Keeping an open heart through difficulty.
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Today I’m going to be taking you through a practice adapted from the buddhist practice of Tonglen.
This is a practice of keeping an open heart and developing compassion through difficulty.
During times of suffering, the automatic reaction is often one of shutting down, turning away from your own pain, trying to avoid difficult emotions & you might even turn away from others, instead focusing your attention on yourself & your own situation.
This practice reverses this tendency, instead allowing you to create greater compassion for both yourself & others
Your own pain can become a vehicle of transformation, opening your heart to the world instead of shutting it down
You can practise this during a formal meditation or on the spot, in any moment you feel the need.
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To start this practice, take a few moments to tune into a place of stillness & openness within yourself. You can stay here for a few moments or a few minutes.
Now, visualize a difficult situation in your life right now, this could be something personal, something you observe in friends, family or the world around you.
Notice the emotions that arise with this, maybe it's a feeling of sadness, grief, anger, fear, insecurity.
For a moment, focus on these emotions & begin to imagine all the beings in this world who may be in a similar situation or feeling the same way.
Now, while inhaling, imagine taking in these emotions for you & everyone else in the same situation.
Hold this inhale, holding these emotions within yourself too.
When you feel ready, exhale.
With your exhale sending out relief, whatever you think would best serve yourself & others feeling this same way.
Maybe it’s love, peace, compassion, freedom, confidence, safety, whatever you think is needed.
Imagine this filling every cell of your body as you send it to others too.
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This is a powerful practice that I often turn to during times of difficulty. Through practicing this you naturally begin to feel greater compassion for yourself & those around you, from this place, you can begin to find meaningful solutions & become a beacon of love & support for others.
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