The Dance of the Ḍākinīs
with Melanie Shank & Tara Mahady
Will you walk the maṇḍala with us?
An 18-month immersive journey begins October 2025.
The Invitation
Dear friends and beloved community:
We are honored to invite you into a sacred 18-month journey of deep transformation and alchemical integration — the Ḍākinī Maṇḍala Immersion.
This is not just a training or a certification course. It is a living, breathing body of wisdom that we have both been profoundly shaped by — a multidimensional constellation of practices that help us remember who we are, and reclaim our birthright of inner clarity, freedom, and embodied presence.
With love,
Melanie & Tara
What is the Ḍākinī Maṇḍala?
The Kaula Ḍākinī Maṇḍala is a living map. Rooted in the Tāntrik lineage of Śrī Vidyā and shared with us through the direct transmission of our teacher, Mā Umā-Pārvatī, it illuminates the intricate and powerful connections amongst the five elements, our bodies, our emotions, and Absolute Consciousness.
Traversing this mandala, we learn to:
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Transmute emotional obscurations, illusions, and attachments;
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Return to embodied wisdom and energetic coherence;
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Cultivate deep relational integrity and presence;
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Guide ourselves and others through cycles of transformation.
While the form may echo elements of Buddhist sadhana or elemental work, this is a complete and distinct system revealed through the lens of Śrī Vidyā. It is a map, a mirror, and a process for coming home to one’s true nature.
Why This Training Now?
Inspired by the timeless wisdom of the Ḍākinī Maṇḍala imparted to us by Mā Uma-Pārvatī and the direct experience of the effects of these teachings, we are motivated to extend these accessible and effective methodologies to others. Impulsed by our teacher to share this yogic system with our students and communities to benefit a world in great need of balance and harmony, we collaborate together to offer this in-depth and highly transformative training.
This offering emerges from our hearts and personal experience. We’ve lived these teachings over decades of committed study, practice and self-reflection. We feel called to share them with those who are ready to engage this work on a soul-deep level.
This program can provide a solid foundation for individuals who are dedicated to deepening their sādhana and may or may not aspire to teach. The program will provide strong grounding in Tāntrik sadhana and core practices of transformation in oneself—a necessary step before guiding others in these alchemies.
The world is asking us to be grounded, skillful, open-hearted, and aligned. This immersion supports exactly that — not by avoiding what’s hard, but by meeting it with courage, integrity, and devotion.
The Dance Begins October 2025
Opening Online Retreat: October 2–6, 2025
Monthly 3-day weekend sessions (Fri - Sun), group mentoring, question and answer sessions, and a closing retreat in March 2027.
All sessions and retreats will be held online, with rich opportunities for live connection, personalized guidance, and collective support.
While this program offers optional authorization to guide the Ḍākinī Maṇḍala and related practices (500+ hours), it is first and foremost a deep personal immersion — open to all who feel the call.
This will be an intimate circle, capped at 30 participants,
and held with deep care and intention.
All sessions will be recorded and translated into Spanish.
We will offer a limited number of need-based work-trade, partial, and full scholarships for practitioners in Mexico, South America, and the LGBTQ+ community.
If you feel called to...
...this immersion is for you!
Deepen your relationship with the elements, your emotions, and the sacred body;
Explore the fullness of Kaula Tāntrik teachings in an experiential and embodied way;
Integrate these practices into your work as a teacher, therapist, or space holder;
Receive the complete transmission of the Ḍākinī Maṇḍala within the Śrī Vidyā lineage;
Be part of a small, committed community rooted in sincerity and mutual growth;
Stay Connected!
We would love to dance this path with you! More information coming soon.
Sign up to receive:
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full curriculum;
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authorization requirements;
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applications;
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tuition and payment options;
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and other important updates.
Signing up now does not commit you to participating in the program, it only signs you up to receive more information about it!
