Hello.
And thank you for being here today.
Today,
We're going to practice a very special meditation technique.
Called tonglen.
Tonglen means giving and receiving in Tibetan.
And is a way of using the vehicle of the breath.
To alchemize the suffering of others or the self by intentionally taking in the suffering.
Breathing it into ourselves with our in-breath.
We then hold it in the heart to allow the compassion there to alchemize it.
And then we breathe out blessing.
In addition to this ancient technique,
We will also be drawing on the element of fire today for inspiration and support.
We will draw on its ability to illuminate.
To activate.
To provide soothing heat and warmth.
To cleanse.
To facilitate renewal.
And to burn away what no longer serves.
As human beings,
Part of our existence is characterized by suffering,
And there's no way around that.
But particularly when we're called to make a shift in our lives.
Even if it's not making a shift so much as remembering parts of ourselves we've forgotten following a transformative event or experience.
And then realigning our lives accordingly.
It's challenging.
In the face of such challenge,
Our task is instead to welcome and sit with that suffering.
For today's meditation we will alchemize it if we can.
The invitation now is to practice Tonglen in a way that allows us to connect with the immense compassion of the heart.
We intentionally breathe in suffering.
We welcome any difficulties of our own current situation.
As we're seeking to integrate our experiences and insights.
Our own challenges,
Our deepest feelings.
Once we breathe in these tender thoughts,
Feelings,
Or sensations.
We then hold them in the heart very briefly.
Drawing on the sacred fire deep within.
Lit by our own divine spark.
We then alchemize this suffering.
And we send out with the out-breath a white hot light that removes the layers we've placed over ourselves to protect.
To reveal the golden you beneath.
So you can then see yourself as you truly are,
Living the life you want to live.
Anything that's in front of the eye began as a feeling in the heart or a thought in the mind.
And so this technique really can have a lot of power.
And as a friend recently said,
If we can't see how we want life to be in the mind.
Or feel it in the heart.
Then how can it ever be?
So we must put ourselves there.
And be brave enough to do this kind of work in order for it to come to pass.
With meditation,
You don't necessarily have to be in an isolated place.
But it's really nice if you are.
See if you can hold space for yourself right now.
And let those with whom you're sharing space know that you'll be occupied for the next handful of minutes.
If we really are tuning into the collective consciousness,
In fact,
It can be very intense.
If you do find yourself feeling overwhelmed with emotion.
Consider backing off of it a little,
Or perhaps name it and sit with it.
Just let it be what it is.
It will pass,
As all emotions do.
The brain will present you with thoughts.
That's its job.
Pretend that you're a host at a restaurant and your job is to welcome the guests and then return to your place at the door.
Your thoughts are the guests.
Acknowledge these guests,
Welcome them,
And then let them pass.
As the host,
Your job is not to hover over the guests in the restaurant or stay at their table.
You must return to the door to greet the new guests that have continued arriving in the meantime.
So now in your comfortable position.
If you prefer to meditate with eyes closed,
Go ahead and close them.
Shalom.
Here we'll start out with just a few breaths.
The breath will be our vehicle of transformation today.
So we will use that as our focus and as our anchor here as well.
Let's begin to notice any sensations.
Shalom With the next in-breath and with the out-breath,
You might just start to notice.
Notice the expansion of the belly.
Of the abdomen.
You might consider placing your hand over the belly to further deepen your observation of those sensations.
And just notice as it slowly expands.
And the breath slowly fills the chest.
And then notice the sensation of the lungs as they receive the air.
How they intuitively know what it is to accept what nurtures.
And then release what no longer serves.
And with each out-breath,
Ask yourself if you can perhaps collaborate with the body.
To release just a little bit more.
If you're noticing tension anywhere,
Perhaps in the shoulders,
The neck,
The back.
.
.
Just check in and make note of your starting point.
Xiao.
.
.
There is no need to necessarily change anything,
And certainly don't force anything.
Just give it a name using about 2% of your attention span.
And then let that breath release.
Let's just take a couple more breaths with our focus on any sensation available to us.
And now,
We're going to visualize a flickering light.
Emanating from the top of the head all the way into the heavens straight up.
