The Empowered Feminine: Meditating with the Dakini Mandala

by Lama Tsultrim Allione

A master teacher offers a fresh and faithful approach for invoking the power of the five dakinis―the fierce and loving goddesses of Tibetan Buddhism.

Female energy is on the rise. Courageous women everywhere are bursting through the seams of the patriarchy. Yet tearing down old barriers is not enough―how can we access the power of the feminine in a way that heals wounds and brings our world into balance? Lama Tsultrim Allione invites you to discover the five dakinis of Tibetan Buddhism, luminous “sky dancers” who carry the feminine’s transformative gifts. With The Empowered Feminine, this bestselling author presents an in-depth learning course for creating profound change―to accelerate your spiritual growth and serve the needs of our planet.

A Practical Approach for Embracing Archetypal Feminine Forces

Lama Tsultrim begins by introducing you to the five dakinis, and explores how this tradition has evolved from the time of the Buddha into the modern age. Then she takes you step-by-step into the mandala of the five a versatile framework for meditation, self-examination, connecting with nature, and healing. In ten audio sessions, you’ll

• The history and practice of feminine energy in Buddhism
• The energies of each dakini―and how to tell which dakini “family” you belong to
• How to transform the “five poisons” of the ego into the “five medicines” of awakening
• The Dakini Mandala―a template for returning to our innate wholeness
• How the feminine can come into wise partnership with the masculine
• The outer, inner, and secret dakini
• In-depth practices for realizing the transformative power of the five dakini virtues

“A dakini is both compassionate and relentless, burning away the ego,” says Lama Tsultrim. “Wherever we cling, she cuts; whatever we hide from ourselves, she reveals.” Discover how you can bring the wisdom, grace, and fierceness of the dakinis into spiritual practice and everyday life with The Empowered Feminine.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Feminism, Nonfiction, Memoir, Meditation, Personal Development

Audio CD

First published May 1, 2018

Reviews

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book from Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict; I was not disappointed. The information and tools Lama Tsultrim Allione provides will be of value to anyone looking to examine and transform five vital forces present in our lives. She provides access to teachings and practices that would normally be hard to come by.

[C. Varn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is another of Lama Tsultrim Allione's modernist tinged explorations of Tibetan Buddhist practices. This one alienates some people with its feminism, but I actually like that element of the book. Furthermore, while Lama Tsultrim Allione continues her mixing of esoteric Buddhism with highly psychological and therapeutic Jungian conceptions. Her discussion of the symbolism of the five Buddha families particularly in their Dakini and feminine aspects, however, is quite interesting. It does also incorporate a lot of Lama Tsultrim Allione's autobiography to render the Buddha families' relevant and make the mandala meaningful, but I retain my reservations about reading Chod practices in Jungian terms.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very interested in magic and ritual across different cultures and religions, and this book was fascinating. Being surprisingly "witchy," it is what I consider to be a rare find amidst the sea of more mainstream Buddhist practice books that are sanitized for more secular (i.e. less "woo woo") tastes. It also feels like a very personal look into an individual woman's Buddhist journey and practice. I highly recommend it.

[Robin Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You!

Very informative and relatable. The author reveals ancient prinicples. These ancient principles are alive within each of us. It is time to access our divine nature. This book will help you cut through the fog and stand strong in your own wisdom.

[Myridian · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I typically come away from both sutras and also this book just thinking Buddhism is weird. I do wonder if this is a personal limitation exacerbated by the unfamiliarity of Eastern symbolism.

I did like the practical nature of this book. As someone who practices mindfulness daily, I appreciated the number of different exercises and variants of how to approach practicing with Dakinis. It was also fascinating to learn about female symbolism within Tantric Buddhism.

There were a number of things I did not resonate with. I could have done without the whole first portion that talked about Allione’s journey into Buddhism and struggles finding her specific spiritual path. Plus quoting yourself and your other books as liberally as Allione does seems like cheating. At the same time, I wondered if I had missed out by not reading Allione’s previous books. I was interested in where these Dakini images came from. Allione never mentions the similarity in the portrayal of the Dakinis to images of Kali. Without some recognition and comparison it’s hard to buy that all of the destructive facets of the Dakinis really refer to cutting away of delusion and brining about enlightenment. I mean, they’re standing on a dead body after all.

Allione also states explicitly near the start that the Dakinis aren’t meant to seem like enneagrams, but they do. Really, certain people are supposed to be represented not only by certain qualities, but by specific body types and preferences for things like big jewelry? We seem to be entering horoscope territory. Ok, and yes, I can see that we all contain aspects of these different qualities, but to categorize these things together and then present it without any apparent scrutiny or placement in a societal or historical context left me wanting something different.

Altogether a nice collection of meditations, some of which I will come back to, but not really satisfying my itch for a feminist approach to Buddhism.

[kat f. · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a lovely read!! recommended by my therapist hehe ~ ~ diving into world of the wisdom dakinis felt so sweet & hopeful. the book includes loads of mindfulness practices, and tangible ways to transform emotional patterns into something more manageable (and wise) and less cumbersome (and embarrassing?)

loved it! :-)

[Joanna Pollner stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allion is a phenomenal Teacher , many believe Buddhism represent none emotional path. Wisdom Rising comprehensively emulates all facets of emotions and paves a way by utilizing emotions towards inner freedom.

[Milena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of wisdom on a path unknown to me. Helped me through some difficult times and showed me another way forward.

[Betsy Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful a d understandable book into the double edged swords of the dikini family attributes

Insightful and understandable book into the functional & dysfunctional energies of dikini family attributes & how these manifest in our everyday lives. Could have done without the political commentary. Would have preferred a look into the dynamics of how each if us, regardless of position, bring energies & choices that impact our quality of life universally - allowing space for each of us to freely, without having to work thru judgment energies, examine how our personal energies and choices do indeed impact all existence. I do highly recommend the book. Excellent breakdown of the dikini's, and practical - everyday, guidance for meaningful introspection and growth.

[Jessica Arena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful introductory. Very accessible and entertaining. Lama Tsultrim Allione's life is incredible and I appreciated her candid sharing of her experiences to illustrate some of the concepts. My only complaint is that I'd like a little bit more detail on the dakinis. Maybe that's more appropriate in a sequel?

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part memoir, part Buddhist theory, Allione shares the story of her life, being a nun, motherhood, what broke her apart, her search, and of course, the diferent mandalas of the dakini and how to embrace and utilize them.

[Elizabeth Traver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read for any vajrayana Buddhist. If you’re looking for something more akin to Mahayana or Theravada, more discipline practices like the Four Noble Truths or the Eightfold Path or any of the other many lists, this may not be a great fit.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit more 'deep' than I thought it would be and not for my mindset at the present time.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Jessica Clements · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating book! Such an in-depth dive into the feminine with Buddhism. I’ve been listening to her Dakini Meditation which takes the book to another level - inside me! Amazing!

[Reena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, insightful book and the Dakinis of Mahayana Buddhism. An interior spiraling journey of a book.