Set among the pine-covered hills of San Lorenzo, the Bokar Thubten Ling Buddhist Centre in Ibiza is a place designed for reflection, meditation and connection. When the centre reached out to Rolf Blakstad looking for a design for a new stupa, he was more than happy to oblige. The Tara Stupa is a project born from generosity and a shared purpose. Rolf gifted the design – the first he has created in timber – to support the island’s rich diversity of spiritual practices and communities.
For 2000 years, stupas – which translate to ‘heap’ in Sanskrit in reference to their humble beginnings as burial mounds – have been built across the Buddhist world, each one unique to its time and place. The Tara Stupa, set among Ibiza’s hills, will become part of this lineage – a place where anyone, regardless of faith, can find a moment of stillness. It is said that even seeing a stupa, hearing about it or thinking of it can plant the seeds of wisdom and compassion. In a landscape known for its contrasts, where deep tranquillity meets a vital energy, this project offers something rare – a sanctuary of quiet, open to all.
Stupas are built to house relics, fragments of history that hold deep spiritual significance. The Tara Stupa in Ibiza will do the same, enshrining a collection of reliquaries donated by monasteries and practitioners from around the world. Unlike many stupas, which are solid, sealed structures, the Tara Stupa is designed as a space where people can enter, making it a place of meditation, teaching and practice. Its eight-sided form enhances its function, bringing together centuries of Buddhist symbolism into a place of refuge on the island. It is, in this way, both a reliquary and a retreat, a place to be still and reflect within a design that speaks of wholeness and connection.
Tara is one of the most revered figures in Tibetan Buddhism. Known as the goddess of compassion and wisdom she is often called the Mother of Liberation, as she represents the enlightened energy that helps beings overcome obstacles and reach awakening. The octagonal shape of the Tara Stupa aligns with the eight-spoked chakra of White Tara, a Buddhist deity associated with compassion, longevity, and healing. In White Tara practice, the chakra is visualised spinning in the heart centre, symbolising wisdom radiating in all directions – in this sense, the Tara Stupa embodies this concept via its physical structure.
The number eight has further meaning in Buddhist tradition, bringing an even greater spiritual significance to the space. After the Buddha’s passing, his relics were divided and enshrined in eight different stupas, each representing key moments in his life. The Tara Stupa incorporates all of these, bringing together the blessings and spiritual power of these eight sacred moments. In Buddhist cosmology, the number eight is associated with the cardinal and intercardinal directions – north, south, east, west and the four in-between. This represents expansion, balance and connection to the universe. An eight-sided stupa radiates its blessings in every direction, benefitting all beings.
Further, the Eightfold Path is central to Buddhist teachings, guiding practitioners toward liberation and enlightenment through ethical conduct, mental discipline and wisdom. The Tara Stupa’s design reflects these foundational principles, representing the physical manifestation of the Buddhist path. The Tara Stupa will stand for generations as a place of peace, built through generosity, for the benefit of all and the community is now looking for ways to bring this unique Blakstad design to life. Please visit the organisation’s website to learn more.
