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About the Meditation

Meditation session led by Sharon Salzberg.

The guided meditation begins at 12:41.

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.

New York Insight Meditation Center

Related Artwork

Incense Burner; Kham Province, Eastern Tibet (possibly Derge area); 15th century; Damascened iron; Rubin Museum of Art; C2005.16.67a-b (HAR65490)

Incense burners, or censers, are used in all Buddhist cultures and denominations. The burning of incense takes place in both the home and temple, serving as an offering to the Buddha or various deities. This important ritual act is believed to clear the air of evil spirits and purify a space. Incense burners are usually placed on an altar with flowers and other offerings in front of the figure being venerated. Large incense containers are typically made of a metal such as bronze or copper and decorated with gilding or enamel details. The use of incense appears to stretch back to the beginning of human history. Incense is mentioned frequently in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date to the life of the Buddha.

About the Speaker

Sharon Salzberg

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.

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