This meditation is inspired by the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Tonglen,
Giving and receiving.
Begin by positioning yourself in a way which allows you to feel supported without distraction.
Turn your attention inward.
Continue to settle in and center yourself as I give you a brief overview of the meditation.
This is a breathing meditation in which you'll first identify with some form of suffering in the world.
This could be at the level of an individual,
A group,
A nation,
Or perhaps the idea of suffering in general at the global level.
On the in-breath you'll focus on the desire to remove or relieve that suffering.
And on the out-breath you'll focus on the desire that those experiencing that particular suffering realize comfort,
Peace,
And happiness.
One way of viewing this is that on the in-breath you're relieving their suffering,
Breathing it in,
Transmuting it.
And on the out-breath you're providing them comfort,
Relief,
And happiness.
Let's begin.
Allow,
Without overthinking it,
A sense of some form of suffering in the world.
This could be the suffering of a specific individual that you know of.
It could be the suffering of a group of people,
Such as those who are experiencing terminal illness or those who experience loneliness in their relationships.
It could be at the level of a state or nation,
Perhaps those who are experiencing the fear and loss of war or who've been displaced from their homes.
It could be the suffering of animals who experience neglect and cruelty.
Or if it calls to you,
It could be the suffering of the earth itself in all the ways in which this planet is poisoned and abused.
Now bring your awareness to your breathing.
Without trying to force it or make it be a particular way,
Simply focus your awareness on the rise and fall of your chest or the expansion and relaxing of your belly or the sense of air moving in and out of your nose or over your lips.
Now on the in-breath,
Focus on your chosen individual or group.
Identify with them.
Feel a sense of unity and solidarity with them and focus on your longing that this suffering be removed from them.
You can simply focus on this intention that they're relieved of their suffering or if it feels appropriate to you,
You can actually contemplate bringing this suffering into you with the breath and transforming it.
On the out-breath,
Contemplate this individual or group as receiving and experiencing relief,
Joy,
Freedom,
And happiness.
Again,
You can simply focus on this intention or if it calls to you,
Imagine that your out-breath actually brings them this joy and happiness.
On the in-breath,
Focus on the removal of suffering.
On the out-breath,
Focus on the receipt of happiness.
Let's continue in this way for approximately five minutes.
During this time,
I will once or twice gently remind you of the process.
On the in-breath,
Focus on the removal of suffering.
On the out-breath,
Focus on the receipt of happiness.
You you you you on the in-breath focus on the removal of suffering on the out-breath focus on the receipt of happiness you you you you you on the in-breath focus on the removal of suffering on the out-breath focus on the receipt of happiness you you as we bring this practice to a close turn your attention to yourself see if you're aware of anything that you might have taken on that needs to be released breathe in the light and love that is ever available around you and which now nurtures you breathe out anything that no longer serves you or which is not yours to carry breathe in breathe out this concludes our time together peace blessings enjoy you
