Dear All,
Tonglen is an ancient Practice originating in Tibet, but now adopted by many Zen and other Western Buddhist Sangha, for the transformation of suffering, anger, fear, sadness and the like within ourselves and in the world, and transforming the same through visualization into peace, joy, strength, acceptance and other positive emotions.
I recommend this Practice to all folks who may struggle with such suffering during these trying days. Kokuu himself has lived with serious and difficult health issues for many years, and this Practice has helped bring him some strength, Wisdom and Compassion toward his own suffering and the suffering of others. I am sure that it will for so many of you too, and is good medicine for folks who may need this today. Please give it a try and tell us know how it makes you feel.
The basic theme of Tonglen is to transform, through visualization, the human way we encounter difficulties into the way a symbolic Bodhisattva would approach them with openness, forgiveness and compassion. The basic instruction of Giving and Receiving (Tonglen) is to breathe in the suffering of others and breathe out love and joy.
A Practice such as Tonglen can go hand-in-hand with our core Practice, Shikantaza. Although we do not engage in such Practices during Zazen, it is good each day to engage in such an additional Practice for developing compassion, and to work on helping others in our lives.
Kokuu explains more in this session:
If it resonates with you, and you would like to practice Tonglen more often, Kokuu also leads a regular Tonglen group which meets here at Treeleaf regularly:
Tonglen Practice Circle
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/foru...ractice-Circle
Gassho, Jundo
STLah
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