Mindfulness Meditation · Mandala
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Mandala. The guided meditation begins at 14:03.
Mandala of Guhyasamaja-Akshobhyavajra; Tibet; 14th century; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1997.43.1
Derived from the Sakya lineage, this mandala is focused on the meditational deity Guhyasamaja, who is a form of Akshobhyavajra, the Unshakable Vajra. He and the deities who surround him are the so-called directional buddhas, with Vairochana in the east, Ratnasambhava in the south, Amitabha in the west, and Amoghasiddhi in the north. They represent the enlightened qualities and wisdoms of the five constituents of the human body and mind, which practitioners develop through the practices of visualization, meditation, and ritual.
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.
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