TONGLEN EXPLANATION:
There is a meditation practice from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition known as Tonglen that supports the development of compassion.
It is translated as “Sending and Taking.”
It is a powerful process designed to undermine our self-absorption (which blocks the arising of compassion) and to support us in filling our hearts with compassion towards others.
Normally we choose those things in life that build up our ego or sense of self, and reject those things which threaten it
In the practice of Tonglen, we learn to take into ourselves that which we have typically rejected, and to send out to others what we have always desired for ourselves
This practice “rides with the breath.” With our in-breath we breathe in the sufferings of other living beings, and with our out breath we send forth our healing thoughts of compassion with deep feelings of health, happiness, and good wishes.
This practice can feel very threatening for some people since it feels like we are taking in physical, psychological, and spiritual poisons, and at the same time breathing out our own source of good health and joy.
Paradoxically, this powerful and effective process actually increases our inner well-being as our hearts learn to transform misery or suffering into a profound experience of compassion, love and peace.
This practice is not a show of our personal bravery since ultimately, because of the interdependent nature of the universe, it is our own suffering and joy that we are breathing in and out. Can you “hear” that?
The experience of Tonglen should be free-flowing where we release and accept without any strain or effort
In effect it is like rubbing two sticks together. One stick is our habitual self-centeredness. The other stick is our other centeredness that comes from exchanging self with others. As we rub these two sticks together they both catch fire. We are left with emptiness, free from attachment, and with a heart as open as the sky.
TONGLEN PRACTICE:
Begin by sitting quietly and allowing the mind to settle.
Place your attention on your breath.
Feel your breath in the area of your chest, as if you could breathe in and out of your heart.
With each in-breath we are going to breathe in all the pains and sorrows of all those who are suffering. This will be visualized as hot, black, grimy smoke or tar.
With each out-breath, we will breathe out deep compassion that reaches the innermost hearts of those individuals who are suffering. This will be visualized as rays of white light.
When the suffering enters our heart through the vehicle of the breath, our heart will act as a transformer, changing the suffering and sorrow into the warmth of compassion, which we will then be breathing out.
Imagine in front of you, as vividly and poignantly as possible, someone you deeply care for. Try and imagine every aspect of that person’s pain and distress.
As you feel your heart opening to their pain, imagine that all their suffering is gathering together as a great mass of hot, black, grimy smoke.
As you breathe in, visualize that mass of smoke coming into the very core of your heart.
Experience your heart transforming both the suffering of that other being, and your own self-grasping attitude.
Now breathe out rays of the cooling and healing white light of compassion, joy, peace, and well-being. Visualize that white light of compassion touching their inner-most heart.
Deeply feel that the suffering of your loved one has been abated through this process.
Now imagine in front of you, as vividly and poignantly as possible, someone with whom you are having difficulty. Try and imagine every aspect of that person’s pain and distress.
Once again, as you feel your heart opening to their pain, imagine that all their suffering is gathering together as a great mass of hot, black, grimy smoke.
As you breathe in, visualize that mass of smoke coming into the very core of your heart.
Experience your heart transforming both the suffering of that other being, and your own self-grasping attitude.
Now breathe out rays of the cooling and healing white light of compassion, joy, peace, and well-being. Visualize that white light of compassion touching their inner-most heart.
Deeply feel that the suffering of that individual has been abated through this process.
Follow the same procedure for the following categories of people:
Breathe in the sorrows of those who are hungry, and breathe out compassion for their pain.
Breathe in the sorrows of those who are caught in war, and breathe out compassion for their terror
Breathe in the sorrows of those who are very ill, and breathe out compassion for their feelings of weakness and despair.
Breathe in the sorrows of those who are dying, and breathe out compassion for their fear.
Breathe in the sorrows for all the pain you have caused in the world, and breathe out compassion for all you have hurt
With each in-breath, let the suffering of all living beings touch your heart, and with your out-breath, feel the healing force of your compassion touching them.