About the MeditationAbout the Meditation

This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Resilience. The guided meditation begins at 18:22.

Related ArtworkRelated Artwork

Mandala of Amoghapasha; Northern Nepal or Tsang Province, Central Tibet; 15th century; Pigments on cloth; 13 5/8 × 11 5/8 in. (estimated); Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2004.15.1

Amoghapasa, which means unfailing lasso, refers to an unwavering compassion like a lasso that brings all sentient beings out of suffering and into a state of happiness leading to enlightenment. Although the deity Amoghapasha gives this mandala its name, the central deity in this painting is the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the earthly manifestation of the self-born eternal Buddha Amitabha. Avalokiteshvara supremely exemplifies the bodhisattva’s resolve to postpone his own buddhahood until he has helped every sentient being on earth achieve liberation from suffering and the cycle of death and rebirth.

Headshot of Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Her latest book is Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. 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, 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 December 5, 2020
PodcastsMindfulness Meditation

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