And notice that this light is very gently supporting you.
Drawing you upright with shoulders rolled back.
So you don't need to strain to sit up straight in a comfortable,
Relaxed pose.
And notice also how this light.
.
.
Stretches all the way through the center body into the earth,
Connecting you.
See yourself softly anchored in place,
Supported by the earth below and the heavens above.
Where this flickering light exits the head to extend up into the sky.
Begin noticing any sensation here at the top of the head.
Can you notice tingling?
Or warmth.
If you don't feel anything yet,
Don't worry.
Just notice any sensation and perhaps gently make note of whatever it is.
And then very softly,
Slowly.
Move the focus down.
Until we find our way finally.
To the heart space.
Which is where we will spend the rest of our time together today.
Exploring the field of awareness there.
We're just going to kind of explore the space here.
You might even call it opening the space.
So first,
Just notice any sensations here in the heart space,
Right here in the center of the chest.
The emotional heart is an amazing container for us.
It can simultaneously contain both joy and sorrow.
It can expand to contain everything that comprises our experience.
All at the same time.
But in order for a container to do its job,
They must remain open.
And so let's open it now.
With our focus here in the heart space,
I'd like you to call to mind the version of yourself that you want to embody,
Or the life that you want to live.
And feel the emotions surrounding this.
How deeply you care for that dream.
Or that part of yourself.
The desire.
Feel the love.
The compassion.
What happens to your heart space when you think of this version of yourself?
The quality of life that you want to live.
What is the strength of what you feel?
This version of you is healed.
Is confidence.
Is chasing down dreams.
Whatever that version of you looks like,
Notice how proud you feel of yourself.
How in love with life you are.
Notice the sensations now in this present moment.
That accompany this visualization.
Really inspect the face of this version of yourself in this visualization.
The color of your eyes.
The texture of your skin.
What it looks like when you smile in full authenticity.
♪ Action ♪ how this version of you moves in space.
How this version of you greets friends and loved ones.
Notice the purity and fullness of this love in the heart space.
The immense compassion that it conjures up.
Yes.
The strength of your emotion for this version of yourself that will be.
That already exists beneath all the layers.
This.
This love is what we will use to alchemize today.
Shalom.
And now that we're in the heart space,
We're going to visualize this love we have conjured up as if it's a fire of compassion in the center of the chest.
Slowly burning.
Gently glowing.
Perhaps even feel your own heartbeat.
As part of this gentle smoldering.
Fanning the flames.
Combining with the sounds of their crackling to cleanse and renew.
Perhaps even feel your own heartbeat as part of this gentle smoldering.
Fanning the flames and combining with the sounds of their crackling.
To cleanse and renew.
And just notice how immensely powerful this fire of compassion is right here in the center of your chest.
No darkness.
No suffering of any creature or any being can stand up to the powers of these flames of compassion.
That are right here in the center of your heart space.
Let's just take a few nice deep breaths.
Maintaining the heart center as the focus.
And now,
While holding the love we feel for this version of ourselves in the mind,
We're going to call to mind another version.
Now I invite you to see yourself as you have been.
The past version of yourself.
Or perhaps even the present version.
Perhaps this version is burdened.
Still draped in the layers you've created for yourself to protect.
Perhaps this version of you feels trapped.
Without color.
Wanting to make or respond to a shift,
But not sure how.
Notice any sensations that arise as you see yourself as you are now,
Or in the past,
In your mind's eye.
Really allow yourself to connect.
To that version of yourself that needs healing.
That deserves to feel aware of your own wholeness,
To remember your own wholeness.
If intense emotion comes up when visualizing the past or present version of yourself,
Just name it.
And allow it to pass.
When ready.
We will begin our whole being alchemy.
To begin,
Call the love and compassion we conjured up for the true golden version of you just a few moments ago back into your heart.
Feel it glowing there.
And when ready.
Also bring up the image of a version of yourself as you have been.
Or even as you are now.
Feel the love for this person too.
And as you do,
Breathe in the sensations associated with this past version of yourself.
The thoughts.
The stories.
The suffering.
The struggles of this past or present version of yourself in your mind.
Good job.
Perhaps visualize it all together as thick black smoke.
