So far, this month has been tough. My granddaughter-in-law has been ill, a family emergency depleted my cash, and the awful election made me despair for humanity (well, that's a bit of an exaggeration). I have really needed my meditation practice.
But first, a word from our sponsor.
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, earthquakes, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, earthquakes etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a PM to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
Ok, we do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday:
BadKitties
Tuesday:
ejoanna
Wednesday:
Caedy
Thursday:
art ah zen
Friday:
FloridaSNMOM
Saturday:
Most Awesome Nana
Sunday:
loggersbrat
For many years I have tried to follow the Mahayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the tradition of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. I say "try" because I am not very good at it. I am impatient, angry, and cannot stand stupidity. Obviously, that makes being compassionate to all sentient beings a little difficult. I am very good with animals and find if I keep my circle of human acquaintances rather small, the mayhem stays to a minimum. But it is a daily struggle. So I practice tonglen, a type of meditation that is a training in altruism.
Tonglen is Tibetan for 'giving and taking' (or sending and receiving), and refers to a meditation practice during which you visualize taking into yourself the suffering of others on the in-breath, and on the out-breath giving happiness and success to all sentient beings. What I am trying to do is decrease my selfishness while increasing loving-kindness and attempting to help others with their struggles.
Prominent teachers who have popularized this practice in the West include Pema Chodron, Ken McLeod, Alan Wallace, Chögyam Trungpa, Sogyal Rinpoche, Kelsang Gyatso, and H. H. the Dalai Lama.
H.H. the Dalai Lama, who is said to practice Tonglen every day, has said of the technique:
"Whether this meditation really helps others or not, it gives me peace of mind. Then I can be more effective, and the benefit is immense."
I, too, have received immense benefit from the practice of tonglen. But I have not always found it to be easy because it means deliberately facing my pain or the pain of others. The pain of others, particularly when I have been the cause of that pain, is especially difficult.
Since this is already a long diary, I will go into how to do tonglen in my next diary. If anyone wants to read more, there are links at the end. And if you would like to join the DKos Sangha (community) right here on the Great Orange Satan, go here:
DKos sangha
The sangha is
A place for those following paths of dharma, advaita, yoga, and others, who seek compassionate engagement in the political process. A place for exploring how engagement in politics can be integrated into one's spiritual path. That all beings are worthy of compassion is central to this exploration.
There is a weekly open thread on Sunday morning and group meditation on Monday night. Everyone of whatever religious persuasion is welcome.
Namaste.
Buddist teachings, these are ZIP files
The Path to Tranquility
The Practice of Tonglen - Pema Chodron