So if you wish,
I invite you to join me in this practice of Tonglen.
So that we can hold.
And ourselves hold each other.
Hold the world.
And love.
I invite you to take a comfortable seated position if possible.
Let's prepare the body.
So let's roll one shoulder up.
Back and down,
And then the other shoulder up,
Back and down.
You may wish to have the palms facing up toward the sky.
Let's start by actually placing one hand on the heart center.
And massaging some slow,
Gentle circles on the heart.
Becoming aware of.
Anything that.
You are feeling in this moment.
Start to deepen your breath.
Soften the jar.
You may wish to just gently hold the heart center now.
If your hand feels more comfortable resting on the lap,
Or maybe palm in palm,
Please take whatever position feels best for you.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale with a sigh.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale,
Sigh,
Let out some sound.
Ahhhh.
Inhale.
Exhale with sound.
Allowed.
Any pain you might be feeling.
To come to the surface.
Maybe it's.
.
.
Just sensation in your body that feels tight or heavy.
Maybe it's a sense of an eight.
Or attention.
Maybe your mind has attached a story to this pain you're feeling.
Something that's happened in your life.
Or happening.
And we are gentle with ourselves in this practice.
There's nothing to force.
Nothing to judge.
The affinity moment.
The experience becomes too intense.
We can always step back for a moment.
And just breathe.
Come back to our center.
We all experience.
Opportunities for growth.
Painful.
Moments,
Disappointments.
Fear,
Sadness,
Anger,
Shame.
It's part of this human experience.
And sometimes in the pain that we feel,
We feel so alone.
Sometimes we feel like no one can truly understand what we're going through.
But I assure you,
You are not alone.
And there are.
.
.
Countless people on this planet.
That not only understand what you're experiencing,
But are experiencing it.
In this very moment with you.
Our minds don't even need to reach very far.
To become aware of all of the pain in this world.
And we don't need to.
Get lost in the stories of it.
We can bring it.
To our awareness.
And gently,
The way you would hold.
The petals of a flower in your hand.
Or newborn baby.
You bring this pain of the world.
Into our awareness.
Without getting lost in the stories.
Of what is happening.
And now with the breath.
We breathe in.
This pain of the world,
We breathe in the pain that we feel,
We breathe it in.
And as we exhale,
We breathe.
Love.
Imagine your love is showering.
All who are hurting.
Breathe in this pain.
Breathe it in fully.
And breathe out love.
Your heart is the great healer,
The great transmuter.
This is where alchemy occurs.
You breathe in the pain of the world.
Or those who you choose to focus on.
And in the heart.
This pain.
Turns.
Turns into love.
And you breathe that out.
To the world.
There's no concern of trying to make the pain change or trying to make the pain go away.
We gently focus on breathing in the pain.
And breathing out waves of love.
Waves of love.
If your mind is getting caught in the stories of the suffering.
I invite you to return to the practice.
Rather than overthinking.
And creating a movie in your mind of someone else's suffering or your suffering.
A movie that plays on repeat and causes more pain.
Rather than playing that movie.
Just focus on breathing in the pain.
And breathing out love.
Relax the body.
Allow this alchemy This miracle of love.
To transform inside of you.
It's okay to allow the tears.
It's okay.
Allow whatever is coming to the surface to be.
As you gently focus on your practice.
Of breathing in the pain.
And breathing out love.
And as you breathe out this love,
You may even.
.
.
Imagine that you or the person or the people you're sending this love to.
You may even imagine them smiling.
Happy,
Healthy.
Imagine them in this transformed state of love.
Each time you breathe this love to them.
Thank you.
Bring your mind.
To your heart.
The radiance of you.
The magnificence of your love.
Welcome this love.
Welcome this light.
Brighter than the sun.
From your heart.
Allow it to wash.
Through your brain You're mine.
Your emotions.
Your whole physical body.
Radiating this exquisite light.
For these next moments.
Allow your attention to rest on this light.
Or if it feels better to rest.
On the beauty of your heart.
Like a pulsation of love,
Of warmth.
Emanating from the center of your being.
Like a light in the dark.
A star in the cosmos.
Unending love.
Eternal Love.
Feel this radiance of who you are.
Expanding.
Light you are.
Showering the entire planet.
With your love.
Inhale slowly.
Breathing this light.
Exhale,
Soften the body.
Inhale slowly,
Breathe in this love.
Hold for just a moment.
Allow this love to expand within you.
And when you're ready,
Slowly exhale.
Slowly move fingers.
Tones.
Allow the movement to find its way into your limbs.
Maybe your spine.
Hello,
Done,
Done.
Whenever you're ready.
Slowly open the eyes.
