Mindfulness Meditation Podcast - Mindfulness Meditation with Lavina Shamdasani 10/09/2025

Episode Date: October 17, 2025

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 11:53.Teacher: Lavina Shamdasani Theme: Fluidity Vajrasattva; Nepal; 14th century; gilt copper alloy of multiple parts with traces of pigments; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2005.16.10Learn 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 Thursday, we offer a meditation session at New York Inside Meditation Center that draws inspiration from an artwork from the Rubin's collection. and is led by a prominent meditation teacher. This podcast is a recording of our weekly in-person practice. The description of each episode includes information about the theme for that week's session and an image of the related artwork.

Our Mindfulness Meditation podcast is presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg and teachers from the New York Inside Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project and Parabola magazine, and supported by the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism. And now, please enjoy your practice. Welcome to the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Arts Mindfulness Meditation Program at New York Insight Meditation Center. I'm Jacqueline Smith, manager of curriculum development and education,

and I'm delighted to be your hope. today. The Rubin is a global museum dedicated to presenting Himalayan art and its insights, and we are so glad to have all of you join us, both in person and online, for our weekly program that combines art and meditation. Inspired by our collection, we will first take a deep look at the work of art we have chosen for today. We will then hear a brief talk from our teacher Levina Shamsani, and then we will have a short sit of 15 to 20 minutes for the meditation guided by her. Now let's take a look at today's theme and artwork. The work of art that we have chosen for today is Vodrasatva, and this sculpture dates from the 14th century in Nepal. It's made

of gilt copper alloy with traces of pigment, and it's approximately a foot and half tall by 14 inches wide and 10 inches deep. The theme for the month of October is fluidity, and this graceful portrayal of Vadrasatva is the embodiment of fluidity. With his dance-like posture, he accepts the ebbs and flows of existence with ease. Vodrasatva is both a highly accomplished bodhisattva and a primordial Buddha. His name means Vajra being, and he is the personification of the Vajra, the most important ritual implement and symbol of esoteric Buddhism. The Vajra is a symbol of power and the indestructibility of the enlightened mind. This sculpture is an incredibly elegant example of Nepalese sculpture.

It depicts Vadrasadha holding a bell at his waist. He would have once held a Vajra with his right hand. The figure's well-proportioned body with strong, limbs that bend as if he is dancing, swaying gracefully at the waist, perfectly combined feelings of movement and stability. His gracefulness is further enhanced by his ornate crown and jewelry. His helmet-like hairstyle and wide circular earrings are further characteristics of Nepalese sculpture. And now let's bring on our teacher for today, Levina Shamedasani. Levina Shandasani 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. Levina studied positive psychology and coaching at the Whole Being Institute and helps clients transform their lives and meet their personal and professional goals. Find Levina at souljoy by Levina.com. And please join me in welcoming Levina. Thank you, Jacqueline. That was a beautiful, warm welcome. And thank you for leading us in the theme of the month. I'm excited to talk about fluidity. And thank you to all of you for being here today to practice together. It's just starting to feel like fall. And I'm happy to talk with you today about this theme, fluidity, and our minds.

And how can we bring fluidity to our minds? Essentially, what does it mean to bring fluidity to our minds? And let's first take a sort of zoomed-out view at our minds, right? Our minds are the key to our moment-to-moment experience. It's our minds that know sorrow. It's our minds that know joy. It's our minds that shape our perception of everything we experience in the world. If we can have a balanced, clear, and relaxed mind as we go through the ups and downs of life,

we can then relate ourselves to life's many challenges with ease, with equanimity, with clarity. So really, for me, it all starts in the mind. And so mindfulness practice is really the key to helping us transform our moment-to-moment life experiences. And so how does this connect with fluidity? Well, when I think of fluidity, I think about flow. I think about water flowing freely. and if we can bring this essence to our minds

as we go through the many challenges of life essentially to let our minds be open to whatever rises for us, to whatever comes our way and not resist just like water flows freely and is not rigid. And what does this allow us to do? What does it allow us to do when we can receive? It allows us to not resist, right?

If we're fluid, we're open, we're not rigid, we're not resisting. And so I like to think about it as a spring mechanism. if we're jumping up and down and our knees are locked in we're likely going to hurt ourselves we're likely going to increase our experience of a challenge but if we can be fluid

if we can hit life's ups and downs with a little fluidity we can then maintain clarity in how we respond and not get locked in to what's going on. If we're rigid, we tend to close in and limit our perceptions of the world.

We get tight, we get constricted, and we're not open to what is. We're tuning in only to the negative. So two things are, things to know in order to open ourselves up. Number one, to be human, to have this body, makes it true that pain is inevitable. We are not alone in our experience of pain.

We all experience pain. The human condition means we're going to hurt sometimes. the human condition means we're going to face challenges. So first is to accept that it's not going to be a linear line to joy, to success, to whatever it is that we're trying to achieve. Second, so first, human condition is to experience suffering. Second is to know that if we resist these challenges, we increase our suffering. So there's a formula where suffering is equal to pain times resistance.

And so yes, pain is inevitable. We just spoke about that. I spoke about that, but resistance is our choice. We can choose to receive the pain, to not resist it. In resisting the pain, we get constricted, tight, and cannot notice the many wonderful options we might have to help ourselves out of these difficult challenges. so not resisting can leave pain just for pain and limit our suffering.

