RED TARA ACCUMULATION INSTRUCTIONS
During these difficult days of the world wide pandemic, Tara practice is especially appropriate. As the swift saviouress who protects from suffering, she certainly meets the needs of our time. Lama Tsering has asked the Red Tara practitioners to join together, with the increased strength of a group effort, in order to evoke Tara’s immense blessings. The pure lineage practice of Red Tara that we have received is a powerful method to reduce the suffering for all beings, so this year Lama Tsering would like members of the sangha to focus their individual practice on accumulating the full amount recommended in the text.
1) How should I do the accumulation?
This accumulation should be done in the context of the Apong Terton treasure, which is our longer, more extensive, Red Tara Practice.If you are not practicing with the sangha at Odsal Ling through the broadcast puja, you can follow the "Concise Daily Practice Sadhana Sequence" listed on p. iii of the practice and you can include pages 5-6 if you choose.
You can count all the mantra recitations of OM TARE TAM SO HA that take place during the practice. There are 5 different sections of mantra practice, including the meditation for the deceased.
It's important that you maintain your concentration at the time of the practice, leaving worldy concerns behind. It’s best to not talk at all during the session and leave your cell phone off.
The counting of the accumulation is the responsibility of each practitioner. Therefore, we suggest that at the end of each session, you write the numbers down in a notebook, so you are confident in the total amounts. The recommended accumulation in the text is 1.2 million mantras or 12 x 100,000 or 12,000 malas.
2) Is there a deadline for finishing these accumulations?
Yes, Lama Tsering suggests it would be best to complete the accumulation before the Tara Drubchod. To have the accumulation done by October 8 would require 5700 mantras (57 malas) per day.
3) If I don't have enough time to do all the accumulations in the morning, can I do another session during the day?
The mantra accumulations should be done at least once during the day within the context of the longer Red Tara practice, which includes the praises and extensive offerings. If you can't finish all your accumulations, you can do one or more additional sessions during the day, using the short Red Tara practice (Red Tara - An Open Door to Bliss and Ultimate Awareness). Within this practice the mantra accumulations are done in the final self visualization section (on p. 9 of the English practice). The visualization should include the complete 21 Tara mandala of the self visualization as well as the 21 Taras in the space in front of you.
4) Can I do the accumulation using only the shorter Red Tara practice?
No. You can only do the mantra accumulation in the context of the shorter Tara practice if you have already done the Extensive Tara practice that day.
5) If I can't participate in the puja broadcasts, can I still take part?
Yes, you can do the practice alone at home or wherever you can, and at whatever time is best for you.
6) I don't know how to do the mudras or the melody in Tibetan, can I still take part?
Yes, you can do the practice in your language and it is not necessary to do the mudras. You can just visualise the offerings being made to Tara during the mudra section increasing and filling the sky.
7) If I can't accumulate 5.700 mantras a day, can I still take part?
Yes, accumulating 5.700 mantras a day is not mandatory. You can do as much as you can according to your time availability, the important thing is that you participate and do as much as you can!
8) If I don't have the empowerment; can I still do the accumulations?
No, for this accumulation one needs Red Tara empowerment. However, Lama Tsering has instructed those without empowerment to do the Jetsun accumulation, visualizing Tara in the space in front of you. This is a powerful prayer for the removal of obstacles, which also brings many benefits.
If you want to take part on this Jetsun accumulation, please, subscribe:
9) Do I need to send my accumulation daily to the site?
We will contact the people who fill out the form (below) sending instructions on how to send the accumulations.
10) How can I participate?
As always, please establish your pure motivation at the beginning and during the practice, remembering that all beings near and far are included, and try your best to concentrate on the visualization while holding your pure view, and dedicate all the merit at the end of each session. As Chagdud Rinpoche succinctly stated, “This way go.”
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