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.

Related Artwork

Manjushri Namasamgiti Tibet; 19th century Metal alloy Rubin Museum of Art Gift of Shelly and Donald Rubin C2013.9a-c

Theme: Wise Effort

Part of our Nepalese Seasons show, this Manjushri sculpture from the 15th century is a bit unusual. He doesn’t hold Manjushri’s sword or a book like normal, and he sits in the pose of royal his with his right leg extended. Though he doesn’t have his sword to sever attachments, he is still actively dispelling ignorance in this sculpture. His hands rest in front of his heart in a gesture of “turning the wheel,” a metaphor for expounding universal truth. In Buddhism, teaching is the best thing one can do since ultimately you are helping all beings alleviate their pain. What better activity for the Bodhisattva of Wisdom?

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.