Mindfulness Meditation With Rebecca Li 06/07/2021

The Rubin Museum of Art presents a weekly meditation session led by a meditation teacher from the area, with each session focusing on a specific work of art. This podcast is a recording of a Mindfulness Meditation online session and a 20-minute sitting session, and a closing discussion. The guided practice begins at 19:44.

Transcript

Welcome to the mindfulness meditation podcast presented by the Rubin Museum of Art.

We are a museum in Chelsea,

New York City that connects visitors to the art and ideas of the Himalayas and serves as a space for reflection and personal transformation.

I'm your host,

Dawn Eshelman.

Every Monday we present a meditation session inspired by a different artwork from the Rubin Museum's collection and led by a prominent meditation teacher from the New York area.

This podcast is a recording of our weekly practice currently held virtually.

In the description for each episode,

You will find information about the theme for that week's session,

Including an image of the related artwork.

Our mindfulness meditation podcast is presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg and teachers from the New York Insight Meditation Center,

The Interdependence Project,

And Parabola Magazine.

And now,

Please enjoy your practice.

Hi,

Everybody.

Welcome to the Rubin Museum of Art and to our weekly mindfulness meditation practice.

My name is Dawn Eshelman.

Great to be here with you.

We are a museum of Himalayan art and ideas in New York City for those of you who are new to us.

And thank you for joining us for our weekly program where we combine art and meditation online.

The museum is open right now to all,

And our staff on the ground is taking such good care of our visitors who come in.

It's a really beautiful time to visit the museum if that's a possibility,

Interest for you.

You can book your tickets ahead of time and then come and spend time with not only our collection,

But the beautiful exhibition on view right now called Awaken,

A Tibetan Buddhist journey toward enlightenment,

Which explores the steps and the journey of self-knowledge and transformation from chaos,

Facing chaos,

To awakening and everything in between.

So we're taking our themes,

Our monthly themes for our meditation from this exhibition.

And another thing that's come from this exhibition is a brand new podcast.

It is called Awaken,

Just like the exhibition,

And it launches tomorrow.

We're really excited about it.

So please go and check it out.

It really broadens the conversation around what awakening means to people from different walks of life and different religious and spiritual backgrounds.

It's a beautiful,

Intimate experience.

I hope you will check it out.

It's on iTunes.

You can leave us a five-star review.

That would be awesome.

It's just been such a labor of love and exciting to finally launch this.

So today,

As we always do,

We will take a look at a work of art from our collection.

We'll hear a brief talk from our teacher today,

Rebecca Lee,

And then we'll sit together for 15 or 20 minutes for our meditation guided by Rebecca.

We'll take a look at the art together and I'll tell you about the theme that we're exploring this month.

So this is the majestic Manjushri.

This is from Nepal,

17th century.

And if you know anything about Manjushri,

You might be able to guess our theme for this month.

This is an aspect of being,

Of awareness that is crucial for enlightenment and its wisdom.

So Manjushri is one of the most important iconic figures in Mahayana Buddhism and is known as the Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom.

This is a tantric Bodhisattva and this form is the focus of practice in all of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

In his hand and behind him there is a sword.

The sword is a symbol of discriminating wisdom.

So often you will see Manjushri holding a sword or with a sword nearby.

And I think for some folks who are less familiar with the Buddhist iconography,

Especially Tibetan Buddhist iconography,

It can be a surprise.

What's this weapon doing here in this statue that is supposed to depict wisdom?

But in fact,

This is a symbol.

The sword is a symbol for cutting through delusions,

Aversions,

Attachments,

And all of the things that trap us in our dualistic world of samsara and suffering.

So with that in mind,

And for a little bit more on wisdom and what that has to do with our meditation practice,

Here is Rebecca Lee.

Dr.

Rebecca Lee is a Dharma heir in the lineage of Chiang Master Sheng Yan and is the founder and guiding teacher of Chiang Dharma community.

And she started practicing with Master Sheng Yan in the nineties and served as his translator until his passing in 2009.

She later trained with and received full Dharma transmission from one of his Dharma heirs,

Dr.

Simon Child in 2016.

Currently she teaches meditation and Dharma classes,

Giving public lectures and leading retreats in North America and the UK.

And you can find out all about her work and her writing at rebeccalee.

Org.

She is also a sociology professor at the College of New Jersey,

Where she serves as faculty director at the Allen Dye Center for the Study of Social Justice.

Her new book,

Which came from her teachings with her students is called Allow Joy into Our Hearts,

Chan Practice in Uncertain Times.

Here is Rebecca Lee.

Good afternoon.

So lovely to be practicing with you today.

I'd like to talk about this month's theme with you,

Wisdom.

Course wisdom is a very important part of our practice in Buddhism.

We're here to practice to cultivate wisdom,

To help us suffer less so that we can also have more compassion for everyone,

Including ourselves.

I'd like to share with you these two sentences from my root teacher,

Master Sheng Yan,

That has been very,

Very helpful for me.

They go like this.

With wisdom,

Vexation does not arise.

With compassion,

There is no enemy.

