This Tonglen practice is specifically for the relief of anxiety,
But you can apply it to any feeling of discomfort.
To start with,
Get comfortable,
Whether you're sitting,
Standing,
Or lying down.
Get the support you need to feel comfortable and at ease during the practice.
If at any point you need to make adjustments to your body,
Please take care of yourself.
Be gentle.
Stay as present as possible as you make adjustments,
And then just come on back to the practice with love and kindness.
So get settled.
Close your eyes if that feels available to you.
Otherwise,
Just look down and soften your focus,
Noticing if there's any tension in your body that you can release,
And paying extra attention to the muscles of the face,
Softening the eyes,
Letting the jaw go,
And let your tongue be heavy in the base of your mouth.
And when you feel ready,
You can just gently rest your attention on the breath,
Wherever it's easiest for you to feel it right now.
It could be the entry point of the nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest or your belly.
And for Tonglen practice,
We are envisioning a flame within our hearts that is able to transform and transmute suffering into joy.
So with every inhale,
You're taking in suffering,
And with every exhale,
You are releasing joy,
Love,
Compassion,
And friendliness.
So for the practice,
Every time you inhale,
You're going to inhale all of that anxiety that belongs to you,
As well as the anxiety that everybody on the planet who has anxiety in this moment is feeling.
And you'll see this flame within your heart transmuting and transforming that anxiety into gentleness and ease,
Relaxation,
Comfort,
Grace,
Love,
And groundedness.
So let's practice a few breaths together.
On your next inhale,
You can breathe in your anxiety,
As well as the anxiety of others who are experiencing that feeling because you're never alone in that.
And as you exhale,
Breathe out that love and relaxation,
Gentleness,
Ease,
Softness,
Grace,
Groundedness.
Keep doing it with your breath at your own pace.
You don't have to breathe deeply,
But if that feels like something you want to try,
Welcome to do it.
If you experience any dizziness or lightheadedness,
Just let your breath return to its natural pace.
You're never alone in your feelings of anxiousness.
It's universal,
Just as all suffering is.
And this is just taking a moment to transform that.
You can also see the flame in your heart as kind of an incinerator,
Completely transforming those intense,
Uncomfortable feelings into a sense of ease and a sense of groundedness and gentleness.
Keep breathing,
Seeing the anxiety go in,
The gentle relaxation come out.
Beautiful.
So to transition out of this practice,
We will take a few deep breaths together.
And my cues for the breath are only suggestions.
So please breathe at the pace that makes sense for your body.
Exhale everything out.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale,
Let it go.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale,
Release,
Softening everything.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
And then just take a moment.
You can place one hand over your heart if that feels good,
And maybe the other hand on top.
Just giving thanks to yourself for engaging in this practice of tonglen.
And maybe setting an intention of just gentleness for the rest of your day or night.
And on your next inhale,
You can expand the gratitude to include all those who practiced the same meditation or who experienced those same feelings of anxiety.
Sending love and gratitude,
Ease and joy,
Grace and groundedness.
Thank you so much for meditating with me,
And I hope you have a gentle day.
