Election Exhale

Have you been glued to the debates on television? Spending hours calling voters? Or are you simply counting down the days until it’s all over?

The presidential election has captivated our collective attention, and no matter the outcome, the election on November 8 will bring the anticipation to an end. It’s a great time to take a breath.

Join us on Wednesday, November 9, to pause, recharge, and reflect in a special “election exhale” session of the Museum’s mindfulness meditation program led by Kate Johnson.

Can’t make it to the Museum? Join our Facebook livestream and meditate with us from anywhere.

About Mindfulness Meditation

For centuries Himalayan practitioners have used meditation to quiet the mind, open the heart, calm the nervous system, and increase focus. Now Western scientists, business leaders, and the secular world have embraced meditation as a vital tool for brain health.

Whether you’re a beginner, a dabbler, or a skilled meditator seeking the company of others, join expert teachers in a forty-five-minute weekly program designed to fit into your lunch break. Each session will be inspired by a different work of art from the Rubin Museum’s collection and will include an opening talk, a twenty-minute sitting session, and a closing discussion. Chairs will be provided.

Presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg and the Interdependence Project.

Watch the livestream below:

Featured Artwork

 

The election is over, and it’s time to exhale and close the gap between ourselves and our political opponents. Above is an image of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in arguably his most spectacular form. He stands with eleven11 heads and a thousand arms fanning out like a white halo around him. On each palm there is an eye so that he can see and help all beings with their suffering. His spiritual “father,” Buddha Amitabha, gave Avalokiteshvara this form after the bodhisattva broke his vow to never have a selfish thought again, causing him to explode. Coming back together, Avalokiteshvara could now help more beings than ever before, demonstrating the power of unity in the face of doubt. His compassion does not discriminate and extends to all beings, regardless of their political leanings.

About the Speaker

Kate Johnson works at the intersections of spiritual practice, social action, and creative expression. She teaches mindful yoga in NYC public schools, teaches Buddhist meditation at the Interdependence Project, and facilitates an embodied approach to organizational and leadership development for social change agents and communities. Johnson holds a BFA in dance from the Alvin Ailey School/Fordham University and a MA in performance studies from NYU. She has trained at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project, Laughing Lotus Yoga, and the Presencing Institute. She is working on a book about waking up to power and oppression as a spiritual practice, to be published by Parallax Press in fall 2017.