Mindfulness Meditation · Compassion
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Compassion. The guided meditation begins at 17:19.
Green Tara as Protectress from the Eight Fears; Bhutan; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2006.42.12
Tara is one of the most popular female deities in Tibetan culture. She is particularly associated with protecting from a group of calamities known as the Eight Fears. Tara is a meditation deity revered by practitioners of the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop certain inner qualities and to understand outer, inner and secret teachings such as compassion, loving-kindness, and emptiness. Tara may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattvas are often considered personifications of Buddhist methods.
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She was among the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 50 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of 14 books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Sharon’s podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed eight million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond.
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