Pema Tara

Pema Tara was raised on a mid-west family farm where at the age of 4 & 5 she sat perfectly still on a fence post for the whole of the sunset every evening. The cows formed a semicircle around here, and then the pigs did too.  Years later in New York City she sat perfectly still for 3 minutes in front of Andy’s camera tripod. Only later in 1965, reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead which Allen and Peter had given her, was she able to put a name to the still sitting—meditation.   

Back in NYC after 4 years of sitting on her own, Pema attended free weekly meditation instructions fy a Japanese Zen teacher. His teacher, Yasutani Roshi, came to NYC and gave a weekend retreat. As a result Pema looked for the most intense Zen center and moved to Rochester, NY, to practice with Sensei Philip Kapleau. A year later she met the Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Mr. Sonam Kazi. With Sensei Kapleau’s blessing Pema moved back to NYC asking Mr. Kazi to be her teacher—and he was until his passing in 2009. 

The 4 Tantric Empowerments were received from Kyabje Dudjom when in 1970/71Mr. Kazi invited him and his family to the west. The Tantric ngondro accumulations were completed in 1973 while living in England. There she fulfilled her teacher’s request to start a Dharma group by helping to steady young Sogyal Rinpoche’s Sangha when he was away and inviting Kyabje Dodrupchen to give teachings. Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse also came to England and gave the Bodhisattva vow. Pema received her first teaching on a Dzogchen text from Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse. He was accompanied by Kyabje Thinley Norbu and Kyabje Tulku Pema Wangyal who also gave one-on-one teaching. 

In 1999 Pema moved to western MA to be near Mr. Kazi only to learn that due to his declining health he was no longer actively teaching. There she met H.E. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche who had the same teacher as Mr. Kazi—Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje. The Shyalpa Rinpoche has wonderfully been her teacher up thru the present day. In the early 2000s Pema attended the 7 yearly shedras on each of the yanas by Khenchen Palden Sherab.b 

For 12 years Pema coordinated a meditation group in Pittsfield, MA, inviting various teachers, including Anam Thubten and Orgyen Chowang; offered weekly meditation at the UU Church, at the hospital chapel, at a Community Center at a downtown bank, and for 2 sessions at the county jail. In 2017 she moved to North Carolina and started a Dharma group which was given the name Osel Choeling by the Shyalpa Ripoche.