Comedy
Tonglen Part II: Three Stages of Tonglen practice Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the regarding the three stages of tonglen practice: a moment of "not being caught up," breathing in, and breathing out, in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! The bonus episode that was also posted this week is a guided tonglen meditation from Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening and being YOU! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/at-peace-warriors/support