This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Being Whole.
Swirling out of intricate clouds is a great nagaraja, or “serpent king,” wearing a crown, earrings, and a hood of three snakes. In both Nepal and Tibet, naga, or serpents, are considered extremely powerful beings that can either help or harm people. Looking closely at this work, it’s most likely that it used to be part of a large throne back, a fraction of a whole. What gives away this sculpture’s status as a fragment are the talons that grip the flying naga’s hip. These talons likely belonged to a now missing depiction of Garuda, king of the birds, who is often shown grabbing naga in throne back decorations.
Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Her latest book is Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. 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. Ms. Salzberg has been a regular participant in the Rubin’s many on-stage conversations and regards the Rubin as a supplemental office.
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