Mindfulness Meditation · Awaken
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Awaken. The guided meditation begins at 11:25.
White Tara with Long Life Deities; Tibet; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; 27 3/8 x 18 1/4 in. (est.); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1996.32.5
According to Buddhist belief, at the moment of death we have an opportunity to attain an enlightened state of mind. But our own karma brings up various visions, including terrifying ones. If we do not recognize them as projections of our own mind, we cannot reach the enlightened state or a good rebirth. This painting depicts the deities described in a 14th-century text, The Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: The Profound Teachings of Self-Liberated Wisdom Mind, as well as the famous Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State. The teachings of this text allow practitioners to prepare and train their minds for this future eventuality. Often ritual specialists read these instructions to the deceased as the means of guiding them through the difficult process of transitioning to a future existence.
Tracy Cochran has taught meditation and spiritual practice for many years. She is a speaker and author whose most recent book, Presence: The Art of Being At Home in Yourself, was published by Shambhala Publications in 2024. Tracy is the founder and leading teacher of the Hudson River Sangha and has taught mindfulness and mindful writing at New York Insight, the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, and many other venues. In addition to serving as the editorial director of the acclaimed spiritual quarterly Parabola, her writings have appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, The Best Spiritual Writing series, Parabola, and many other publications and anthologies. For more about Tracy, please visit tracycochran.org and parabola.org.
Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.