This week’s meditation session is led by Michel Pascal and the theme is Impermanence. The guided meditation begins at 21:44.

This ornate sculpture depicts a naga, a serpent spirit associated with bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and seas. The graceful movement of the figure evokes the flowing of the waves. There are three serpent heads atop the crown of the naga depicted in this sculpture. The slithering serpents juxtaposed with the elegant figure underscore that nagas can be helpful or harmful.

There is a rich tradition of stories and rituals involving nagas within Hinduism and Buddhism. These tales often incorporate indigenous religious understandings of water or serpent spirits. In Indian religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, nagas are believed to control rain, and therefore agricultural prosperity. A female naga is called a “nagini,” while the kings of the nagas are called “nagarajas.”

The undulating flow of the sculpture reminds us that life is often in a state of flux. By yielding to the ebbs and flows instead of resisting them we attain a greater sense of peace and contentment.