Mindfulness Meditation · Giving
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Giving.
Sitatapatra; Tibet; dated 1864; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1996.18.1
Sita Tapatra, the Universal White Parasol, stands with one thousand legs, arms, and faces. Like a parasol that offers shelter from the sun, Sita Tapatra gives her protection to all beings. She tramples on a horde of animals and people, demonstrating her power to overcome obstacles. The eyes situated all over her body represent her ability to see all the suffering of the world. With her all-powerful spirit, Sita Tapatra can inspire us to dedicate ourselves completely to protecting the needs of the world.
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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