Breathe Comfort and Healing to Others

Have you heard of Tonglen meditation?  I learned it many years ago at my first yoga retreat where the theme was about forgiveness.  We learned it as a lovely way to send kindness, compassion and healing to anyone who is suffering.  And, in the process of sending compassion to others, to relieve and release our own pain and suffering.  It’s a really nice practice to learn if you want to spread peace and comfort.

Today I invite you to try Tibetan Tonglen meditation.  Tonglen literally means “taking in and sending out”. This meditation is about taking in the suffering of others and sending them compassion, kindness and healing.  And this receiving and sending is synchronized with your breathing, in and out.  

Here’s how:

1. Find a comfortable seat for your meditation.  And begin with a few moments of simple mindfulness meditation such as breath awareness to settle and ground yourself for the practice.
2. Set your intention to benefit others,.  You can do this practice thinking of a specific person you know is experiencing physical pain or mental suffering.  Or you can do it for groups who are suffering in world, for anyone, any being, anywhere who has experiencing suffering in any way. You could even do it for the earth itself.
3. Each time you breathe in, imagine you are taking in in the physical pain or mental suffering of the person or group of your intention, with the wish that they may be free of that suffering, that they be well.  You may try visualising this negative energy as dark, heavy smoke.
4. Each time you breathe out, imagine that you radiate relief and healing, safety and comfort, happiness back to those very same people.  Visualise this beautiful energy as bright, clear light.
5. Practice Tonglen meditation as long as you like.

When paired with your good intention, any suffering you take in is transformed by your kindness and compassion and will not bring you any harm.

Using Tonglen “on the spot”:

You can also use this in a very informal way, in the moment.  When you notice that someone is suffering (anxiety, sadness, anger, bad news, etc.), gently breathe in their suffering.  When you breath out, imagine sending them kindness, relief, peace or whatever would help them to feel better.  Do this casually for a few rounds of breath, then let the practice go.  Nobody even needs to know that you are doing it!

Pema Chodron explains this powerful practice often and really well.  

She says the key to the “informal” attitude is friendliness toward whatever arises: nothing is too ugly or too small to include. Instead of pushing discomfort away, you let it touch your heart for a moment, then share whatever goodness you can imagine.  It’s a way to connect you deeply to others.