Mindfulness Meditation · Lovingkindness
This week’s meditation session is led by Leslie Booker and the theme is Lovingkindness. The guided meditation begins at 28:05.
Wrathful Shrine Doors; Kham Region, Eastern Tibet; ca.19th century; Wood, cloth, pigments, gesso, varnish; 84 3/4 × 64 7/8 × 16 1/2 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Bob and Lois Baylis; C2014.3a-h
In Tibetan Buddhism wrathful deities such as Mahakala take on a fierce appearance to aid practitioners in eliminating obstacles. Their fierce compassion can be seen as a form of lovingkindness.
This wooden portal is likely to have stood at the entrance of a small shrine dedicated to Mahakala. The portal consists of two panels, which depict faces of Mahakala and offerings such as barley cakes (torma). The torma signifies an offering to the deity and indicates that there is restricted access to the chapel. The lintel and jamb have images of vajras and skulls—imagery commonly associated with the entrance of protector chapels. Protector deities often have their own shrines. As we behold the gateway to the shrine, let us reflect on how fierce compassion can serve as a catalyst for growth.
Leslie Booker is a heart-centered activist and meditation teacher focused on creating a culture of belonging. A coauthor of Practicing Liberation, she was a 2020 Sojourner Truth Leadership Fellow, graduated from Spirit Rock’s Teacher Training, and was voted by her peers as one of the 12 Powerful Women in the Mindfulness Movement. She now serves as guiding teacher of New York Insight.
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