This week’s meditation session is led by Rebecca Li and the theme is Interconnectedness. The guided meditation begins at 15:27.

The term mandala means “circle” or “center” in Sanskrit. A mandala serves as a symbolic map of a universe. Each quadrant of a mandala is associated with a different cardinal direction, color, and element. Mandalas often depict heavenly palaces, with a deity featured in the center. Mandalas are used during prayer and meditation by advanced practitioners of Buddhism.

The Sarvavid Vairochana Mandala features an outer circle surrounding a perfect square, and four quadrants placed around an inner circle. The mandala depicts the palace of the Sarvavid Vairochana deity. Sarvavid Vairochana’s retinue is around him. He is depicted with four faces. He is seated in a meditation posture. He is surrounded at the cardinal directions by four other buddhas.

These buddhas sit at the tips of the triangular quadrants, and together with Vairochana they represent the Buddhas of the Five Families or the Five Wisdom Buddhas. They help practitioners transform the five afflictive emotions of pride, anger, attachment, envy, and ignorance that cloud our worldview into the wisdoms and skills necessary to reach enlightenment. Awareness of our emotions reminds us of our interdependence on all beings and the interconnectedness of all life.