Mindfulness Meditation Podcast · Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art

Mindfulness Meditation with Rebecca Li 05/22/2025

·38 min·3 clips

Rebecca Lee reveals why feeling stressed makes compassion feel like a tall order, yet is the perfect time to practice.

This episode features a guided meditation focused on cultivating compassion, led by teacher Dr. Rebecca Li and hosted by Tashi Chodron of the Rubin Museum. The session draws inspiration from a 12th-century Tibetan sculpture of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Dr. Rebecca Li is a sociology professor and Dharma heir in the Chan Buddhist lineage, author of "Allow Joy Into Our Hearts" and "Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No Method." The meditation theme explores applying compassion during personal stress, such as job insecurity, layoffs, or financial worries. Rebecca Li shares examples from practitioners who felt irritable, unmotivated, or engaged in unhealthy habits like binge-watching under pressure. She references her book, noting its lessons about stress during the pandemic remain applicable to current uncertainties. A core practice is developing moment-to-moment awareness to notice stress without self-judgment. Li identifies a common "habit of harshness," where individuals deprive themselves of rest and multitask constantly. She explains that clear awareness can reveal when one's energy or bandwidth is insufficient for their usual schedule. A key insight is that stress and anxiety provide important information about our limits that we often dismiss. The practice involves recognizing the need for adjustment in the present moment as an act of self-compassion. Li frames this adjustment not as indulgence but as wisdom, acknowledging the cause-and-effect reality of our energy and circumstances. She emphasizes "unconditional kindness," which includes being kind to ourselves even when we forget to be kind. This self-compassion builds capacity for empathizing with others who are struggling. The guided meditation itself is a body scan, directing attention from the head down to promote relaxation and "wakeful clear mind." The instruction focuses on anchoring attention to the subtle sensations of breathing and gently returning when the mind drifts. Listeners are guided to allow feelings to arise and be felt fully without adding narrative. The tone is instructional and gently supportive, blending Buddhist teachings with practical psychology for everyday challenges. The style is a calm, guided meditation preceded by an educational talk rooted in Chan practice and Himalayan art. This episode would appeal to meditation practitioners seeking to handle stress with self-compassion and those interested in the intersection of Buddhist art and practice. Listeners preferring purely secular mindfulness or fast-paced, conversational podcasts might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A quiet reset for noticing stress before it hardens into self criticism.

Rebecca Lee's session sits with the ordinary weight of feeling overextended, then follows that strain as it turns into irritability, self criticism, and the habit of pushing on anyway.

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Why you'd press play

When uncertainty has you bracing, this meditation asks you to soften instead of force.

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