Mindfulness Meditation · Impermanence
This week’s meditation session is led by Jon Aaron and the theme is Impermanence. The guided meditation begins at 11:14.
Six-armed Mahakala; Mongolia; 18th century; Silver and gilt copper alloy with semiprecious stones; 18 3/4 × 14 1/2 × 7 1/2 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2006.70.1a-f
Mahakala, the swift acting Lord of pristine awareness, is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Mahakala appears in many forms, depending on the school of Tibetan Buddhism. This six-armed form of Mahakala in this dynamic pose is one of the principal protectors of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, to which most Mongolians have adhered since the late 16th century. Mahakala has been a special object of veneration in Mongolia since the 13th century, when he served as the state protector of the Mongolian Empire.
One of Mahakala’s primary roles is to overcome obstacles to reaching enlightenment. This is visually manifested in this sculpture by his defeating the elephant-headed god, who represents wealth in Tibetan Buddhism. Wealth if not used properly can be one of the biggest obstacles in reaching enlightenment.
Jon Aaron teaches meditation, Buddhist dharma, and is a Somatic Experience Practitioner® in New York City. He is well known as a teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as well as a trainer of new teachers of this seminal eight-week curriculum. Among his primary interests are the use of meditation and somatic work in healing trauma and working with individuals with chronic pain and grief. He has been teaching for the New York Police Department in an eight-hour intervention called Cultivating Mindfulness: expanding the capacity of mind and body to work with stress, anxiety, and trauma. He is a cofounder of the MBSR Teacher Collaborative of Greater New York and a founding member of the Global Mindfulness Collaborative, and is a long-time teacher at New York Insight Meditation Center. When the pandemic hit, along with his partner he cofounded Space2Meditate, an online community of meditators that is still going strong six days a week.
Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.