For a number of years now, I’ve had this connection to the White Goddess. I first identified her as White Tara, Buddhist goddess of healing and compassion. But on a recent trip to Vietnam, I learned of a new white goddess, Quan Am. The Vietnamese version of Kwan Yin, the Bodhisattva of compassion
If you are unfamiliar with the Sanskrit term, bodhisattva, or bo tat in Vietnamese, it refers to a Buddhist concept of devoting your life to easing the suffering of others. A Bodhisattva vows to help release all sentient beings from suffering before being truly liberated.
The idea being that we go to God together or not at all.
Over centuries, there have been many examples of bodhisattva, often referred to as the Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion. The Buddha himself, (Shakyamuni Buddha or Siddhartha Guatama) is considered one, and in the Indian and Tibetan lineage of Buddhism, this manifestation is usually referred to as male. In fact, his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, is considered an incarnation of this aspect of Buddha as Bodhisattva.
In China and southeast Asia, however, where they practice a different kind of Buddhism known as Mahayana, this aspect of the Buddha of compassion has morphed into female!
She’s most often recognized as Kwan Yin, she who hears the suffering of the world. In Vietnam, she’s known as Quan Am. And her likeness is everywhere! She’s most often seen as a gorgeous white goddess who is prayed to for fertility, safe passage, mercy. In fact, a foot tall statue of her sat on the dashboard of one of the buses I rode in!
Here is what she looks like:
I kept wondering about her, this white goddess, finding myself attracted to her. I did not remember that I had a tab open on my phone explaining exactly who she was, one I’d saved from 18 months earlier! An article explaining who Quan Am was, along with photos.
One of the pictures was an enormous wooden statue, with multiple arms, which I happened to stumble upon quite by surprise at the Vietnamese National Fine Art Museum in Hanoi!
Imagine my shock first to be in her presence and then days later to rediscover the article that had been on my phone all along!
When I told my one of my daughter’s, she replied, “Quan Am was calling you.”
Here’s what she looks like. There were 2 statues done in the 16th century, and both at least twice my height!.
I’m still processing all that I’ve received from being blessed by her presence. As I remain in awe about the entire experience.
I do know that all of us are called to embody lovingkindness and Quan Am personifies that.
I suppose the inquiry is this:
How can we embody the light and essence of lovingkindness and shine that into our world today?
More than ever, the world needs our love, light and kindness. Please join me.
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