Mindfulness Meditation · Generosity
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Generosity. The guided meditation begins at 13:00.
White Tara with Long Life Deities; Tibet; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1996.32.5
White Tara is emblematic of generosity. She watches over all sentient beings with compassion—her hand extended in a gesture of giving reminds us that true generosity flows from awareness, nurturing harmony across worlds.
As a female buddha, Tara works for the benefit of all beings and has 21 manifestations. Her form portrayed here, known as White Tara, bestows longevity. Tara’s right hand is in the gesture of infinite generosity, while her left hand holds the stem of a pure white lotus.
The reverse side of the painting contains a depiction of a stupa and the handprints of a Buddhist master. Inside the stupa are prayers and dedications written in gold. The inscription reveals that the painting was commissioned by Yeshe Lopsang Tenpa, likely the Eighth Tatsak Rinpoche, who lived from 1760 until 1810, and the handprints on the back of the painting may be his own. Taking refuge in Tara, he dedicates the merit of the painting’s creation to preventing untimely death and danger for all sentient beings and asks to bestow the blessings of a long and auspicious life.
Tracy Cochran has taught meditation and spiritual practice for many years. She is a speaker and author whose most recent book, Presence: The Art of Being At Home in Yourself, was published by Shambhala Publications in 2024. Tracy is the founder and leading teacher of the Hudson River Sangha and has taught mindfulness and mindful writing at New York Insight, the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, and many other venues. In addition to serving as the editorial director of the acclaimed spiritual quarterly Parabola, her writings have appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, The Best Spiritual Writing series, Parabola, and many other publications and anthologies. For more about Tracy, please visit tracycochran.org and parabola.org.
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