Tonglen is a meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism.
Tonglen translates to giving and taking,
Or sending and receiving.
The purpose of this practice is to cultivate compassion,
Empathy,
And altruism.
If you still are not ready for this emotionally intense practice,
You may choose another of my meditations,
Such as loving-kindness or self-compassion.
Settle in your usual posture and when you are ready,
Gently close your eyes.
We begin with a very short mindfulness of breath.
Move your awareness to the movements of the breath in your body,
Without forcing or manipulating the breath in any way.
Take three breaths at your own pace,
Feeling your chest and belly rising and falling.
Feel your lungs inflating.
Try to imagine your body breathing in the air from around your whole body,
All over,
As if you were breathing the air through the pores of your skin,
In all directions.
Bring a feeling of expansiveness and stillness.
You may think of the open sea in a clear and bright day,
And the sea is very gentle,
Still,
Calm.
You feel peaceful.
You feel still.
You feel the calming and expansiveness of the open sea.
Imagine you are on the beach,
Sitting on this sea rock with a very rough texture.
You feel the rough texture of this rock against your body becoming very pleasant.
You feel the painful texture of this rough rock pressing against your body,
And you begin to breathe this painful feeling in,
And as you breathe out,
You breathe out that feeling of freshness and calmness of the sea.
Keep breathing in this uncomfortable feeling of your body touching this rough rock,
As if you were breathing it in from the pores of your whole body,
As you feel the roughness of the rock.
Then breathe out this feeling of freshness,
Calmness of the sea.
Keep doing this until it feels synchronized with your in-breath and out-breath,
With the duration of one breath being no longer or shorter than the other.
Try it now.
Think of something that is currently making you feel sad,
Making you feel resentful about.
You may be feeling inadequate.
You may have said something that has upset somebody you care about,
Or you may have been recently involved in a situation that has hurt your feelings.
Breathe this uncomfortable feeling in through all the pores of your body.
Feel its rough,
Unpleasant texture.
You may imagine that you are crying tears of poisoning blood into your heart.
Open your heart to it.
You are safe here.
Now imagine your heart being a calming,
Still,
Vast ocean,
Receiving these tears of poisoning blood,
And that they are dissolving and dissipating into the vastness of your good heart.
These tears are now being transformed into beautiful white clouds as you breathe out.
These peaceful white clouds are now above your head,
Releasing sacred,
Healing water,
Washing away all your sadness.
You start feeling relieved.
You begin to feel much better and calm.
Keep breathing in your sad tears into your heart as you breathe out.
Imagine you are sending out those beautiful white,
Rainy clouds,
And they are washing down your sadness.
Breathe in sadness.
Breathe out relief.
Sadness in.
Self-compassion out.
Sadness in.
Relief out.
Now think of people anywhere in the world who are also in the same situation as you are.
You are not the only one feeling this way.
There are other people all over the world feeling exactly what you are feeling right now.
Feel their pain and breathe it all in through every pore of your body.
Send your heart to it.
And then breathe out relief,
Sending out those beautiful white clouds to shower them with healing water,
Washing away their tears and freeing them from their pain.
Sadness in.
Relief out.
Pain in.
Comfort,
Relief out.
Breathe in and breathe out comfort,
Relief.
Sadness,
Sorrow,
Resentment in.
Relief,
Calm out.
In,
Out.
This meditation has now come to a close.
You can start making some very gentle and slow movements with your hands and fingers,
With your feet and toes.
You may make some gentle movements with your head,
Very slowly rolling it around your neck.
And when you feel ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank yourself for taking this time to take care of your feelings and look after yourself.
It's a very brave thing to do.
Well done.
May I accept myself as I am.
May I be kind to myself.
May I be safe.
May I be free.
May I be healthy and happy in body,
Mind and heart.
May we all feel safe,
Happy in body,
Mind and heart.
May we all be free.
Thank you for letting me guide you again.
Take care,
My friends.
