Mindfulness Meditation · Rebirth
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Rebirth. The guided meditation begins at 16:11.
Wheel of Life; Tibet or Mongolia; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin; C2006.66.131
The Wheel of Life explains the concept of rebirth (samsara). The Lord of Death, Yama grips a wheel driven by three animals, representing the mental poisons—attachment (rooster), anger (snake), and ignorance (pig)—at its hub.
In the next circle from the center, people move upward to higher states of consciousness and downward to afflicted states. Their actions, polluted by the poisons, propel them in a continuous cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence, depicted in the large segments around the two inner circles. These are the realms of gods and demigods (top left), humans (top right), animals (lower left), hungry ghosts (lower right), and hells (bottom). As we behold the Wheel of Life, let’s reflect on how we can elevate our consciousness into a higher state of being.
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She was among the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 50 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of 14 books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Sharon’s podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed eight million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond.
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