Practice giving and receiving on the breath

(7)

This slogan introduces the practice of Tonglen, a breath practice. Tonglen is different from anything practiced in Zen. It is a form of formal sitting meditation where coordinating breathing and a particular thinking dialogue lead to feelings of compassion. Its structure can take some getting used to and will feel contrived at first. With time you can get a sense that there is a benefit to doing the practice.

The original slogan is: “Sending and taking should be practiced alternately. These two should ride the breath.” Don’t you love this image of riding on the breath? This awareness of sending and receiving traveling inward and outward, expanding, and contracting. Sending and receiving what?

Tonglen practice consists of two parts. Part one, breathe in and receive a sort of “visualized goo” of the pain, suffering, and sickness of someone you are targeting with your practice. Part two, send out to them on the out-breath (and through every pore), loving-kindness, lightness, and openness. On the in-breath take in the unbearable suffering of the world and on the out-breath send out peace, happiness, safety, and merit. Practice in short intervals at first gradually increasing. Take breaks, don’t worry about distractions. When noticed, come back to the practice of giving well wishes on the out-breath and receiving all the suffering on the in-breath.

In Zen, you lean away from any “technique” of practice, preferring instead to sit and witness what happens. But it is unwise to be prejudice against any technique. Sometimes a method is just what is needed.

This slogan tells us that it is a good idea to practice by breathing out what we what and breathing in what we don’t want. This slogan also has us breathing in other’s sickness and suffering and breathing out love and healing. Counterintuitive.

Tonglen practice targets your intentions on others. At first, focus on yourself or someone close to you for which you have an uncomplicated relationship. As you gain skill, shift your focus towards those with which you have complicated relationships, unknown individuals, and the difficult.

Developing a Tonglen or what is called a ‘loving kindness’ practice is needed in the world. It is the qualities that are experienced and shared that make this slogan appealing allowing us to be with others and to help others, even when it seems like we can not do much.

If this is all this slogan was about you’d be mistaken. In practice, you will be pushed up against the boundaries of your love and caring capacity. When you point your Tonglen breath practice towards your friends and family, you’ll feel ease and joy, but when you focus on those you dislike or find annoying or do you harm, how will you respond? Continued training with this slogan reduces biases and will expand your circle of compassion.

Tonglen fosters the “flow” of love in the world. This “flow” of love is the actual seat of happiness. To get there, we must become intimate with your biases – who you like, who you dislike, your grasping and ego-clinging, your fears. This gets messy quickly. It will surprise you how much energy you have put into your self attachments and ego-clinging. Overcoming the “me first” mindset is a big challenge.

“…tonglen should not be used as any kind of antidote. You do not do it and then wait for the effect - you just do it and drop it. It doesn’t matter whether it works or not: if it works, you breathe that out; if it does not work, you breathe that in.” [^@Trungpa:2005aa]

Someone once asked the Dalai Lama if tonglen practice works; if it helps others and lessens their suffering. “It doesn’t matter,” he responded, “it works to transform you.”

Begin Tonglen with yourself ………………………………[[201903090508]] Always train with the slogans …………………………….[[201903080539]] Benefit others without the hope of thanks ………………….[[201904270500]] Don’t make a public display of your efforts ………………..[[201903230512]] Don’t ponder the actions of others ………………………..[[201903250613]]

Alternate Titles

• Practice sending and receiving alternately on the breath.
• Sending and taking should be practiced alternately. These two should ride the breath
• Train alternately in the two—giving and taking
• Train in taking and sending alternately. Put them on the breath
• Alternately practice sending and taking
• Practice alternately the two, giving and taking
• Practice a combination of both giving and taking. Place these two astride the breath
• Train to give and take alternately
• Place the two upon the breath

03-06-2019 - 4:56 AM ›[[201903060456]] → #slogans