Theme: Compassion
About the Meditation
Meditation session led by Sharon Salzberg.
The guided meditation begins at 14:45.
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 meditation session, and a closing discussion.
This program is supported with thanks to our presenting partners Sharon Salzberg, the Interdependence Project and Parabola Magazine.
Related Artwork
In Tantric Buddhism, the vajra is a symbol of the indestructible nature of the ultimate truth. It is considered synonymous with emptiness (sunyata), which is indestructible. The vajra is said to be superior to all things, as it is capable of destroying anything with which it comes into contact, yet it remains unaffected, much like a diamond. The bell has many important meanings in Buddhism. It is often used as a call to prayer, as a bell can be heard even at great distances. The ring of the bell can represent the heavenly enlightened voice of the Buddha teaching the dharma, and it can also be used as a call for protection and as a way to ward off evil spirits.
About the Speaker
Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Sharon’s latest book is Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection. She is a weekly columnist for On Being, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and the author of several other books including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. Sharon has been a regular participant in many onstage conversations at the Rubin.