Mindfulness Meditation · Equanimity
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Equanimity.
Panjarnatha Mahakala; Central Tibet; early 18th century, ca. 1720; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2001.1.4
Throughout Himalayan art, people often encounter not only majestic peaceful deities but also demonic looking wrathful deities as well. In fact each peaceful deity has a wrathful opposite. Though they look evil in nature, they are actually meant to scare away anything that could possibly harm you. Dynamic in their posture doing what is essentially a warriors pose, they also represent the innate power within us all to harness negative emotions and use them to produce a state of equanimity. Lastly many Wrathful Deities can be seen trampling on figures representing an active destruction of the ego.
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.
Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.