Mindfulness Meditation Podcast - Mindfulness Meditation with Lavina Shamdasani

Episode Date: February 13, 2026

The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art presents a weekly meditation for beginners and skilled meditators alike. Each episode is inspired by a different work of art from the Museum’s collection and is led by a prominent meditation teacher.The episode begins with an opening talk followed by a 20-minute meditation. In this episode, the guided meditation begins at 8:20.Teacher: Lavina Shamdasani Theme:  Loving FutureNamkhai Nyingpo Performing a Long-Life Ritual; Kham region, eastern Tibet; 19th century; pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin; C2006.66.20Learn more about the Rubin’s work around the world at rubinmuseum.org.

Welcome to the Mindfulness Meditation Podcast, presented by the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, a global museum dedicated to bringing greater awareness and understanding of Himalayan art to people around the world. I'm your host, Tashi Children. Every week, we offer a meditation session that draws inspiration from an artwork from the Rubin's collection and is led by a prominent meditation teacher. You can find more information about the related artwork. work in the episode description. Our Mindfulness Meditation Podcast is presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg

and teachers from the New York Insight Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project, and supported by the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism. And now, please enjoy your practice. Hello, and Tashi Delak. Welcome to the Rupin Museum of Himalayan Arts Mindfulness Meditation Program. I'm Tashi Chudun, Himalayan Programs and Communities Ambassador, and I'm delighted to be a host today. The Rubin is a global museum dedicated to presenting Himalayan art and its insights, and we're so glad to have all of you join us for our weekly program, where we combine art and meditation.

Inspired by our collection, we will first take a deep look at the work of art we've chosen for today. We will then hear a brief talk from our teacher, Lavinasham Dasani. and then we will have a short sit, 15 to 20 minutes for the meditation guided by her. This painting honors one of the 25 disciples of Padmasabawa Namke Nyingpo. Padma Sambava is revered for bringing the wisdom of Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century of the common era. Namkei Nyingpo and his fellow disciple, Jalwa Changchup, transcribed and concealed the biography of Yeshitsychegel, Padmasabava's concert and foremost disciple.

This biography was revealed in the 17th century by Taksham Nudan Doreje. Namke Nyingpo is dressed in monastic robes and holding an arrow symbolizing longevity in his right hand. To his right is a ritual space arrayed with the materials he will use while performing a long-life ritual. This assemblage centers on a sacred circle or mandala, a long-life vase adorn with peacock feathers, rests atop the mandala. Emanating out of this divine structure are the array of immortality deities invoked in the long-life ritual. They are depicted on the upper left register of the painting.

This style of painting was popular in the calm region of eastern Tibet in the 19th century. Now, let's bring on our teacher for today. Our teacher is Lavinasham Dassani. Lavinasham Dassani is a certified compassion teacher through the Compassion Institute and Stanford University. She has taught programs focused on mindfulness, compassion, joy and gratitude, and led book club discussions and meditations for over five years.

Lavina studied positive psychology coaching at the Whole Being Institute and helps clients transform their lives and meet their personal and professional goals. Find Lavena at Souljoy by lavena.com. Lavinah, thank you so much for being here. Thank you, Tashi, for that warm welcome. And thank you to the Rubin Museum for inviting me back today

into the sacred space of mindfulness meditation. And thank you to all of you who are tuning in to practice together. The beautiful description Tashi offered is about the renowned master Namkai Nyingpo performing a long-life ritual on behalf of others. The whole composition is about putting energy into someone else's future, using ritual, imagination, and community effort so that another person's remaining years can be extended and filled. with possibility. When we look at the world today,

it can be difficult to imagine a peaceful future. We are constantly confronted with conflict, division, and uncertainty. And while it's important not to turn away from suffering, it's also important not to let suffering define our entire vision of what is possible. In Buddhism, there is a recurring image of a future age of peace and harmony.

Often associated with Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Maitria reminds us not to wait for rescue from outside our lives. ourselves, but that the future is indeed shaped by our present, by the minds and hearts we cultivate now. We might ask, what kind of future are we rehearsing in our own minds each day? Are we strengthening fear and separation? Or are we strengthening care and understanding? The idea of a loving future, the theme for this month

does not deny the difficulties of the present moment rather it just helps us imagine a future of peace, compassion, and love. A loving future is built moment by moment through our current action if we all took the time to bring positivity into our daily moments. This world would automatically transform into a positive place.

Think about how we listen, how we speak, how we respond to pain, and how we care for ourselves and others. every small act of mindfulness and compassion has a rippling effect. Let us not get overwhelmed by the negativity that surrounds us and let us stay the course of cultivating these small acts

of kindness and compassion to create a better future to create the conditions for a loving future. And now let us take the time to practice together along the themes of loving future. I invite you to settle into a comfortable position, remaining upright and yet relaxed, inviting you to either lower your gaze or close your eyes and beginning with a few natural breaths. No need to change your breath. Simply letting your body breathe as it would normally.

Noticing the breath as it comes and goes. Feeling the support. beneath you, whether you're sitting on a chair or grounded by the floor and feeling the weight of your body, meeting the support beneath you. Let the shoulder soften, let your body and mind arrive fully in this moment. And now bring your attention gently to the area of your heart's center, notice any sensations present, openness, or perhaps a feeling of tightness. Whatever arises for you, simply meet it with unconditional love. This is a moment to simply be nothing to change and nothing to fix. Now begin.

to imagine a future shaped by love and compassion. Not a perfect world, but one where understanding is more prevalent than fear, where people pause before causing harm, where care for one another and for the earth is valued. Let this vision be gentle and spacious and perhaps recall a time in the recent few days where someone offered you a moment, a simple moment of kindness and compassion, a warm smile, a listening ear, a kind gesture asking how you are, I offer you in this moment,

my own wish for you to be happy and free of suffering. Taking a minute or two to open your heart center to this feeling of possibility and warmth. And now visualize yourself as part of this loving future. really bring into your imagination how you want to participate in this peaceful future, in this visualization,

how you speak, how you listen, how you meet difficulty. Notice the expression on your face. Perhaps there is an ever so gentle smile bouncing off the brightness of your face and silently say to yourself, may I contribute to a loving future, may my actions support peace and understanding.

May I meet this world with wisdom and compassion. Noticing any softening, of your heart center, any sensations of warmth and positive energy. And now extending this intention beyond yourself, including friends, loved ones, strangers, even those with whom you have challenging experiences and silence. say to yourself, may we contribute to a loving future. May our actions support peace and understanding. May we meet this world with wisdom and compassion and gently letting go of the phrases and visualization and returning to the sensations of your breath,

bringing awareness to your body breathing and to the present moment. The loving future begins here with you in awareness, in intention, in compassion, and in love. And when you're ready, gently open your eyes or lift your gaze. Thank you for joining us in practice today. And thank you for listening. Have a meaningful day. That concludes this week's practice.

If you enjoyed this podcast or are a weekly listener, we invite you to support this series by donating and becoming a friend of the Rubin at Rubin Museum.org slash friends. The Rubin is a nonprofit that relies on the generous support of donors like you to create meaningful experiences with Himalayan art around the world. If you are looking for more inspiring content, check out our other podcasts, Awaken, which uses art to explore the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to wake up, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

and to learn more about the Rubin Museum's work around the world, sign up for our newsletter at RubinMuseum.org slash newsletter. Thank you for listening. Have a mindful day.