Mindfulness Meditation · Perspectives
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Perspectives. The guided meditation begins at 19:05.
Drum (Nga); Tibet; Mid-19th century; Wood, pigments, leather, metal; 8 3/4 × 42 3/4 × 22 1/8 in. (Drum)2 1/2 × 28 × 2 1/2 in. (Beater); Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Robert and Lois Bayils; SC2019.3.1a-b
The sound produced by this large, double-headed frame drum varies according to the type of ritual. It can be peaceful or wrathful depending on the character of the deity invoked. A musician holds the long handle in their left hand and strikes the middle of the drum with a curved stick using their right hand. The instrument is used frequently in rituals for wrathful deities, religious dances, and processions. The drum takes on metaphorical meaning within Buddhism, in which sharing the Buddha’s teachings is called “sounding the drum of the dharma.” This type of drum is often associated with the sound of rolling thunder, alluded to by the clouds and dragons painted on its frame.
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.
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