So Tonglen has two parts before we go into the practice right now.
It's feeling your pain as the shared pain.
So it's not just the I,
Me and mine,
But it's that sense of connecting to the shared pain like I did pointing out in the Sangha.
There's many of us with shared pains.
And then the second part is to dedicate the learning from the pain to the sense of growth with for all of us,
Kind of sharing the learning together.
So those are the components of Tonglen.
So when you're ready,
You can keep your eyes open with this meditation,
But I find it's easier to close my eyes.
It helps me connect into the body.
So really get in a sitting posture where you can be comfortable.
It's important in Tonglen-like and loving kindness meditation to be comfortable,
As comfortable as you can given we're working with the pain body,
Right?
So always starting with being aware of the body,
Sitting.
Sitting is like this.
Noticing that you're being breathed.
And bring awareness to whatever pain you might be in,
Physical,
Emotional,
Spiritual,
Whatever pain your body-mind might be working with today.
Holding it gently,
Lovingly.
There might be many things you're struggling with.
So just focusing on one,
The most predominant one.
Maybe your heart really hurts about the conditions in the world right now,
Or your body hurts.
Just focusing on one prominent thing that you're struggling with.
Bringing to mind the many people struggling with this very same thing.
How many are there?
100,
000,
10,
000,
100,
000,
People.
Just feeling how many people right now are struggling with this exact same thing,
Pretty much exact same as you.
And really allowing that connection with all these other people right now with this same issue.
Your fellow travelers with this issue,
Opening your heart to them.
We're struggling together in this.
Notice how it feels in your body when your pain becomes a shared pain versus alone and isolated.
It's something all these people across the globe are struggling with with you in real time,
Even if not in the same space.
Notice how it feels for your heart when you reflect on these others struggling with the same issue as you.
Feeling our shared humanity,
This fabric of struggling together and the compassion and the care that we can have for the others struggling with this with us.
Just taking another minute as you breathe in to just breathe in that connection.
All the many beings that share the pain that you're struggling with.
And the heart that's there for them as well.
Then the second part of Tonglen is to share the benefit of the struggle,
Whatever you learn from this pain.
Whether it's pain of depression or physical body pain,
Whatever it is.
Whatever I learned from this may benefit from all the people suffering from the same pain.
Really opening up the wisdom component and the heart component of your struggle as a dedication.
May what I learned benefit all of you.
That's really the point of practice,
Isn't it?
That what we learn benefits all beings.
It's not just pointless struggle.
Going round and round and suffering may the learning help each one of us grow in wisdom and heart.
So dedicating your struggle.
May it help this whole group of people struggling with you.
The same thing.
Really doing that right now.
Dedicating your effort,
Your learning,
Your struggle to everyone on the path with you.
The fun thing about Tonglen is you can ask the learning to go both ways.
So hey,
Whatever all these other people are struggling with the same issue.
If you learn anything,
If you discover more harder wisdom,
Please share it with me.
Let's have a collective sharing of how our suffering changes us in good ways.
So you can ask for that sharing to be like a door that goes both ways.
Your fellow travelers can share with you and you with them.
It's all connected.
So even if you don't know them,
It does work.
See what it feels like to ask for and to receive the wisdom and the merit or the benefit of other people's learning.
See if you can open yourself up to that.
Everything is informing everything else together.
You don't have to be figuring out your pain in a vacuum all by yourself.
Wisdom of others is available to you.
Just feel that for a minute.
It can be a collective informing of the heart.
Going into the pain and really opening it out as this connective tool,
This learning tool,
This liberation tool together right here now.
