Mindfulness Meditation · Rebirth
This week’s meditation session is led by Elaine Retholtz and the theme is Rebirth. The guided meditation begins at 7:33.
Butter Lamp; Tibet; 18th - 20th century; Silver, turquoise; 5 1/2 × 4 1/8 × 4 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2011.13.8.2
Butter lamps can be found in virtually any Tibetan Buddhist temple or sacred site. This ornate example of a butter lamp is made of silver and contains turquoise. Butter lamps have an important role in daily offerings.
Butter lamps are also intended to focus the mind during meditation. Traditionally yak butter was burned inside of butter lamps. Today, especially in parts of the world where yak butter isn’t readily available, vegetable oil or ghee is often used. The light itself serves as a metaphor for illuminating awareness, just as meditation practice dispels the darkness of ignorance and leads to rebirth.
Elaine Retholtz has been studying and practicing the Dharma since 1988. In addition to teaching dharma at New York Insight, she is a certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher and a certified MBSR teacher trainer. She is deeply interested in helping students integrate mindfulness into daily life. Elaine is committed to deepening her own understanding of issues of diversity and the way racial conditioning in the United States affects all of us—both as individuals and in relation to the institutions we are a part of, including New York Insight. She’s been involved in New York Insight’s diversity efforts for many years.
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