How to Practice Tonglen Meditation
Pema Chödrön teaches us Tonglen, or “sending and taking,” an ancient Buddhist practice to awaken compassion. This practice reverses the usual habit of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. By practicing Tonglen, we connect with a larger sense of reality and develop compassion for both ourselves and others. In Tonglen, we visualize taking in the pain of others with each in-breath and sending out relief and well-being with each out-breath. This process liberates us from patterns of selfishness and introduces us to the vast spaciousness of shunyata (emptiness). Whether performed as a formal meditation or spontaneously in everyday life, Tonglen is a powerful path to cultivating compassion. The Essence of Tonglen Meditation Rather than avoiding our personal suffering, Tonglen encourages us to use it as a stepping stone for understanding and compassion. The Four Stages of Tonglen Meditation When practiced formally, Tonglen consists of four stages: 1. Flash on Bodhichitta 2. Begin the Visualization 3. Focus on a Personal Situation 4. Expand Your Compassion Practical Applications of Tonglen Tonglen can be practiced anytime, anywhere: Why Practice Tonglen? By practicing Tonglen, we discover the boundless capacity of the human heart to embrace and alleviate suffering. As Pema Chödrön teaches, “Breathe in for all of us and breathe out for all of us. Use what seems like poison as medicine.”
