"Tara Mandala is a ‘tersa’, a land of hidden treasures, and a sacred place of Tara. Thousands of yogis and yoginis will reach realization here."
-Adzom Rinpoche

"We talk about the 500-year plan rather than the five-year plan."
-Tsultrim Allione

For more than fifteen years we have lived lightly on this land, getting to know its ways, the air currents, the animal migration corridors, and the positions of the sun and moon during various seasons of the year. As part of our retreats and work, we have worked to restore the land - bringing a message to young and old about ecology and living in harmony with the earth.
Continuing to hold these values, in the past several years, we have built permanent structures that create a firm base for the retreats that we offer.  These retreats foster peace and wholeness in the individual and in our society. At this auspicious moment, we acknowledge the many hands and hearts that have helped us accomplish our mission so far.

Buildings and Phases:

PHASE 1: COMPLETED!

COMMUNITY BUILDING:
The Community Building was finished in the fall of 2005.  It was built with double walled adobe bricks, and is finished with lime plaster.  The building is ornamented with traditional Tibetan painted lintels and carvings.  The Community Building is the administrative and facilitating center of Tara Mandala. Our kitchen and dining room create a delightful atmosphere for organic wholesome meals to be prepared and served.  Our office space upstairs, provides a warm and welcoming place for our administrative business to be carried out.  Showers and soaking bathtubs provide needed support to our campers.  Our bookstore is a beautiful and pleasing place to browse, relax and shop.

PHASE 2:

TARA MANDALA TEMPLE:
The design, which came to Tsultrim in a dream, is be a three-dimensional mandala with three eight-sided levels, each smaller than the last. The Tara Temple was named ‘Secret Treasury Temple’ by A.dzom Rinpoche.  The first level, representing the Nirmanakaya, the Enlightened Body, is used for large teachings and ceremonies. It has doors in the four directions and will contain life-size statues of the twenty-one Taras, female Buddhas of compassion. The second level, representing the Sambhogakaya, Enlightened Speech, holds the library and rooms for translation and teacher-student dialogue. The third level, representing the Dharmakaya, Enlightened Mind, is a small, round and luminous space used for smaller gatherings. Balconies all around Levels 2 and 3 offer wonderful views.

RETREATANT HOUSING:
Our first retreatant housing building is now complete.  Prajna offers spacious rooms and views, hardwood floors, Tibetan-style carpets in each rooms, lush and comfortable beds, golden walls, and granite sinks and closet space in each room.  There are showers and soaking tubs.  This building brings luxury and comfort to the wilderness and silence of Tara Mandala.

"Because the land itself is steady in the awareness of Tara, it is a place of great blessing which facilitates and encourages relaxation into the very ground of being. The teachers, founders and staff support a deep process of personal exploration that is balanced through interconnectedness and rejoices in collaboration."
- Carol Hoy

Other Accomplishments:
• The land, 600 acres, has been fully paid for, securing Tara Mandala for future generations.
• We have three retreat cabins serving long and short-term retreats.  Several year-long retreats have been completed on the land.
•  We currently have 5 canvas yurts that serve as seasonal housing for retreatants and staff and 5 cabins or wooden yurts that house our year-round staff
• Many people have come from all over the world for both group and solo retreats.
• Teachers from Buddhist and other wisdom traditions have been inspired to support our vision for a place of sanctuary in chaotic times.
• A twenty-foot stupa, a Buddhist reliquary, acknowledged by many as “the most beautiful stupa in America” was built from local stone ornamented with hand carved snow lions. It contains many important relics including eighteen from Shakyamuni Buddha.
• Native American elders have led ceremonies and vision quests to initiate teenagers into adulthood during family retreats. Some of these children now return to serve as staff and to do retreat themselves. Our Ute neighbors have, from the beginning, supported our presence here.
• Land restoration efforts have included the creation of five ponds, the planting of hundreds of native trees and shrubs, soil building, and the reseeding of native grasses.
•  A spiritually-oriented bookstore and mail order business support Tara Mandala and provide items for spiritual support.
•  An herb and body care business provides herbal medicines and delicious body care products as well as supporting the functioning of Tara Mandala.

Top of page