So I'd like to focus on the first sentence here,

Since it's the theme.

Here the sentence,

With wisdom,

Vexation does not arrive,

Refers to the fact that wisdom manifests when we remember to be fully here in each emerging present moment.

That can be facilitated by our meditative practice,

To help us settle the mind,

Which is usually confused by the agitations caused by our reactivity,

Our habits of reacting to situations with our habitual tendencies of aversion or craving.

As the mind settles down,

There is this clarity that emerges,

Or you can say,

Allowing,

The mind's allowed into this clarity that allows us to see what is going on in this present moment,

Actually.

Without this clarity,

Very often instead,

We will fall into this habit of believing that something just happened out of the blue,

And this something that's happening out of the blue is here to make me miserable,

Or to take away what I loved to be able to keep.

So whatever's happening is my enemy,

I don't want it.

So aversion or craving to keep what we want to keep.

Forgetting that every moment is coming together of many causes and conditions,

And thus impermanent.

With this clarity,

We can remember,

We can remember the true nature of reality is that every moment is the coming together of many,

Many causes and conditions.

Things don't happen out of the blue.

It also helps us unlearn the unhelpful habit of taking things for granted.

So let's use the example of what we often encounter in our daily life.

Like what happens on the roads in what we call traffic,

With cars moving around that allow us to go from one place to another.

Either we are driving a car,

We're riding in a car.

And traffic happens smoothly when vehicles are able to function properly because they were maintained mechanically.

The weather conditions is helpful for everyone to be able to drive around safely.

Also when everyone who's driving the car or vehicles is paying attention to the road condition and navigating safely in the traffic.

That's when traffic moves smoothly.

We often don't think much of it,

Sort of take it for granted.

But if we really think about all the causes and conditions that come together for that to happen,

We recognize what a miracle it is.

Of course,

Until we get stuck in the traffic jam,

Perhaps because of some kind of accident.

Now we call them accidents and we often experience them as something that came out of the blue.

And they're here to make my life miserable or at least inconvenient.

But really,

It is a moment of that's the coming together of causes and conditions such as,

For example,

Weather conditions that perhaps then lead to certain vehicles who already have some mechanical issues or not very good tires to run into trouble.

And perhaps also other conditions,

Maybe drivers who got distracted perhaps by what's going on in the car,

What they were listening to,

What their mind wander off.

Things that we do quite often ourselves and all these conditions,

Causes and conditions coming together.

Vehicles they run into each other,

We call them accident.

Of course,

Then the cars are stopped so that the police officers could clean up the site and allow people involved to emerge from it safely.

So I use this example to illustrate how every moment is the coming together of many causes and conditions.

They're not fixed.

And when we don't pay attention to them,

We sort of take them for granted.

So they are really not there to happening,

Directed at us,

Doing the things being done to us.

However,

Our habit is to perceive the present moment as something happening to me,

Forgetting the true nature of reality,

That all is a flow of changing causes and conditions coming together.

With clear awareness from settled mind,

Then we're able to remember that it is all causes and conditions,

And then we'll be able to remember that what is happening is already here,

The coming together of causes and conditions.

We really can't change it.

And so there is no need in getting agitated by hating what is happening,

Getting all upset that will only cause unnecessary suffering.

And also when the mind is not consumed by this frustration and agitation,

There is this clarity of what we can do and what we cannot do.

So when we can see clearly what we can do,

Then we can just do it.

So again,

Staying with this example of being in congested role,

For example,

When our mind is not consumed by anger and frustration,

Thinking that this is happening to me,

The world is against me,

Then instead we'll be able to see clearly that perhaps I can look for an alternate route,

And maybe we can see that we are very close to an exit that will allow us to leave this congested area and take a different road.

That's what clarity allows us to see and seize the opportunity.

And when our mind is consumed with frustration and anger,

We may very likely forget to check alternate route and not see an exit coming up for us.

And we can also see clearly what we cannot do at this moment and accept the situation and perhaps make the necessary adjustments to minimize the potential problems or inconveniences caused by the current situation.

So for example,

When we find that,

Okay,

Well,

Like I've checked and there is no alternate route or there's no way to exit this road,

Sometimes when we are on a highway,

Then we just accept that there's not much we can do in this situation,

But we can,

With this clarity,

We'll be able to see how well,

Who is going to be affected by this delay,

For example,

In my arrival to my destination.

We can make appropriate arrangements to minimize the inconveniences or some adjustment in the plan when we arrive.

So that way we do everything we can do and accept the situation and without making ourselves more miserable than needed,

Perhaps by worrying about what people would feel about us being late because we've done everything we could.

With this acceptance of the moment,

Then we can relax into each emerging present moment,

Enjoying the moment as it is,

Or what I often do is to follow my teacher's teaching,

Is to see this as a new experience.

I haven't been in a traffic jam like this before,

So let me be fully here.

And so when we have this clarity from a settled mind,

Without,

Instead of giving rise to,

Of exations,

We're able to see the many ways we cause ourselves unnecessary suffering and refrain from doing more of it,

Not perpetuate the habit of giving rise to exations.

