Mindfulness Meditation · Gratitude
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Gratitude. The guided meditation begins at 14:38.
Shadakshari Lokeshvara; Western Tibet; 15th century; Pigments on cloth; 19 7/8 x 16 7/8 x 2 1/4 in. (50.5 x 42.9 x 5.7 cm); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of John C. Rezk; C2010.11
This is a portrait of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Avalokiteshvara is known to be the patron deity of Tibet. He appears in many forms, including peaceful and wrathful, with four or six arms, one thousand hands and eyes, and eleven heads.
Depicted here is Avalokiteshvara with four arms. In this relatively simple form, he is known as Shadakshari Lokeshvara. His elongated eyes, small defined chin, and narrow waist are characteristic features of Kashmiri-style painting in Tibet. The distinctive clothing of the patrons in the bottom-right corner, including uniquely striped pants and a white cape, help identify this painting as being from western Tibet.
This painting is relatively small in scale, as it was intended as a personal icon. Objects of devotion such as this one help practitioners to deepen their sense of gratitude.
Tracy Cochran has been a student and teacher of meditation and spiritual practice for decades. She is the founder of the Hudson River Sangha. In addition to offering meditation online, Tracy has taught mindfulness meditation and mindful writing at the Rubin Museum and the New York Insight Meditation Center, as well as in schools, corporations, and other venues worldwide. She is also a writer and the editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that seeks to bring timeless spiritual wisdom to the burning questions of the day.
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