Happiness, Compassion and the Practice of Tonglen

This guided meditation introduces people to the practice of tonglen which focuses on developing and sending out happiness and compassion for oneself and others.

Our difficult life experiences can either become a wall, limiting our risk of experiencing additional intensity and pain or they can become windows through which we see more directly into the process of living.

As we look through the windows of our experience, we cannot help but notice that we are not unique. Our joys and sorrows do not have to cut us off from others. Rather than becoming a wall they can be a window and then a bridge to reach others who have shared similar conditions, situations and circumstances.

Tonglen is literally the practice of breathing out our happiness, peace wisdom and compassion and breathing in the suffering of others who have not yet realized the jewel of wisdom in their particular experience. Through the practice, you heal yourself by reaching out to help others who are suffering. You free your sense of isolation and pain by sharing your life-affirming joy with people, animals, a forest or even the planet.

“When we are distracted by a strong emotion, do we remember that it is part of our path? Can we feel the emotion and breathe it into our hearts for ourselves and everyone else? If we can remember to experiment like this even occasionally, we are training as a warrior. And when we can't practice when distracted but know that we can’t, we are still training well. Never underestimate the power of compassionately recognizing what’s going on. Deepening Tonglen, after genuinely connecting with the pain and your ability to open and let go, then take the practice a step further and do it for all sentient beings.”
— Pema Chodron

Please try this powerful technique and experience for yourself how to turn your life experience into a jewel of healing and a treasure of wisdom.

Length: 37 Minutes
Facilitator: Greg Tzinberg