And in this moment,

We may be able to see more subtle habits that's not obvious to us when the mind's agitated.

For example,

We may be able to see we have habits of self disparaging or some kind of self-centered attachment in the form of,

For example,

Ah,

It's all my fault.

I should have left the house earlier.

Now I'm stuck in this traffic that I could have avoided.

And now I'm going to be late and it's probably the universe punishing me.

So of course,

This is another form of agitated mind by seeing that the universe is against you,

That it's not punishing you because of one thing you did.

So beware of unhelpful habits like this.

Now,

Of course,

It's true that what we did in past moments did play a role,

Some part,

In shaping the present moment.

Of course,

It's true if you left the house earlier,

You might have been in different traffic conditions,

But we have no idea what might have happened.

And so the key is that when we think like that,

That it's all my fault.

We're actually forgetting that every moment is the coming together of many causes and conditions.

And what we did was only part of the causes and conditions.

And so what still it is helpful to recognize the part we have played so we can take responsibility for our part,

Recognize perhaps a mistake or things we could have done differently,

We could do differently next time and learn from it and we can grow in these situations.

So we can see that through practice,

These unhelpful habits of vexations can be unlearned and released as we see clearly how they cause unnecessary suffering.

Because when we see them clearly,

Then we can choose not to give rise to them,

Not to perpetuate them.

It presents us with many challenges already with sickness of ourselves and loved ones,

A difficulty in our relationships,

For example.

With the meditative practice we do here to cultivate clear awareness of moment to moment unfolding of what is happening in our body,

Relationships and our surrounding,

We are able to handle the situation more skillfully and come up with appropriate solution that does not cause ourselves or others suffering.

We also can have the clarity and humility to accept what cannot be done.

And in this way,

We do not cause unnecessary suffering and can live in accordance with wisdom.

And with wisdom,

We also allow compassion to arise so that we do not cause harm to ourselves and others.

So let's practice together when we engage in mindfulness meditation practice.

So I'd like to invite you to relax your body,

Setting up your body in a comfortable position conducive to stability and comfort and relaxation.

And I take you through and hold body relaxation.

Feel the relaxation of the top of the head.

I'd like to see if we're holding tension in the crown by habit and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

Feel the relaxation spread to the forehead.

Check to see if we're holding tension in this area by habit,

Maybe from worrying and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away and feel the relaxation spread to the eyeballs and eye muscles.

We hold a lot of tension in these muscles from all the comparing,

Judging,

Analyzing,

Planning in our daily life.

Right here,

Right now,

There is no need to do that.

We can give these muscles a vacation and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

Feel the relaxation spread to the facial muscles.

Check to see if we're holding tension in these muscles by habit,

Perhaps to hold a certain facial expression for the world to see.

Right here,

Right now,

There is no need to do that.

We can give these muscles a vacation and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away and feel the relaxation spread to the entire head.

And feel the relaxation spread down the neck muscles.

Really experience subtle sensations of these muscles softening like melting butter as we allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

And feel the relaxation spread down the shoulder muscles and down the arms to the forearms and all the way down to the fingertips.

And feel the relaxation spread to the chest area.

Check to see if we're holding tension in this area by habit,

Maybe from anxiety,

Sadness,

Grief,

Sorrow,

Fear.

Right here,

Right now,

We can give them a rest and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

And feel the relaxation spread down the torso all the way down to the lower abdomen.

We tend to hold a lot of tension in these muscles in our daily life by habit.

Trust that the skeletal structure can hold up the body.

These muscles do not need to work so hard.

We can give them a vacation too and allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

And feel the relaxation spread to the upper back.

Directly experience the subtle sensations of the muscles between the shoulder blades softening.

As we allow,

Allow the tension to melt away.

And feel the relaxation spread down the back to the lower back and all the way down to the buttocks where we can feel the sensations of the body sitting on a chair or cushion.

And feel the relaxation spread down the thigh muscles,

Down the legs,

All the way down to the toes.

And feel the relaxation of the entire body sitting right here,

Right now,

Moment after moment with this clear awareness.

And we notice the subtle changing sensations of the body breathing.

We can rest our attention gently on the subtle changing sensations of the body breathing moment after moment to anchor our mind to the present moment.

Allow the body to breathe on its own.

The body knows how to breathe.

It's been doing so since the moment we were born.

And if we notice the mind drifting off,

Losing contact with the changing sensations of the body breathing,

Not a problem.

Use that as an opportunity to practice remembering,

Remembering to come back,

To reconnect with the subtle changing sensations of the body breathing.

It doesn't matter how often or how long the mind drifts off,

As long as we come back,

Or to come back eventually,

We are practicing well.

And if we notice thoughts coming through,

Memories,

Images,

Emotions,

Allow them to be here.

We are already here,

Part of the present moment.

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to move on.

There's no need to push them out.

Moment after moment,

Allow,

Allow the mind to settle into clarity.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

And when they are ready to move on,

Allow them to be seen and heard and fully experienced.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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