Welcome.
The Dalai Lama said,
If you want others to be happy,
Practice compassion.
If you want to be happy,
Practice compassion.
In this practice,
We go to the root of all knowing and discover pure and loving awareness as the ground of your being.
From this whole and loving awareness,
We practice the Tibetan Tonglen method of generating compassion to alleviate suffering and spread joy,
Love,
And kindness for ourselves and others.
So let's find that whole and loving awareness together now.
Close your eyes and take a few long,
Slow breaths.
With each inhale,
Feel the aliveness and energy of life moving in you.
With each exhale,
Release all tension.
Really feel the breath coming into the belly and exhaling completely.
This type of breathing is essential for resetting the nervous system from any stored tension,
Stress,
Or anxiety.
Feel into your body,
Feeling the weight of your feet on the floor and your body resting in the chair or wherever you're sitting or laying.
If you are sitting,
Focus on your posture and feel your spine being pulled gently upright like a string is attached to the top of your head.
Notice and relax any tension in your body.
Purposefully relax your stomach,
Your chest,
Shoulders,
Eyes,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
And tongue.
Imagine and expand your awareness into the space in the room and then the space outside the room.
Be that which is aware of space and notice that there is no limit or boundaries to space.
It's just space,
Empty,
Limitless,
And free.
From space,
Become aware of your body.
Feel the space inside your body.
There's no outside or inside,
Just awareness,
Just space.
Notice that awareness is open,
Unlimited,
And whole.
Everything is rejected in awareness.
You are this awareness,
Which means that you are open,
Unlimited,
And whole.
You are not rejecting anything as awareness.
To be whole and accepting of everything is unconditional love,
Which means that you are that too.
Your true nature,
Your essential being is unconditionally loving.
You are unconditional love.
Now imagine that you are a tree,
The most magnificent,
Beautiful tree that you've ever seen.
Make this scene vivid,
Really brighten it,
And imagine every detail you can.
The color,
Shape,
And size of this tree,
The leaves,
The trunk.
Sense your roots and how they go deep into the earth,
Bending and twisting in the dirt.
You are fully supported,
Held,
And nurtured by the earth as this tree.
Feel the sun shining down on you,
Lighting up your leaves,
Nourishing you and bringing you warmth.
You feel steady,
Strong,
And whole as this tree.
Now imagine people and creatures of all types coming to sit under your branches.
These might be family,
Friends,
Or acquaintances.
They might be pets,
Animals you cared about or care for,
Anyone needing your love,
Care,
And protection.
Now as this magnificent tree,
On the inhale,
Invite any of their darkness or suffering to enter into your heart where it will be transformed by your goodness and love.
On the exhale,
Breathe out love,
Kindness,
And compassion for all beings.
Again,
You breathe in compassion for all these people and creatures and breathe out love and support,
Nurturing kindness.
Breathing in any negativity,
Any suffering.
And as you breathe out,
Your affectionate heart radiates soothing,
Gentle beams of light that touch,
Reassure,
And comfort everyone under your branches.
As a result,
They become confident and happy,
Cared for and loved.
Expand the circle of goodwill.
The scope of your imagination is the only limit.
Continue to invite all who are suffering under your branches.
Allow your heart's natural goodness to shine unreservedly,
Touching the world with its grace.
Your steadiness steadies them.
They feel your love,
Joy,
And boundless compassion.
And in turn,
They radiate love,
Joy,
And boundless compassion.
Finally,
Just relax.
Just sit in the radiance of your true being as unconditional love for a few more minutes.
Let me know what's in your mind.
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