And pull this suffering of the past or present version of yourself.
Into your lungs with a deep in-breath.
Hold it briefly in your powerful heart.
Feel the heat of your own self-compassion and love.
Listen to your heartbeat.
I love.
I love I love and then as if you're watching a movie.
See how the smoke you've breathed in from this sad version of yourself encounters the fires of compassion.
That you've only recently discovered in the middle of your heart space.
Observe as the smoke gently settles into the flames.
Welcomed.
Received by them as a different manifestation of the same elements.
And then watch as the smoke is slowly absorbed.
Consumed by these flames until it disappears.
Overcome.
By this compassion.
And begin to notice how as you prepare to release your breath,
The fire burns more brightly with this new fuel.
With your out-breath send out rays of healing golden light.
See them reach out from the flames and how they are sent high into the sky.
See how they stretch back toward the colorless version of yourself.
The past or the present version.
Covering this version of you very gently.
And comfortingly.
Like a warm blanket on a cool night.
Watch as the brilliant light you've generated in your own heart space settles over this sad,
Tired,
Desperate version of yourself.
See yourself now,
Your golden self.
Basking in this light.
Watch as you are slowly transformed by it.
As the colorless version of you is brightened.
How this version of you goes from grayscale to full color.
Sitting up straighter.
Eyes wider.
A small smile on the face.
Feel the heat created by your love for self.
And those whose lives you touch.
And with the next breath,
Once again.
Breathe in that thick black smoke.
From the version of you who has suffered.
You can trust the flames of compassion in your heart to have great power to transmute this suffering into the golden light of your blessing.
When ready,
Once again,
Breathe out.
See how the golden version of you basks in this light.
See yourself as you want to feel and be in this timeline.
You are alchemizing your own shadow so you yourself can bask in your own light.
It all starts and ends with you.
So we'll continue this for the next few breaths.
With the next in-breath once again,
Breathe in that thick black smoke.
From the past or present version of yourself.
Alchemize it within your heart space with the love and compassion there.
I love.
I love you.
I love.
And then send this version of yourself,
This golden light,
In return.
To be bathed in it.
If you find that the mind is doing its work and presenting you with thoughts.
It's very easy to get lost in story when doing these kinds of visualizations.
Perhaps give thanks to the mind for presenting you with this thought.
And then gently return your attention to the present moment.
Perhaps you may also feel yourself begin to experience some emotion during this process.
If so,
You might name the emotion and just allow it to pass.
Or if it becomes too intense,
You could briefly take a break from this technique.
And just be here in the body for a few breaths.
Kishan Use this same technique to breathe in any distress you're experiencing in the present moment.
And then transmute it.
Using the power of compassion in your own heart.
Send yourself that blessing.
You deserve it.
Let's take another few breaths this way.
Continuing with the in-breath of suffering.
And the out-breath of blessing.
I love you.
Then,
Let's allow the lungs to resume their normal rhythm.
Notice what's alive for you in the present moment.
When ready,
See if you can send the warmth you've generated through the body now.
Perhaps open your eyes to look at your hands.
Hear your body in space.
Notice the taste in your mouth.
The smell in your nose.
Can you feel the aliveness of this light you've generated?
This is not some far-off mental image that doesn't exist.
This is you now.
You are the alchemist.
The light that you have generated is in you now.
Thank you.
See yourself bathed in the light that you yourself have generated.
And with this next breath,
Send yourself so much gratitude for this work that you've done today.
Yeah.
And as you continue to take these slow,
Easeful breaths.
Begin to gently wake up parts of the body that have been still for these past few minutes.
Shalom.
Perhaps wiggle the toes.
Begin to wiggle the fingers.
Rotate the wrists.
Roll the shoulders.
Perhaps roll the head from side to side.
You can remain in this kind of relaxed pose for as long as you need.
For as long as you might wish.
I thank you for listening.
Namaste.
Shalom.
Thank you.
Peace out.
Shalom.
Shalom.
Sound.
Thanks for watching!
Shalom Peace out.
Yeah.
Peace out.
Aum.
Kishan.
Shalom.
Shabbat Shalom Yeah.
Xoxo shalom you
