Welcome to Tonglen meditation,
A practice aimed at cultivating compassion,
By visualizing taking in the suffering on the in-breath.
And releasing healing and happiness on the out-breath.
When you're ready,
Find a posture that feels at ease and upright.
If it's comfortable,
Close your eyes or let them rest softly.
Allow your body to settle.
Feel the weight of your body supported by the ground.
Let yourself know you have arrived and for these next minutes there is nothing you have to do or change.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Breathe in.
Observe the expansion of your body and your awareness around it.
No resistance,
Just increased openness of your heart.
Lift the out breath.
Experience the sensation of letting go and releasing to the space around you.
Let it float in that space.
Breathing out,
Releasing,
Relaxing and surrendering.
Continue sensing into receiving with the in-breath and letting go with the out-breath.
Take a moment to notice if there is suffering in your own life,
Perhaps a tension in the body,
A tender place in the heart,
A worry or self-doubt that's been with you and is asking for your attention.
Recognize it's here right now in your awareness.
Sense into it.
Allow it to be here without pushing it away or needing to fix it in this moment.
On the inhale,
Imagine you're breathing in this pain or heaviness,
Not to make it bigger but to hold it tenderly.
It might take the form of a soft grey cloud or a subtle light.
Let each breath in be an act of turning toward yourself with care.
And I invite you to bring gentle curiosity to where this lives in your body.
Is it in the chest,
The throat,
The belly?
Sense the texture,
The temperature,
The movement.
You don't need to analyze,
Just listen with kindness.
You might silently ask,
What do you most need right now?
Or,
How can I support you?
Allow this suffering to enter the vast space of your heart and body.
The space as wide and luminous as the sky.
Here,
Nothing is too much.
Open to the sensations whatever they are.
As it rests here,
The heaviness softens,
It lightens and it begins to transform.
Now if it's The experience feels overwhelming at any point.
It may be helpful to open your eyes or evoke a supportive presence in your life that evokes safety.
Let that image hold you while you breathe in what is difficult.
Breathe out and release the suffering to this loving presence.
With each exhale,
Imagine a great space of awareness and let go of the pain by releasing it into this vast space.
Breathing in,
Allowing yourself to be touched by this pain.
Breathing out,
Releasing it into the space of support and loving presence.
Breathing in,
Taking in the suffering with courage.
Breathing out.
Releasing this precious vulnerability to the divine.
You may find yourself pulled towards the expression of support through words of compassion and prayer.
Perhaps it may be,
May I be peaceful.
May I be safe.
May I be free of this suffering.
Or it might be the words of the Ho'oponopono prayer.
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.
Begin slowly to expand your awareness,
Sensing that your suffering mirrors the suffering of others.
While you are carrying this pain,
Others in the world are experiencing something similar.
You are not alone.
Allow yourself to experience fullness of this pain and connectedness to others through it with each breath in.
Open up to the universal experience of this suffering.
With the out-breath release your and universal pain into the Great Awareness.
Continue breathing in,
Holding pain.
Breathing out,
Letting go and surrendering for as long as it feels good.
Take your time.
No need to rush.
Rest in the awareness that holds it all.
The breath.
The sensations,
The feelings.
All held in a vast,
Compassionate presence.
And when you are ready,
Take a slow,
Deep breath in and a soft exhale out.
Gently open your eyes.
Move your body,
Wiggle your toes.
Carry with you the knowing that this compassion is always available,
Ready to hold whatever arises.
