bus ride to Lumbini, Green Tara Mantra "Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā"

Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

The overnight bus ride across Nepal, from Kathmandu to Lumbini, was never racking. I couldn't get my mind off of what the man in Pokhara had said about overnight buses being hijacked.

Not long after we were on our way, I reached into my pocket and grabbed the little Green Tara amulet I was given and began thumbing through my mala, whispering, "Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā". When I reached the 108th mala, I started back over and did another 108. I stopped counting after thirty-something. When you recite the Green tara mantra, you should picture her above your head, with a stem of green light connecting you. I then visualized her light shining over the entire bus, then the road and all others traveling on the road. When I finally opened my eyes, I was a bit startled to find the inside of the bus bathed in green light!

Looking up, I noticed a green plastic window over the light that was on above the bus driver. It was probably meant to keep the light dim while folks slept, but it filled my mind with all sorts of possibilities and what ifs. Yet another magical moment in Nepal!

Who knows if reciting the mantra made the road any safer, but it did have the power to ease my mind, which just might have made all of us aboard the bus a little bit safer.

As a dim light began to paint the misty morning pale pastel blue, we arrived in Lumbini.