Mindfulness Meditation · Liberation
This week’s meditation session is led by Swami Chidananda and the theme is Liberation. The guided meditation begins at 14:34.
Wheel of Life; Tibet; early 20th century; Pigments on cloth; 65 5/8 × 40 3/4 × 1 1/2 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2004.21.1
This diagram summarizes the Buddha’s enlightening vision under the bodhi tree. It explains the cyclical process of life, death, and rebirth (samsara). The Lord of Death, Yama, grips a wheel driven by three animals representing the mental poisons—attachment (rooster), anger (snake), and ignorance (pig)—at its hub.
When the Buddha comprehended its structure and dynamics of this cycle, he was also able to discern a pathway out of it that others can learn and follow. This is why the Buddha appears both outside the wheel, at the upper right, and within it, pointing the way out by teaching the Dharma.
Swami Chidananda is a spiritual educator and monk initiated in the Vedic Hari Bhakta lineage, holding the distinguished title of Swami. Through the study of scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Swami has gained a deep understanding of the science of yoga and has devoted his life to helping others on their inner journey.
Before entering the spiritual path, he had a successful career as an investment banker and entrepreneur. Now he uses his experiences to convey the ancient yoga systems in a relatable and accessible way for those seeking to reconcile Western and Eastern philosophies. Learn more by listening to his podcast, The Path of a Swami.
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