So keeping in mind those two things and to me that is fluidity. So how do we cultivate this openness? How do we not resist suffering? And there's an example that I will share with you about an athlete who endured an injury. And the pain from the injury was inevitable. But the suffering was about the stories she was telling herself where she wouldn't be able to compete,

her loss of time, especially in her prime. And so when you ruminate in cycles, like that, you add to your suffering. And the body resists healing too when we experience that kind of rigidity. So to open up and to allow ourselves to respond with calm, clarity, and ease is what fluidity is all about.

And so if you will, I'd love to lead us in a mindfulness practice where we can start to cultivate this essence in our minds, in our hearts, and in our body, this essence of fluidity. And so if you're ready, I'll ask you to shift your body, stretch out a moment or two,

and find a position that supports alertness and awakeness. find a position that is erect but loosely straight. Again, we don't want rigidity in our body when we practice meditation. And I invite you to either lower your gaze or close your eyes, whatever feels most comfortable, planting your feet firmly on the ground and finding a position for your hands that feels comfortable. You can either clasp your hands and place them on your lap

or place them palms down, on your knees, or palms up, whatever feels comfortable to you. And we'll begin with three deep breaths, breathing deeply all the way in and releasing completely and on the exhale I'll invite you to exhale through your mouth

for the next two breaths so that perhaps your neighbor can hear the stream of your exhale so let's try that breathing in deeply and exhaling releasing seeing if you can drop your shoulders just a little bit more on the exhale

and one last breath at your own pace and now letting go of the deeper breathing just allowing your body to fall into its natural rhythm of breathing and tuning into your breath. Again, we're keeping our breath fluid. Not trying to control the breath in any way.

and seeing if you can lean in to the pause between the inhale and the exhale. And now that you've established a connection with your connection with your breath. Let's notice what arises for us within our body. Let's bring our attention to our forehead. Noticing, what's going on? Are we relaxed? And relaxing the forehead. bringing our attention to our neck and shoulders. And whatever comes up, whatever sensations arise in our body, simply notice.

Do not resist. and just let them be and relax perhaps just a little bit more your neck and shoulders. And now bringing your attention to your arms, to your hands, to your fingers. And relaxing any tightness, noticing the touch of our hands with our body or our hands with each other. And now bringing your attention to your abdomen, your chest, your chest. your chest and your abdomen. Noticing the sensations that arise in our upper body, maybe there's tightness.

from something you experienced earlier today or earlier this week, simply let it be. Or maybe there's relaxed and comfort in the upper body. receive whatever sensations arise with compassion and now moving down to your legs your ankles and your feet your toes Simply notice, bring awareness to whatever is. And so we just finished scanning. our body, our physical body,

bringing awareness to whatever is. And now releasing. And simply finding the natural rhythm of your breath. noticing the sensations of your breath and tuning into them. To meditate is a chance to get to know. To meditate is a chance to get to know, to get to know your body, to get to know your mind, and now bringing your attention to your heart and noticing what's coming up. for you.

Perhaps opening your shoulders and opening your heart ever so slightly. Are you finding ease, spaciousness? Or are you tuning into some sadness? some sadness, some tightness. Some tightness. Noticing what's coming up for you and bringing awareness. Simply bringing awareness can help us stay open and not resist.

Or perhaps you're finding resistance in your heart. And bring awareness to that if that's what you're finding. Know that you're not alone. We all experience ups and downs. Joy followed by challenge, fear. anxiety and as we open to these experiences we allow ourselves to meet them with grace with clarity with balance Know that whatever arises, you have everything you need everything you need within you to respond.

And now dropping your attention to your heart and coming back to the breath for a few minutes of simple open awareness breath practice. tuning in to your consciousness. And if your mind wanders, again, don't resist, bring awareness to your thought. and gently release. Meditation is a chance to get to know what comes up for us in our minds. So if you're moving rapidly from one thought to another, there's no judgment there. It's still a wonderful, successful practice.

Thank you. Tuning in into a simple awareness, tuning into your consciousness, as your mind rests between one thought and another. See if you can tap into this state of awareness. of awareness of just being. There's nothing to do in this moment, nowhere to be, nothing to do in this moment, nowhere to be, nothing to change. Nothing to fix.

This is a chance to simply be a chance to rest. This is a chance to open and create some spaciousness for whatever arises. Change is inevitable. And this too shall pass. If we can simply relate to change and the ebbs and flows of life as teaching moments, as an opportunity to learn a little bit more about ourselves. an opportunity to grow, an opportunity for connection. We can bring ease to our experiences.

And now simply relax. the chair supporting your body tune into awareness and simply relax just for another minute or two tuning in to any spaciousness you may be experiencing and fluidity ease. And when you're ready, if your eyes are closed, gently open your eyes.

We are grateful to you for leading us in practice, Lovina. That concludes this week's practice. To support the Rubin and this meditation series, we invite you to become a friend of the Rubin at RubinMuseum.org slash friends. If you are looking for more inspiring content, please check out our other podcasts, Awaken, which uses art to explore the dynamic paths to enlightenment and what it means to wake up. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. And to learn more about the Ruben Museum's work around the world, visit RubenMuseum.org.

Thank you for listening. Have a mindful day. Thank you.