Mindfulness Meditation · Love
This week’s meditation session is led by Rebecca Li and the theme is Love. The guided meditation begins at 21:35.
Yogini Nairatmya; Tibet; 17th century; Gilt copper alloy, gems, and pigment; 6 5/8 × 4 5/8 × 3 7/8 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of the Nyingjei Lam Collection and Anna Maria and Fabio Rossi; C2018.3.1
Nairatmya, meaning the selfless one or egoless one, is a meditational deity and the consort of Hevajra. This depiction of Nairatmya is a stunning example of 17th-century Tibetan sculpture. Note the intricate level of detail and the embedded gemstones.
Nairatmya is adorned with a crown of skulls, and her serpentine necklace contains 50 skulls. She poses gracefully atop a corpse, which signifies her victory over the selfish mind. Having risen above the trappings of ego, Nairatmya is in a state of perpetual bliss.
Dr. Rebecca Li, a dharma heir in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen, is the founder and guiding teacher of Chan Dharma Community. She teaches meditation and dharma classes, gives public lectures, and leads retreats in North America and Europe. Li is the author of Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times, and her book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method was published by Shambhala Publications in 2023. She is a sociology professor and lives with her husband in New Jersey.
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