Our Story
Welcome! Tara designs has been a seed in my heart with a long incubation. I am elated that they are finally coming into being and genuinely excited to share them with you. The design originated in my fascination with, and perplexed reaction to, a common female symbol. I remember the moment in time when I first saw the female symbol paired with a fist. I stared at it for a very long time; I could not reconcile the two symbols.
I now understand, through both research and personal experience, its representation of support, solidarity, unity and resistance. As a symbol of strength for women however, I still struggle. Because I cannot separate the fist from brute force and violence; distinctly male forms of strength and oppression of women.
Women’s strengths are multi-faceted, beautifully unique from male strength and should be honored as such. So I explored pairing the symbol for female with representations of feminine qualities and several designs emerged.
Our mission at Tara is to honor and amplify the feminine qualities which the world is in dire need of now.
These designs have emerged at this time because it is time.
Time to honor all the Wonderful Women of the World.
Time to celebrate all facets of the feminine and its contributions of cultures.
Time to amplify the quintessential qualities that women bring to the life.
In Exaltation of the Goddess Tara
Goddess Tara is considered one of the oldest, and thus one of the first female deities. I like to think of Tara as the first feminist because she refused to take the form of man in order to serve humanity. She insisted that she serve the world in the form of a woman until the suffering of the world ceased. This is how her tale is often told:
When Avalokitesvara first beheld the scope of suffering in the world, his tears of compassion flowed until they formed a lake from which Tara emerged lifted by a lotus blossom. Tara was recognized for her profoundly pure goodness and infinite compassion. She was granted the right to assume her human form as a man. But Tara elected instead to remain in her womanly form. The Goddess Tara vowed:
"There are many who wish to gain enlightenment in a man's form. And there are few who wish to work for the welfare of living beings in a female form. Therefore may I, in a female body, work for the welfare of all beings, until such time as all humanity has found its fullness."
Homage to Goddess Tara is paid by honoring her 21 facets and colors which span the spectrum of qualities from tender to fierce.
The first season of Tara designs exalt the qualities of Love, Peace, Balance, Intuition. And for fun, we are also releasing Goddess of the Mat to honor caring for the self as we care for others. There are many more designs on the drawing board planned to be released in due time; we hope you will join us on the exciting journey ahead.