Mindfulness Meditation · Change
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Change. The guided meditation begins at 12:37.
Lords of the Charnel Ground, Smashana Adipati; Tibet; 18th century; Painted terracotta; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2002.36.1
Here we see two skeleton lords of the charnel ground, brother and sister, animated by ecstatic dance and laughter, their festive demeanor expressing the joy of being free from attachment. The male and female figures are interdependent here, illustrating the interplay of masculine and feminine in all beings. The male sports a garland of freshly severed heads and holds a skeleton club and a skull bowl. In contrast, the female wears a garland of dried skulls and holds a staff and a golden vase. These skeleton lords support the practice of the deity Chakrasamvara and are revered as powerful protectors.
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.
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