Mindfulness Meditation · Balance
This week’s meditation session led by Jon Aaron and the theme is Balance. The guided meditation begins at 13:02.
Vajradhara; Tibet; 16th century; Copper alloy; 10 7/8 × 7 5/8 × 7 1/8 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Carlton Rochell; C2005.37.1
The name Vajradhara means the vajra holder or the vajra bearer. In Tibetan, Vajradhara is referred to as Dorje Chang. Vajradhara is the personification of the enlightened state. He is the primordial Buddha. Vajradhara is typically seated in a cross-legged position, as depicted here, with his two hands folded across his heart holding a vajra and a bell. The vajra and bell signify the union of all dualities. The vajra symbolizes compassion and the bell represents wisdom. The vajra is held in the right hand and the bell in the left. When the arms are crossed it symbolizes that the two forces are united, representing enlightenment. As we gaze upon Vajradhara may we be inspired to create a greater sense of balance between wisdom and compassion in our own lives.
Jon Aaron teaches meditation, Buddhist dharma, and is a Somatic Experience Practitioner® in New York City. He is well known as a teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as well as a trainer of new teachers of this seminal eight-week curriculum. Among his primary interests are the use of meditation and somatic work in healing trauma and working with individuals with chronic pain and grief. He has been teaching for the New York Police Department in an eight-hour intervention called Cultivating Mindfulness: expanding the capacity of mind and body to work with stress, anxiety, and trauma. He is a cofounder of the MBSR Teacher Collaborative of Greater New York and a founding member of the Global Mindfulness Collaborative, and is a long-time teacher at New York Insight Meditation Center. When the pandemic hit, along with his partner he cofounded Space2Meditate, an online community of meditators that is still going strong six days a week.
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