We had a lesson on loving in my Women's group at church. It was a reflective time and one in which I wish I could have just led the group in a Tonglen Meditation...the most symbolic and internalizing brief lesson on loving that I have ever experienced.
Tonglen teaches that rather than avoid things that make us uncomfortable, we breath it in and make space in our hearts for the feeling, thought, or experience to be understood, transformed and then released.
One breathes in the uncomfort, acknowledging that it exists, trusting that it is there for a reason and then exhales a compassion, a peace, and a witness. This continues for a few breathes and then extends to all those in one's family who may be experiencing that same uncomfort. Breathing it in, acknowledging, trusting, and then releasing with compassion, a peace, and a witness. This then extends to one's neighbors who are experiencing this same uncomfort with the same breathing intention. Then to one's whole community, then to one's country, to the whole world, then to all who have lived and are yet to live.
After expanding out, it retracts through each tier back to the individual.
This practice awakened me to my connectedness to others. It was a whole new realm of understanding and compassion to myself and my precious fellow beings. Funny enough, it was the most foreign to offer that compassion and understanding to myself, family and neighbors, but definitely the foudation. As the famous mandate says, "Love they neighbor as thyself"...Gotta realize how precious you are before you can truly love another.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
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