Mindfulness Meditation · Appreciation
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Appreciation. The guided meditation begins at 11:51.
Stupa; Tibet; 13th-14th century; Copper alloy; 13 7/8 × 6 1/4 × 6 1/4 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2003.21.1
The stupa is a symbol found across all Buddhist traditions. It originated in India as a mound made to hold sacred remains, but may also include objects associated with that person, such as clothes, as well as sacred texts, articles of worship, and figures made of clay and the ashes of the deceased (tsatsa). While a statue or painting of a buddha represents the divine body of an enlightened being and a book symbolizes divine speech, a stupa represents the mind of supreme spiritual awakening and is thus a symbol of buddhahood.
There are several different traditional types of stupa, and this metal sculpture is an example of a Kadam stupa and can be differentiated from other kinds of stupas by its bell-like shape. This style of stupa was introduced to Tibet by the Indian scholar Atisha (982–1054) in the mid-11th century.
Tracy Cochran has been a student and teacher of meditation and spiritual practice for decades. She is the founder of the Hudson River Sangha. In addition to offering meditation online, Tracy has taught mindfulness meditation and mindful writing at the Rubin Museum and the New York Insight Meditation Center, as well as in schools, corporations, and other venues worldwide. She is also a writer and the editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that seeks to bring timeless spiritual wisdom to the burning questions of the day.
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