| One of my favourite meditations is tonglen. Those of | | | | Unfortunately, our conditioning throws many a spanner |
| you who are familiar with it will know that tonglen is a | | | | in the universal works. We have learned to operate |
| compassion meditation. Briefly, this meditation consists | | | | against, rather than with universal laws. |
| of taking in suffering and then transmuting it to light. | | | | Initially, when you learn to go with the flow of things, |
| Those of you who are familiar with Buddhism and | | | | which means working with the universal laws, it can |
| practice Buddhist teachings will appreciate the | | | | feel strange, unreal and counter intuitive. But this is only |
| immense benefits of learning compassion for all | | | | so because we have had, until now, a very limited, thus |
| sentient beings. Feeling compassion for others is a | | | | false view of how the world operates. As a result, we |
| way to experience oneness. When you experience | | | | create roadblocks for ourselves, which we experience |
| oneness you fee el incredible calm and peace. In this | | | | as delays in the realisation of our goals, and this can |
| place the entire universal field unfold with its immense | | | | cause us much suffering. |
| potential, which is infinite. This state is also the most | | | | In order to evolve and be in touch with the world free |
| fertile ground on which the seeds of manifestation are | | | | from interference, (our negative and limiting conditioning |
| sown. | | | | and self induced trance state), we need learn how to |
| However, many of us have problems assimilating | | | | be mentally nimble. When you learn to be mentally |
| eastern practices with their western traditions. | | | | nimble you also learn to go with the flow automatically |
| The idea of consciously taking in suffering, particularly | | | | and let change take place with less and less |
| that of others fills many with a sense of dread and | | | | resistance. |
| unease. These feelings are derived from a | | | | Tonglen is a practice that trains your mental flexibility |
| misunderstanding of the practice though. | | | | as you move from acknowledging the negative to |
| In order to explain this I want to share with you the | | | | visioning the opposite, the positive, in quick succession. |
| very simple and basic premise of all healing modalities. | | | | When you practice tonglen for 20 minutes or so, every |
| Healing of body and mind are accomplished by | | | | day you will feel a merging of the opposites as your |
| accepting and acknowledging the negative and then | | | | mind gradually becomes every peaceful, because you |
| reframing it into the positive outcome desired. In other | | | | are neutralising negativity, that blocks progress. |
| words, you acknowledge two opposites with equal | | | | The resulting neutral territory is a very powerful ground |
| strength and thus create a neutral position. | | | | for mental and physical regeneration. When in this |
| Mathematically, I could also simply say: Plus and Minus | | | | mental place you can produce new visions and ideas |
| equal Zero. Zero is the perfect state of balance. | | | | which get you to closer to the answers of your |
| The universe always seeks balance in one way or | | | | problems. |
| another, because from this state it renews itself and | | | | Another benefit of regular tonglen practice is that you |
| evolves. This principle naturally, is also true for humans, | | | | widen the field of infinite possibilities beyond yourself, |
| since we are an expression of the universe and our | | | | because everything you do also has an effect on the |
| existence is governed by the same laws. | | | | world. It is therefore very worthwhile for anyone |
| We are constantly evolving, and if we learn to allow | | | | interested in self improvement and self mastery to |
| the process this can happen pretty seamlessly. | | | | seek out workshops or retreats that teach tonglen. |