Practicing Tonglen Meditation In Times of Global Challenges

July 14th, 2020

By Paul Lenda

Staff Writer for Wake Up World

We are in the midst of great upheaval and transformation. It can be challenging to navigate in a world that is so unsettled, with so much fear, anger, anxiety, and suffering. This is also the time that calls for those of us who consider ourselves to be helpers of humanity to step up and do the Work. There are a number of tools we have access to at all times, but the one that I find to be especially helpful is tonglen meditation.

What Is Tonglen Meditation?

Tonglen meditation comes to us from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The Tibetan word ‘tonglen’ means “giving and receiving.” This means that the meditation involves both output and input. What you are receiving is the suffering that everyone is experiencing right now. What you are giving is total compassion and energetic support to everyone and anyone who could use it (which is all of us). At its core, tonglen meditation raises the compassion we feel towards others, no matter who are they. It helps us develop the ability to help on a subtle and energetic level, using that powerful electromagnetic generator we call our heart, and bring more inner peace into the collective consciousness.

How to Practice Tonglen Meditation

When you practice this meditation, you should only do so until you feel you are able to. After all, there is a tremendous amount of suffering in the world, and feeling into all of that in order to transmute it can become overwhelming sometimes.

Here is how to practice tonglen meditation:

1. Find somewhere quiet, where you will be undisturbed. Sit down comfortably, and close your eyes. Become still. Starting off, some long, deep breaths here can help.
2. Awaken your heart-mind connection. Feel your energy field and consciousness expand, enjoying greater lucidity. You can use a loving memory to increase this expansion if you need some help.
3. Now, it’s time to receive. Breathe in as much of the suffering in the world as you can, through every pore of your being. Feel the heat and heaviness of this energy.
4. Now, it’s time to give. Breathe out pure, positive energy, through every pore of your being. Feel the coolness and lightness of this energy.
5. Sync up the giving and receiving parts of this meditation with your in and out breaths.

6. Recommended articles by Paul Lenda:

7. How to Form Blueprints of Potential Realities
8. The Art of Leaving Toxic People Behind
9. Condemnation Without Investigation is the Height of Ignorance
10. If You Are a Truth-Seeker, Read This Disclaimer
11. Let Your Life Be Your Message
12. 5 Habits to Have If You Want to be Exceptionally Healthy
13. How to Become a Thousand-Petaled Lotus
14. How to Get Out of Victim Consciousness
15. Are You a Wallflower or a Trailblazer?
16. How to Wake Up to Who You Truly Are

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