Mindfulness Meditation · Concentration
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Concentration.
Stupa; Tibet; 13th-14th century; Copper alloy; 13 7/8 × 6 1/4 × 6 1/4 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2003.21.1
The earliest monument in Buddhism, the stupa originally was a burial mound meant to hold relics of the Buddha. As time went on, the stupa began to symbolized the unwavering concentration of the Buddha’s mind and his presence in an iconic form. The stupa rests with the four corners of its base oriented in the cardinal directions with a long spire placed in the center jutting towards the heavens. The stability of the structure reminds practitioners of the ideal of concentration and how that particular trait can further one’s self along the path.
Sharon Salzberg, Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Her latest books are Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom and Finding Your Way: Meditations, Thoughts, and Wisdom for Living an Authentic Life. 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, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, 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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