A meditation to help remove the suffering of others, Tonglen is a simple altruistic meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism, meaning ‘taking and giving, or ‘sending and receiving‘.
As the collective pain body of the earth becomes more and more prominent in recent times, we often feel helpless in the suffering of others. A good conscious practice, is the simple Tibetan Buddhism Tonglen meditation. It is important to stay out of fear and anger, and to keep in the vibration of love, peace, compassion and harmony, to allow healing to take place.
Tonglen Practice
Sit in a quiet space with your spine straight. Close your mouth, relax your jaw and shoulders. Begin a conscious focus on your breath, slowly in and out of the nose.
As you breathe in, visualise that you are taking in the suffering of yourself and of others.
As you breathe out, send recognition, love, compassion, happiness and healing.
You can focus on a particular person, country, illness or problem the world is facing. This is a selfless energetic practice where you become the witness, do not worry that you will physically take on the pain, you are helping to transmute it.
“Whether this meditation really helps others or not, it gives me peace of mind. Then I can be more effective, and the benefit is immense.” – The Dalai Lama
Check below for a guided meditation from Pema Chodron:
To find out more on Tonglen practice, check here
The main image used in this piece is of White Tara – known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity.
This post was written by Kim Booth