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#12 Breathing In PAIN, Breathing Out JOY
Manage episode 348804195 series 3095019
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Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the intention and instructions behind practicing tonglen in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! Look out for next week's episode that will also explore the practice of tonglen and also a bonus episode with a guided tonglen meditation faciliated by Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening & being you!
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