OMMM: Our Museum Mindfulness Meditation

Getty
  • 4.7 (28)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Semiweekly

Breathe deep, relax…and learn about art. Getty’s first video podcast encourages you to engage with works of art mindfully, wherever you are. Part art history, part mindfulness meditation, each episode focuses on one work of art and uses it as an inspiration for meditation and reflection. Learn about Edvard Munch’s time on Norway’s coast then imagine the blue light of his Starry Night traveling through your body, releasing tension as it goes. Or take inspiration from Van Gogh’s Irises to bring new awareness to your senses. Long-time museum educator and meditation practitioner Lilit Sadoyan translates her work leading mindfulness meditation tours at the Getty Museum into a podcast that fits into your daily routine. Can’t get enough? Between episodes, catch Lilit’s interviews with fascinating guests like a planetary climate scientist, a sleep historian, a mountain climber, and an art conservator. Conducted as part of the research process, these casual conversations provide new insights into the week’s artwork and meditation theme.

  1. 6h ago

    Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise with The Vexed Man

    Explore how deeply you can relax—by tensing each muscle in your body. This unusual exercise builds on Franz Xaver Messerschmidt’s The Vexed Man (1771–83), a sculpture of a man with an exaggerated facial expression. From the protruding veins in the neck to the deeply furrowed brow, this alabaster sculpture captures the vexed expression of a middle-aged man. Part of a series of 49 sculptures created by Messerschmidt during the last 13 years of his life, each bust depicts a different, often extreme, emotion. During the Enlightenment, when this sculpture was made, there was a growing fascination with the human condition and many sought to understand it. Studying the face, as Messerschmidt did with this series, was one approach. It is human instinct to respond to facial expressions; particularly when assessing danger, trust, pain, or pleasure. Bring awareness to the intricacy and subtlety of your own muscle movements through this guided progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). PMR is not recommended if a person has a history of serious injuries, muscle spasms, or back problems, as the deliberate tensing of muscles could exacerbate any of these pre-existing conditions. Please consult with your doctor before practicing this meditation if you have concerns. See the painting in person at the Getty Center and learn more about this work on the collection page. This podcast uses chapters. If you'd like to jump straight to the meditation, find the fifth chapter. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/progressive-muscle-relaxation-exercise-vexed-man/ See the painting in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/ How does Māori haka channel strong emotion? Māori cultural practitioner Amelia Butler explains in this week's Deeper Dive. Find it in your podcast feed, our YouTube channel, or on our website this Thursday. Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise with The Vexed Man

  2. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    Deeper Dive: The Near-Universal Appeal of Tea with Friends

    Japanese chadō, or tea ceremony, is widely known for its beauty, precision, and meditative qualities. So how does that compare to the story told by artist Jean-Ettienne Liotard’s Still Life: Tea Set? UCLA Professor and chadō practitioner Michelle Liu Carriger explores the near-universal appeal of a good cup of tea enjoyed in good company, while highlighting the meditative and aesthetic qualities of both Japanese and European tea traditions. If you missed this week’s tea drinking meditation inspired by this still life, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/deeper-dive-near-universal-appeal-tea-with-friends/ Subscribe to OMMM be the first to hear new episodes.  Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Deeper Dive: The Near-Universal Appeal of Tea with Friends

  3. Aug 18

    Calming Tea Meditation with a Still Life

    Focus on fully experiencing the moment while you sip on a cup of tea in this relaxing meditation inspired by Jean-Étienne Liotard’s Still Life: Tea Set (1781–83). This painting of a Chinese porcelain tea set shows a scene after use—its contents consumed and the pieces left on the tray in disarray. Liotard captures the tactility of these objects in oil paint, from the gleam of the spoon to the scattered crumbs of bread across the tray. Depicting a social ritual enjoyed by the upper echelons of 18th‑century European society, Liotard directs our attention not to the people, but to the quiet beauty of these inanimate objects, emphasizing their curvaceous forms, precarious arrangement, and delicate details. As we look upon the aftermath of this tea gathering, take a moment to savor the careful preparation of your own cup of tea, however you take it. This podcast uses chapters. If you'd like to jump straight to the meditation, find the forth chapter. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/calming-tea-meditation-still-life/ See the painting in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/ Buddhist monks don't spend all day in quiet contemplation—they also spend a lot of time cleaning. Hear Shoukei Matsumoto, author of A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind, in this week's bonus episode. Find it in your podcast feed or on our YouTube channel Thursday, or find it on our website. Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Calming Tea Meditation with a Still Life

  4. Aug 13 ·  Bonus

    Deeper Dive: Chani Nicholas on the Ancient Appeal of Astrology

    People have made meaning from the movement of the stars and planets since before recorded history. In this conversation with host Lilit Sadoyan, contemporary astrologer Chani Nicholas explores the rise and fall of astrology’s popularity and provides an overview of how she understands the discipline. Chani Nicholas is the New York Times best-selling author of You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance and the world-renowned astrologer behind the CHANI app. She is known for blending ancient astrological wisdom with mindfulness, psychology, and practical tools that support purpose-driven living, community wellbeing, and mutual aid, giving 5 percent of her company’s revenue to survivors of gender-based violence. Her weekly podcast, Astrology of the Week Ahead with Chani Nicholas, is top-ranked in the Spirituality/Astrology category, and she has served as the resident astrologer for Oprah Daily and been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and multiple Netflix series. Learn more about Nicholas's work and her app: https://www.chani.com/ If you missed this week’s cleaning meditation inspired by a manuscript page on astrology, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/deeper-dive-chani-nicholas-astrology/ Subscribe to OMMM be the first to hear new episodes.  Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Deeper Dive: Chani Nicholas on the Ancient Appeal of Astrology

