Dechen Shak-Dagsay's voice perfectly captures the sense of boundless compassion and serenity inherent in these prayers to the goddess Tara. Tara Devi is a musically vibrant message of inner peace, universal love and timeless Dharma wisdom accessible to all. A perfect accompaniment to meditation practices, chanting and inner work.
Dechen Shak-Dagsay was born the same year her parents fled to India due to the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959. She is the eldest daughter of the late Yishi Tsedn Zatul and Dagsay Tulku Rinpoche. Together with her family Dechen grew up as one of the nearly 2,500 Tibetans residing in Switzerland. Her family played an important role in founding the Tibetan Institute of Performing Art for Switzerland and Dechen was the youngest member of the group. She graduated from the Swiss Business School in 1979 and married her husband Dr. Kalsang Thutop Shak. They have two daughters, Yuri and Tara, who are both studying. Dechen worked in the Commercial Department of a large international Company for nearly 20 years. It was during that time that Dechen realized that the people who are constantly exposed to a lot of tension at work need to find a way to relax and find inner peace.
It was due to her father's book on Tibetan Meditation that her first debut album Dewa Che, Universal Healing Power of Tibetan Mantras was released by Polyglobe Music in Austria in December 1999. In her father's book Practice of Tibetan Meditation, Rinpoche teaches ancient meditation techniques to Buddhists as well as Non-Buddhists. He also wanted to introduce the chanting of mantras since Buddha had emphasized that they would bless the beings regardless of their nature, belief or social status. It was his wish that Dechen would sing the mantras in her own way.
With her unique family background as the daughter of a Tibetan Lama and a highly spiritual mother, Dechen grew up absorbing the beautiful wisdom of her parents and yet at the same time integrating the modern western world. Convinced that the chanting of the ancient mantras that filled her Tibetan environment as a child could also be beneficial to her Western friends, Dechen found a way to open the hearts of the Westerners for the Tibetan Mantras.
After the the release of the CD Dewa Che, Universal Healing Power of Tibetan Mantras in December 1999, Dechen decided to concentrate on her artistic career. At the end of 2002 Dechen released her second album called Shi De, A Call for Worldpeace containing beautiful Tibetan songs promoting peace in the world. Her latest album is called Compassion: Inner Peace through the Power of Dcham Sem, containing a selection of the long versions of the ancient Tibetan Mantras that are particularly helpful in cultivating the seed of compassion in people's hearts.
Within a short period of time Dechen's music has spread incredibly fast. Her concerts are always fully booked and her music seems to attract not only insiders but many others that come because they clearly feel the universal message of the mantras.
Track 1: Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels time 3:0 min. Track 2: Generation of the Bodhicitta Mind time 3:33 min. Track 3: The Four Unmeasurables time 2:40 min.
Track 4: Inviting Tara time 1.34 min.
Track 5: Prostration time 2:35 min.
Track 6: Respectful Praise to the 21 Taras time 21:54 min. Track 7: The Seven Limbed Prayer time 3:39 min. Track 8: Offering of Short Mandala time 1:21 min. Track 9: The Requesting Prayer time 4:10 min.
Track 10: The Dedication time 2:50 min.
Track 11: Tara Devi time 5:18 min.
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