Mindfulness Meditation · Reimagine
This week’s meditation session is led by Lama Aria Drolma and the theme is Reimagine. The guided meditation begins at 15:16.
Buddha Shakyamuni with Maitreya and Avalokiteshvara; Swat; 8th century; Bronze; 6 5/8 × 4 3/8 × 2 1/2 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2006.71.10
This exceptionally well-preserved sculpture dates from the eighth century. It was made in the Swat Valley, which is in today’s Pakistan. The central figure is Buddha Shakyamuni , the historic Buddha, in a position of repose. He is surrounded by Maitreya, the buddha of the future, who will usher in a golden age of peace and harmony, and Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, who has vowed to remain in the cycle of rebirth throughout time to work for the benefit of all beings.
Works of art from the western Himalayan region, encompassing Swat, Kashmir, and western Tibet are distinct. Characteristics of the Swat Valley style include sculptures with a lotus base and large petals. The style reached its peak between the sixth and ninth centuries. The most commonly depicted figures are Buddha Shakyamuni , Maitreya, and Avalokiteshvara, as seen here.
Lama Aria Drolma is an ordained Buddhist teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, who has completed over a decade of monastic study and meditation training. She is a graduate of the traditional Tibetan Buddhist retreat program spanning three years and three months, an advanced cloistered meditation training program at Palpung Thubten Choling Monastery, New York.
Lama Aria Drolma teaches worldwide, leading retreats, workshops, and corporate meditation programs and is a popular guest speaker at universities and organizations. She emphasizes Vajrayana Buddhism and Buddhist principles, making them relevant in our everyday lives, helping us to cultivate loving kindness and compassion, and bringing about a transformation of contentment and a genuine sense of well-being.
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