  5. Aug 11

    Find Your Space in the Universe with a Medieval Astrology Diagram

    Feel one with the cosmos as you explore your place in time and space inspired by a 15th-century astrological diagram found in an unusual manuscript. Featuring a collection of diverse texts, this manuscript, called a miscellany, includes writings on medicine as well as magical practices, astronomy, and astrology. We focus the episode on a page about the astrological qualities of Mondays, or the moon’s day. This includes a diagram (with a smiling moon at the center) detailing how each of the seven planetary bodies ruled over different hours of the day. At bottom left is an illustration of Cancer, a constellation also associated with Mondays. Medieval people used astrology and the planets to help inform important decisions and make sense of time. Take this moment to reflect on your own place within the universe as you ease into this expansive meditation practice. This podcast uses chapters. If you'd like to jump straight to the meditation, find the fourth chapter. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/medieval-astrology-diagram/ Hear astrologer Chani Nicholas explain the long appeal of astrology and how people use it today in this week's bonus episode. Find it in your podcast feed or on our YouTube channel Thursday, or find it on our website. Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Find Your Space in the Universe with a Medieval Astrology Diagram

  6. Aug 6 ·  Bonus

    Deeper Dive: A Buddhist Monk on the Value of Cleaning

    Buddhist monks don’t spend all their time in quiet meditation—they also do a lot of cleaning. However, cleaning can also be a meditative practice, if done with intention and care. Monk Shoukei Matsumoto speaks with host Lilit Sadoyan about how we can find more mindfulness and approach our chores with gratitude. Matsumoto is the author of A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind (2018) and Work Like a Monk: A Buddhist Guide to Embracing What Matters (2025). Learn more about Matsumoto's work at his website: https://www.living-dharma.com/. If you missed this week’s cleaning meditation inspired by The Laundress by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/deeper-dive-buddhist-monk-value-of-cleaning/ Subscribe to OMMM be the first to hear new episodes.  Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Deeper Dive: A Buddhist Monk on the Value of Cleaning

  7. Aug 4

    Mindful Housework Meditation with "The Laundress"

    Pause and reflect on being fully present in the everyday with this mindful cleaning exercise inspired by Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s painting The Laundress (1761). Weave mindfulness into mundane daily tasks from washing dishes to tidying up and, as seen in the painting, doing the laundry. Greuze’s everyday subject matter, known as “genre painting,” was a popular style in the Netherlands and then France in the 17th and 18th centuries. Greuze elevates this scene with dramatic lighting and a busy composition that contrasts the laundress’s direct gaze and laborious chore. Greuze’s Laundress inspires us to focus on the task at hand—however tedious—and be in the present moment. This podcast uses chapters. If you'd like to jump straight to the meditation, find the fourth chapter. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/mindful-housework-meditation-the-laundress/ See the painting in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/ Buddhist monks don't spend all day in quiet contemplation—they also spend a lot of time cleaning. Hear Shoukei Matsumoto, author of A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind, in this week's bonus episode. Find it in your podcast feed or on our YouTube channel Thursday, or find it on our website. Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Mindful Housework Meditation with "The Laundress"

  8. Jul 30 ·  Bonus

    Deeper Dive: How an Environmental Designer Connects with Trees

    When was the last time you stopped and really noticed the trees and plants around you? Artist and environmental designer Aroussiak Gabrielian knows that a lot of us suffer from “plant blindness,” ignoring the power of the flora that surrounds us. Gabrielian’s childhood spent exploring the forests of Armenia and learning from her grandparents’ close relationship to nature shaped how she responds to plants today. In this interview with host Lilit Sadoyan, Gabrielian explores her history, her work, and how we can all build a closer relationship to the natural world. If you missed this week’s tree meditation inspired by a 19th-century painting by Théodore Rousseau, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/deeper-dive-environmental-designer-trees/ Subscribe to OMMM be the first to hear new episodes.  Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.  Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/

    Deeper Dive: How an Environmental Designer Connects with Trees
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Breathe deep, relax…and learn about art. Getty’s first video podcast encourages you to engage with works of art mindfully, wherever you are. Part art history, part mindfulness meditation, each episode focuses on one work of art and uses it as an inspiration for meditation and reflection. Learn about Edvard Munch’s time on Norway’s coast then imagine the blue light of his Starry Night traveling through your body, releasing tension as it goes. Or take inspiration from Van Gogh’s Irises to bring new awareness to your senses. Long-time museum educator and meditation practitioner Lilit Sadoyan translates her work leading mindfulness meditation tours at the Getty Museum into a podcast that fits into your daily routine. Can’t get enough? Between episodes, catch Lilit’s interviews with fascinating guests like a planetary climate scientist, a sleep historian, a mountain climber, and an art conservator. Conducted as part of the research process, these casual conversations provide new insights into the week’s artwork and meditation theme.

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