Mindfulness Meditation · Awaken
This week’s meditation session is led by Lama Aria Drolma and the theme is Awaken. The guided meditation begins at 17:48.
Avalokiteshvara in his Potala Pure Land; Tibet; late 18th–early 19th century; Pigments on cloth, silk brocade, cotton backing; 46 1/8 x 26 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. (117.2 x 67.3 x 3.8 cm); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin; C2012.4.5
Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion and the patron deity of Tibet, presides over his celestial dwelling of Mount Potalaka, believed to be an island off the coast of western India. Adorned in silks and jewels, the four-armed Avalokiteshvara holds crystal rosary beads in his upper right hand and a lotus flower in his upper left, both signifying purity. His other pair of hands is folded at the heart in a gesture of salutation. Green Tara, savior from fears, is seated in her pure realm of Sandalwood Grove in the lower left corner, and in the lower right is Padmapani, another form of Avalokiteshvara. Both are deities closely related to the central figure.
Unique details punctuate this resplendent scene. Tiny figures climb the rope and cross the bridge toward Potalaka, representing the wish of Buddhists to attain rebirth in this realm, and a self-arisen image of Avalokiteshvara carved in a rock formation appears in front of the open gate. The silk brocade border reinforces the vivid colors and the images of the painting, extending outward to invite viewers to enter the pure realm themselves.
Lama Aria Drolma is an ordained Buddhist teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, who has completed over a decade of monastic study and meditation training. She is a graduate of the traditional Tibetan Buddhist retreat program spanning three years and three months, an advanced cloistered meditation training program at Palpung Thubten Choling Monastery, New York.
Lama Aria Drolma teaches worldwide, leading retreats, workshops, and corporate meditation programs and is a popular guest speaker at universities and organizations. She emphasizes Vajrayana Buddhism and Buddhist principles, making them relevant in our everyday lives, helping us to cultivate loving kindness and compassion, and bringing about a transformation of contentment and a genuine sense of well-being.
Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.