Bridging the Sacred and Mundane with Artist Tsherin Sherpa

07/05/21 • 39 min

Is it possible to bridge the sacred with everyday, ordinary life? In this episode, we speak with artist Tsherin Sherpa, whose work suggests that the sacred and mundane are not separate, but inseparable. He shares his story of being trained by his father in the art of traditional thangka painting, discovering his own artistic voice as a contemporary artist, and how he finds potential for awakening in the simple moments of life, like enjoying a cup of coffee. Tsherin begins by introducing us to the painting, Protector, one of his artworks shown in the exhibition, AWAKEN: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Towards Enlightenment, in which he abstracts an image of a deity in search of its essence. Visit the podcast webpage to see the art that inspired this episode, read a transcript, donate, and more: https://rubinmuseum.org/mediacenter/bridging-the-sacred-and-mundane-with-artist-tsherin-sherpa-awaken-podcast About the podcast: AWAKEN is a 10-episode series from the Rubin Museum of Art hosted by acclaimed musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson that explores the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to “wake up.” Each episode dives into the personal stories of guests who share how they’ve experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspective on life. From deep introspection to curious life-changing moments, awakening can take many forms, from the mundane to the sacred. Taking inspiration from the exhibition “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment,” each story uses artworks as a jumping off point as we hear from authors, artists, wisdom bearers, and Buddhist teachers, because every journey is different.

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Seizing Darkness with Musician Amanda Palmer

What role does darkness play in the journey toward enlightenment? In this episode, hear about the power of darkness and what it means to embrace it. Musician, songwriter, and best-selling author Amanda Palmer shares the story of her childhood, the trajectory of her life as a street performer to musician, and how embracing her own darkness set her free. Amanda begins by considering a painting of the powerful, fierce guardian Yama Dharmaraja. This fearsome deity wears a crown of skulls and a garland of freshly severed heads, is surrounded by flames, and stands astride a buffalo and human corpse. While ominous, this is actually a depiction of wisdom—one that destroys egos and fiercely protects Buddhist teachings. Visit the podcast webpage to see the art that inspired this episode, read a transcript, donate, and more: https://rubinmuseum.org/mediacenter/approaching-the-mandala-with-amanda-palmer-awaken-podcast About the podcast: AWAKEN is a 10-episode series from the Rubin Museum of Art hosted by acclaimed musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson that explores the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to “wake up.” Each episode dives into the personal stories of guests who share how they’ve experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspective on life. From deep introspection to curious life-changing moments, awakening can take many forms, from the mundane to the sacred. Taking inspiration from the exhibition “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment,” each story uses artworks as a jumping off point as we hear from authors, artists, wisdom bearers, and Buddhist teachers, because every journey is different.

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Befriending Your Ego with Lama Rod Owens

What is the ego, and what role might it play in the process of awakening? In this episode we ponder these questions with best-selling author, activist, and Buddhist teacher Lama Rod Owens, who shares his story of working through trauma, embracing pleasure, and both accepting and letting go of his ego. Before we dive in, Lama Rod responds to a ritual object called the flaying knife-chopper. In Tibetan Buddhist art, this weapon is typically wielded by a fierce guardian deity who uses the tool to destroy not us but our egos. Lama Rod Owens is a Buddhist minister, best-selling author, activist, yoga instructor, and authorized Lama, or Buddhist teacher, in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He is considered one of the leaders of his generation of Buddhist teachers. Lama Rod holds a master of divinity degree in Buddhist studies from Harvard Divinity School and was included in the 2021 Gomes STB ’68 Distinguished Alumni Honorees List. He is the author of Love and Rage: The Path to Liberation through Anger and co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation. He is also the co-founder of Bhumisparsha, a Buddhist tantric practice and study community. He has published in Buddhadharma, Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, and The Harvard Divinity Bulletin and offered talks, retreats, and workshops in more than seven countries. Lama Rod’s article “Are You Woke?” is featured in the 2021 issue of the Rubin’s Spiral magazine. https://rubinmuseum.org/spiral/are-you-woke About the podcast: AWAKEN is a 10-episode series from the Rubin Museum of Art hosted by acclaimed musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson that explores the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to “wake up.” Each episode dives into the personal stories of guests who share how they’ve experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspective on life. From deep introspection to curious life-changing moments, awakening can take many forms, from the mundane to the sacred. Taking inspiration from the exhibition “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment,” each story uses artworks as a jumping off point as we hear from authors, artists, wisdom bearers, and Buddhist teachers, because every journey is different.