It was pure magic. Ten glorious days on the beautiful north shore of Kauai, celebrating the divine feminine with music, dance, dharma teachings, empowerments, ocean, rainbows, powerful women, an eclipse, a wedding, a blessing way. We enjoyed hula, fabulous food, perfect weather, Tara dancing in the ocean, two magnificent Tara mandalas. These pictures were taken by dancers at the camp. I went through over 4000 to be able to tell you the story. There are two luscious web pages. Enjoy!!!!
Celebrating the Divine Feminine
Rainbows were with us almost every day.
Surrounded by mountains, the ocean was calm and always inviting
Our little tent village under one of the towering trees of Camp Naue
This camper set up on the beach, good morning!!!
Our open air temple, dance pavilion, classroom and meeting hall
Blessings abound
The ocean was an constant presence
We wove open time into the day
Anahata, Prema and Lama Tashi gave inspiring dharma teachings
Felicity Oswell, Fourth Level Tara Dhatu Teacher from Australia
Felicity taught a White Tara Dance Offering that she created
Oh Divine Mother, Remover of Fear Bestower of Good Fortune,
Long Life, Merit and Wisdom
We had two altars. This one was dedicated to White Tara
Local Taras brought tropical flowers from gardens and farmer’s market.
Lama Tashi gave White Tara, Green Tara and the 5 Dakini Empowerments
Mudra - Mandala Offering - offering the universe and all it’s enjoyments to Tara, for the sake of all beings.
Every morning we practiced methods of self healing, through a chi gung routine, vipassana meditation. Here, we are healing each other
The dharma teachings were lively and well attended
Music was constant and ecstatic. Anahata and Isa are a great team.
Anahata held music classes most afternoons
Everyone was encouraged to play something. Leah chose the Tibetan Tingshaw
Mekare from North Carolina was eager to play the Vishnu Vina and Salamander, from Georgia, played the Moringa, a Brazilian percussion instrument.
Gisele from Brazil enjoyed playing the Tar
Barbara is determined to be able to sing and play the Mandala Dance
Sharon, one of the Kauai Grounds Helpers loved Prema’s drum and another Kauai resident held forth on the cymbals
Trishana, our other Kauai Grounds Helper also enjoyed Prema’s drum.
The cow bells are tuned to enhance the Mandala Dance Music
Constance played the Indian hand cymbals (Manjeera)
The main area of exploration was the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Each evening we had the empowerment, teachings and presentation of a group of dancers
We started with the Buddha Family, Element - Space, Color White/Blue. Felicity offered the solo dance.
Space underlies everything and is included in all the Wisdom Families. This group of dancers focalized the Buddha Family Dharma Drama and Dance
After each presentation we all were invited to dance the mantras of the peaceful and wrathful aspects of the Tara Dakinis.
Myriangela from Brazil danced the Vajra Solo. Vajra Element is Water, color White/blue.
In the Vajra Dharma Drama, Jessica from Baton Rouge was a seer.
Vajra Family dancers
Mantra Dance. Each day the whole camp would wear the color of the Wisdom Dakini we were focusing upon
Bonny Meyer from Northern California danced the Ratna Dakini. Ratna-Earth, Color-Gold
Aerie Waters from Maui, one of the Ratna team, opened with a poem
The Ratna Group
Dancing the Ratna Dakini Mantras
The Padma Family lured us into their passionate realm with a torch song by Siobhan from San Francisco
Padma Element is Fire, Color is Red
the drama was hilarious
Mekare danced the solo Padma in a mask and costume she created for this workshop
The group dance was....what else.....a tango
The Karma family was very busy, as expected.
Anahata was delighted with the Karma shenanigans
Elizabeth Latifa of Oklahoma City amazed us with her modern/slap stick, Merry Poppins Karma Dance
the other thing about Karma Dakinis....they move fast
Prema introduced a new dance, The Eight Precious Offerings. Myriangela had learned it in Brazil so she helped Prema remember the steps
The mudras and movement
were a bit complex
Ivy from Wisconsin, Constance and Bonney from California give it a go....
“From the Lotus of my Heart, I offer......
Dances of Universal Peace
under the rainbow
Sunset
Breathtaking, every night
And then, there was dancing
The VajraSattva Mantra Dance
Leah and Mekare dance the compassion of Chenrezig with the Earth Banner behind
Prema and Anahata’s White Tara Dance expanded to include White Tara’s Mantra, Om Tare Tutare Ture Mama Ayu Punya Jnana Putim Kuru Soha
Gisele, born from the mandala. We did many different versions of Tara’s Mandala, giving our student teachers a chance to see different options .
Invoking Ganesh
Lauryn Galindo from Kauai taught a Hula.
Everyone was given guava sticks to keep the rhythm. On the grass, under the dappled shade of the towering trees we imbibed the flavor of the local culture.
Sunday we made our dance offering, inviting Kauai residents to witness the dance, though the orientation was more as an inner practice
White Tara was escorted into the dance pavilion
We danced Felicity’s Offering to White Tara
Felicity had this beautiful costume made for the Cham tour she guided in Australia. Robin made a beautiful White Tara.
Prema led the new 8 Precious Offerings dance
Receive oh enlightened ones, all the beauty of the world
The Taras danced in two mandalas, facing each other, Janice and Bonney each led one of the mandalas dancing Wisdom, Compassion and Power
Ivy and Maliki from Kauai danced Swift Protection. Prema was traffic director and Protector.
Lilliha and Felicity, Creative Wisdom
Beth and Marianne from Chicago dancing All Victorious
Jessica with her baby belly and Kachina from Maui dancing Invincible Courage
Timory, back on Kauai and Mekare Destroying Negativity
Siobhan and Gisele, Joy and Laughter
Shoshanah and Barbara, Auspicious Beauty
Ave from Kauai, Irresistible Truth
Constance from San Francisco and Karen Metta dancing Destroyer of Attachment
Diana from Michigan and Elizabeth from Oklahoma dancing Bliss and Joy
Ivy from Wisconsin and Lora Lynne from Kauai dancing Radiant Health
Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha
Sending the light into the world
Anahata invites the audience to join us in Dances of Universal Peace
Rejoice in Happy Times Together
Tashi Delek
Eh Ma Ho
Monday we worked with Padma Energy, the fire element. Siobahn regaled us with another torch song
On the beach we awaited the eclipse, chatting softly
As the moon drifted into it’s eclipse we circled on the sand and danced the Vajrasattva Mantra
It is said that the energy of an eclipse is quite powerful. We are encouraged to practice at these times. All prayers are multiplied 100,000 times
As the moon got dark, the stars appeared.
What great good fortune to be in this magnificent place with these magnificent friends, chanting, dreaming and praying together.
