"There are no accidents." I read this upon awakening from a dream representing my fear and ambivalence about attending a Mussar (Jewish ethics) class for the first time in person at a synagogue 30 miles from where I live. I've never been there before. I have a history of trauma-drama with the Jewish community. How will I be received? Will people like me? Maybe I just won't go! I'm driving an old car and maybe it will break down!
In the dream I'm with these people. Then the scene changes and I'm in a neighborhood of old mansions, like ones I'm familiar with from growing up in Oklahoma -- oil country. I grew up surrounded by wealth, status, power. Some of it was passed down to me from my father's family.
Upon awakening and after writing down the dream, I turned to my phone and read this post! Synchronicity. I wish I could afford to attend Naropa! I am recovering from a heart attack. I am hyper-alert to symptoms and dread the possibility of facing another heart attack. I also just got an "all-clear" report about a skin cancer on my face. I feel renewed and reprieved! I shared this post with the rabbi of the congregation. Now I have a way to face my own fear and meet these folks I've never met before from my tender vulnerable heart, trusting all will be well.
Thank you Cort! Thank you Ritchie! Thank you, Dharma Lab!
I found this column to be a rich explanation of tonglen, and it will afford me a deeper, more informed giving and taking practice. Sending much gratitude!
As others have said, this is beautiful. My husband and I are on the verge of filing for divorce and I have allowed myself to be mired in all the unknowns. Sitting and practicing through your guidance has reminded me (again) of all that I have to be grateful for and all that I have to give and be of service to others... Thank you Cort.
Thank you, Cort, for this enlightening explanation of tonglen. Breathings blessings in and out bl has been my tradition; breathing IN suffering has always felt a little dicey since I learned this method, like the shock of cold water when entering the ocean or a pool. Your explanation of how tonglen is founded upon our certain, inborn and inexhaustible inheritances has made all the difference to me; I just never linked the two. Again, thank you. And , yes, your words have added a lot to my day and my way of being in the world. How much I appreciate your Clarity and your Kindness in sharing your Wisdom. Keep well!
Thanks Cort... really beautiful, very helpful. I have found this to be possibly the most transformative practice I have done. About 20 years ago, I experienced debilitating bouts of depression, anger, neurosis on a regular basis. I learned the tonglen practice in one of my earliest encounters with Tibetan Buddhism- the book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The notion of deeply, genuinely breathing in others' pain repulsed me at first, but also strangely intrigued me. It was like "what!?" I continued with it because I felt like there was literally nothing else I could do during those long painful depressive episodes. Practicing was painful, physically, the physical pain of deep depression. But I stayed with it with determination, like being on a wild horse with the determination that "you are not going to throw me off". And over time transformation began to happen. My bouts of debilitating depression became less frequent and less severe. I almost started looking forward to encounters with stormy emotional episodes as fertile ground for practice. I credit the practice with allowing me to live much, much more at ease. The problem perhaps has been that because I employed the practice mostly in times of extreme duress, I have let it slip since those experiences have significantly abated. I know that the practice can continue to provide rich benefits. Your piece is inspiring me to reinvigorate the practice, thank you!
Thank you for this, Cort. Experiencing the Tonglen practice for the first time on the Healthy Minds App was similarly transformative for me; moving from meditating to benefit myself into the perspective with which you and Richie always open your sessions - may this practice be of benefit to me and may it benefit all beings. Tonglen practice anchors that intention very specifically and beautifully. I was sitting outside the first time I listened to that session, and when I opened my eyes at the end, I realized that at some point I had raised my arms and spread them wide. I was greeting the world with love.
"There are no accidents." I read this upon awakening from a dream representing my fear and ambivalence about attending a Mussar (Jewish ethics) class for the first time in person at a synagogue 30 miles from where I live. I've never been there before. I have a history of trauma-drama with the Jewish community. How will I be received? Will people like me? Maybe I just won't go! I'm driving an old car and maybe it will break down!
In the dream I'm with these people. Then the scene changes and I'm in a neighborhood of old mansions, like ones I'm familiar with from growing up in Oklahoma -- oil country. I grew up surrounded by wealth, status, power. Some of it was passed down to me from my father's family.
Upon awakening and after writing down the dream, I turned to my phone and read this post! Synchronicity. I wish I could afford to attend Naropa! I am recovering from a heart attack. I am hyper-alert to symptoms and dread the possibility of facing another heart attack. I also just got an "all-clear" report about a skin cancer on my face. I feel renewed and reprieved! I shared this post with the rabbi of the congregation. Now I have a way to face my own fear and meet these folks I've never met before from my tender vulnerable heart, trusting all will be well.
Thank you Cort! Thank you Ritchie! Thank you, Dharma Lab!
I found this column to be a rich explanation of tonglen, and it will afford me a deeper, more informed giving and taking practice. Sending much gratitude!
As others have said, this is beautiful. My husband and I are on the verge of filing for divorce and I have allowed myself to be mired in all the unknowns. Sitting and practicing through your guidance has reminded me (again) of all that I have to be grateful for and all that I have to give and be of service to others... Thank you Cort.
Thank you, Cort, for this enlightening explanation of tonglen. Breathings blessings in and out bl has been my tradition; breathing IN suffering has always felt a little dicey since I learned this method, like the shock of cold water when entering the ocean or a pool. Your explanation of how tonglen is founded upon our certain, inborn and inexhaustible inheritances has made all the difference to me; I just never linked the two. Again, thank you. And , yes, your words have added a lot to my day and my way of being in the world. How much I appreciate your Clarity and your Kindness in sharing your Wisdom. Keep well!
Thanks Cort... really beautiful, very helpful. I have found this to be possibly the most transformative practice I have done. About 20 years ago, I experienced debilitating bouts of depression, anger, neurosis on a regular basis. I learned the tonglen practice in one of my earliest encounters with Tibetan Buddhism- the book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The notion of deeply, genuinely breathing in others' pain repulsed me at first, but also strangely intrigued me. It was like "what!?" I continued with it because I felt like there was literally nothing else I could do during those long painful depressive episodes. Practicing was painful, physically, the physical pain of deep depression. But I stayed with it with determination, like being on a wild horse with the determination that "you are not going to throw me off". And over time transformation began to happen. My bouts of debilitating depression became less frequent and less severe. I almost started looking forward to encounters with stormy emotional episodes as fertile ground for practice. I credit the practice with allowing me to live much, much more at ease. The problem perhaps has been that because I employed the practice mostly in times of extreme duress, I have let it slip since those experiences have significantly abated. I know that the practice can continue to provide rich benefits. Your piece is inspiring me to reinvigorate the practice, thank you!
Thank you for this, Cort. Experiencing the Tonglen practice for the first time on the Healthy Minds App was similarly transformative for me; moving from meditating to benefit myself into the perspective with which you and Richie always open your sessions - may this practice be of benefit to me and may it benefit all beings. Tonglen practice anchors that intention very specifically and beautifully. I was sitting outside the first time I listened to that session, and when I opened my eyes at the end, I realized that at some point I had raised my arms and spread them wide. I was greeting the world with love.
what a beautiful visual you have provided Betty!! Thank you!
Will be trying this technique tomorrow :)