About the MeditationAbout the Meditation

This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Interdependence. The guided meditation begins at 11:51.

Related ArtworkRelated Artwork

Stories of Previous Lives of the Buddha (Jataka); Tibet; 18th century; Pigments on cloth; 63 1/4 x 34 1/4 x 1/2 in. (160.7 x 87 x 1.3 cm); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2007.33.1

Tales of Buddha Shakyamuni’s past lives are some of the most well-known narratives in Himalayan cultures. They are often presented across a series of paintings, with each painting illustrating several narratives from the whole collection of stories. The narrative scenes are usually arranged around a central image of the Buddha and visually separated by landscape elements. The traditional set of tales includes the stories of the Buddha’s previous lives as a bodhisattva, king, merchant, and animal.

Headshot of Sharon Salzberg

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.

Published July 1, 2023
PodcastsMindfulness Meditation

Sign up for our emails

Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.

Discover artworks, articles, and more by typing a search term above, selecting a term below, or exploring common concepts in Himalayan art.