Sarah Harding

Sarah Harding has been a Buddhist practitioner since 1974 and has been teaching and translating since completing a three year retreat in 1980 under the guidance of Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche. Her publications include Zhije and Chöd, respectively the thirteenth and fourteenth volumes of The Treasury of Precious Instructions series. She was an associate professor at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, starting in 1992, and has been a fellow of the Tsadra Foundation since 2000.

"Such an important historical female figure as Niguma has been obscured by centuries of overlaid mythology, but now Sarah Harding has skillfully managed to separate the wheat from the chaff and to reveal something of the woman behind the legend, along with her place in the Shangpa tradition and her fascinating writings on Yoga." —Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, author of Reflections on a Mountain Lake

"Sarah Harding's fascinating account of the literature surrounding Niguma, heiress of unimaginable qualities, provides a rare glimpse into the life of a legendary female practitioner who traces the source of her wisdom lineage directly to Vajradhara the epitome of awakening. The collected works and biography are gems of insight into the spiritual journey of this elusive figure whose realization culminates in the perfection of timeless awareness and an illusory rainbow body. Deftly written, the account is a treasure trove of information about tantric practices and attainments focused especially on the nature and power of illusion. Harding's attempts to separate the flesh-and-blood woman from the idealized dakini make for an engaging, often amusing read for neophytes and experienced practitioners alike. Of special relevance to those who happen to be women this time around." —Karma Lekshe Tsomo, editor of Buddhism through American Women's Eyes