For the first week of The Rubin Daily Offering, meditation teacher and author Sharon Salzberg and Head of Programs Dawn Eshelman take inspiration from the revered Tibetan Buddhist deity Tara, who works for the benefit of all beings through her many forms.
Head of Programs Dawn Eshelman reintroduces Green Tara, known as the protectress from the eight great fears. The featured thangka, or scroll painting, is unique in its horizontal format.
Tara Protecting from the Eight Fears; Kham Province, Southeastern Tibet; late 19th - early 20th century; Pigments on cloth with silk brocade; 72 1/8 x 80 3/4 x 1 7/8 in. (183.2 x 205.1 x 4.8 cm); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Dr. Michael Henss, Zurich; C2014.8
Sharon Salzberg, Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Her latest books are Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom and Finding Your Way: Meditations, Thoughts, and Wisdom for Living an Authentic Life. She is a weekly columnist for On Being, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and the author of several other books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. Ms. Salzberg has been a regular participant in the Rubin’s many on-stage conversations and regards the Rubin as a supplemental office.
Dawn Eshelman was formerly head of programs at the Rubin Museum.
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