Stupa Etiquette

Tara Institute has a stupa in its entry hall on a pedestal near the foot of the stairs. When passing the stupa, please stay to the left and, if circumambulating, walk in a clockwise direction.

Gompa Etiquette

A gompa is a meditation room where practitioners meditate and listen to teachings. There are two gompas at Tara institute, the main Gompa and the Kwan Yin Gompa. All the weekly teachings are held in the Main Gompa. Because the gompa is a spiritual room, certain etiquette applies.

Clothing

It is considered polite to wear clothing that is not revealing, and of course wear something that is comfortable for sitting on the floor if that’s where you choose to sit!

Cushions and Chairs

To the right of the Main Gompa door there are cushions. Please use as many cushions as you need to be comfortable. There are also chairs inside the Gompa for those unable or not wanting to sit on the floor.

Shoes and phones

Before entering the Gompa please take off your shoes and turn off your mobile phone.

Sitting posture

Please choose a sitting posture that is most comfortable for you. Ideally you would sit with your legs crossed and spine straight. However, flexibility can be challenging for many people, so find a position that suits you.

Traditionally, it is preferable that people sitting on the floor don’t stretch their legs out so that their feet are facing any of the Buddhist sacred objects or the speaker.

Prayer and text books

As a sign of respect for the Buddha’s teachings, please put any Buddhist texts or prayer books on a cushion or a table. There are stacks of white tables just inside and to the left of the Main Gompa entrance. 

Prostrations before teachings

You may also find that some people will do prostrations when they enter the meditation room. It is usual to do three prostrations. Each prostration begins with the hands clasped with palms joined. The thumbs bend forward into the empty palms, as a symbolic gift to the Buddhas. The hands are then raised above the head, then lowered to touch the forehead , the throat and the heart as you say, “With my body, speech and mind I prostrate in faith.” Then kneel, sliding forward so that your forehead touches the ground. Keep the fingers of your hands together and stand quickly. Repeat this action twice more for a total of three prostrations.

While many students do complete prostrations on entering the Gompa, it is not an essential practice and there is no reason to feel uncomfortable if you do not do this.

Stepping Over

When moving through a crowded shrine room, make every effort not to step or pass over the top of another person’s body, i.e., leg, knee or foot. When seated, if others are passing by, raise the knees to afford a pathway so they are not forced to step over. Likewise, avoid stepping over Dharma books and articles.

General Practices

Khata offerings

The offering of a khata, a white scarf, is a ceremonial gesture widely used in Tibetan culture.

Khatas are offered to sacred statues and to lamas as a gesture of offering goodwill and respect. To present a khata you first fold it in half length-wise; this represents the interdependence between yourself and the lama. Then when you offer the scarf to the lama, you offer the open edges facing the person you are giving it to; the folded section will be towards you, which represents your open, pure heart, with no negative thoughts or motives in the offering.

The scarf is given with folded hands near your forehead, with a humble bow before them, with head bent over and palms joined in respect. You never put the khata over the lama’s neck in this situation. The lama returns it by placing it over your head and around your neck with a blessing.

Khatas can be offered as a welcoming, leaving or thank you gesture – in fact for any celebration at all. It is used for celebrations not only during religious ceremonies, but also for births and weddings.

It is also a custom to put khatas over statues, thangka paintings, pictures of reincarnated rinpoche’s and altar spaces. A khata offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and received back by a Tibetan personally will be cherished and preciously kept as it is now a very special blessing, talisman and protector.

Khatas can be bought in the Tara Institute bookshop.
 

 Please do not smoke anywhere on Tara Institute premises.