than any other human being. Mari worked alongside the Lord in many different countries over a period of about 12 years. During the Lord's temporary departure to Heaven, while thousands of Wayists waited for the Lord's return, Mari worked among women and children in Egypt, Africa and India. Mari, acting as an envoy of the Lord was an unstoppable feminist. She worked all her life to liberate women from oppression — not so much societal and religious oppression that self-imposed oppression that comes from many generations of culturally conditioned thinking.

Upon the Lord's return as the glorious Saviour of all humankind, Mari was raptured into Heaven where she was made to attend at the Great Heavenly Council. There, the Lord called on her to approach the Council and He gave her a choice of what spiritual powers she wishes for. The Lord explained that she would continue to work alongside Him for the liberation of all humankind, and that she may wish for extraordinary superhuman powers to help her in the task. Mari though about that for some time, and at last declared, "I want the power of a woman, my Lord."  Mari was changed into the immensely powerful spiritual being we now know as Tara.

For Wayists, Tara is the ultimate feminist, mother and devotee of the Lord.

Tara works on all levels, all of the time.

In iconography Tara can be naked or clad like a poor woman, wearing only a skirt, ready to do manual labor as was the custom of her time. Another reason why Tara is depicted as a voluptuous woman, sometimes overtly so, is because of her stance and advocacy for equal rights and opportunities for women. Tara inspired several 2nd and 4th century schools for girls, nunneries and even monasteries that recruited only ex-prostitutes as nuns.

White Tara

In her Yang-type form as White Tara, she is light, representing daylight, directive, active, gives teaching, she removes stumbling blocks and constructs scenarios to help us.

White Tara is sometimes confused with iconography of the Lord because people forget to look for the symbols. Her lotus flower is different in colour that the dusty-rose colour lotus of the Lord. She does not have the Father of Heaven in her crown. She is subservient to the Lord and is often portrayed lower or smaller than the Lord.

Green Tara

In her yin form as Green Tara, she is dark, representing moonlight, her power is in knowing the hearts of beings good and bad, she hears thoughts, feels our fears and sorrows, and she removes obstacles of the soul-mind like depression, anger, fear, loneliness, etc.

Location

Tara works, as shown in her iconography, on the spiritual plane between heaven and earth . She seems to float. From there, she has free and easy access to us and our world. She also works with us in soul-heaven. Her movement between therse spheres of consciousness is often symbolized by flowing drapes around her body.