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A
Derivation of Tonglen Meditation
Watching the
escalating situation in the Middle East prompts me to send the following
to as many people as I can. While most of us aren’t in a position
to individually change the flow of events there and around the world,
we do have a tool available that might offer some respite, shift
the energy, or generate unexpected healing. It’s a derivation
of a Buddhist practice called Tonglen.
Tonglen is a process that invites us to breathe in the suffering
of the world and breathe out ease, comfort, peace. Through identifying
with the negativity around us – recognizing that it is part
of the human experience and, as such, not separate from us, and
that many people are experiencing exactly the suffering or negativity
that is the focus of our meditation or experience right now –
we diffuse some of the intensity of the suffering and chaos around
us. In the Tonglen process, we breathe in suffering, negativity
of whatever kind, 360 degrees around, through every pore, and then
breathe out – through every pore, again – ease, calm,
comfort, peace, whatever transforms the suffering taken in.
Pema Chodron tells stories of interactions with people that were
literally transformed by applying Tonglen on the spot. For example,
she tells a story of a therapist who was in the presence of a parent
who was extremely angry. Instead of becoming defensive – as
was the therapist’s usual response with confronted by such
intense aggression – he began to breathe in the anger and breathe
out ease. Shortly, the client calmed down and was able to get to
the pain under the explosive anger of just moments before. The therapist
was convinced that the Tonglen not only helped transform the energy
in the room, but also shifted his own state of mind into one much
more receptive and at ease.
Early in my life, my grandmother taught me about the importance
of neutralizing negative energies before they enter the body. Because
of this, I found myself uncomfortable with the Tonglen process as
taught by Pema Chodron and others, and created the following meditation
as a derivation of standard Tonglen practice:
- Begin by
imagining yourself surrounded by a healing light – white,
gold, or some other color that speaks to you of qualities that
neutralize and transform any kind of negative, heavy, or difficult
energy. This can apply to thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations.
- Then, identify
the energy you’d like to transform. You may choose to focus
on hatred, violence, fear – whatever comes to mind as you
focus on any upsetting or negative energy – in you or others.
Remind yourself that this energy represents a universal human
feeling, thought, or physical experience – something that
is possible as a potential in any of our lives and that many people
are experiencing right now, in this moment. This allows us to
resonate with our connectedness, with our underlying unity.
- Then, begin
to breathe in this negative quality/energy, bringing it through
the healing, transformative light that surrounds you. As the negative
quality moves through the light all around you, it is transformed
into neutral energy, entering you through every pore. When you
exhale, send out to the world energy that is now characterized
by ease, comfort, peace, or whatever healing quality comes to
you as you breathe.
Regular practice
of Tonglen creates not only your own internal comfort and ease,
but a deepened sense of connection with others that is, in itself,
comforting.
If you have enjoyed this
description of Tonglen Meditation, you might also enjoy Nancy's
Expanded Derivation of Tonglen Mediation
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