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YOUR TRANSFORMING HEART
This meditation is based on an ancient Tibetan practice known as Tonglen, and has been used by many generations and traditions to cultivate bodhichitta, or compassion.
Once the steps have been practiced it becomes very simple. It can be used as a way to open and heal one's own heart, for developing the ability of living from the heart rather than the head, for dissolving feelings of separation and isolation, and for giving unconditionally to others, specifically or globally. This is the true nature of Love Itself.
The outer, emotional heart may give pain as well as pleasure, true, but as one becomes more aware one accepts the pain as a blessing, an opportunity. The quality of the pain naturally starts changing because you are no longer resisting it. Then it is no longer pain; it is a fire that will cleanse and deepen you.
It is a transmutation, a transformation process, in which the old will go and the new will arrive; in which the mind will disappear and the inner, spiritual heart will function wholly. Then your life becomes a blessing.
TRANSFORMING HEART MEDITATION
This gift is from Atisha, a second century Tibetan teacher
When you breathe in, imagine you are breathing in the miseries of the people in the world - all the hardness, all the negativity and abuse, all the non-love that exists anywhere. Breathe it in and let it be absorbed in your Heart.
The so-called positive thinkers of the West say just the opposite but they don't know what they are saying. They say, when you breathe out throw out all your misery and negativity; and when you breathe in take in joy, positivity, happiness, cheerfulness. Atisha's powerful method is just the opposite.
When you inhale, breathe in all the misery and suffering of all the beings of the world.
When you exhale, breathe out all the joy you have ---
all the unconditional love, all the peace, all the silence.
You will be surprised at what happens. The moment you take in the sufferings of the world they are no longer sufferings. The Inner Heart immediately transforms the energy. The spiritual Heart is a transforming force. Drink in misery and it is transformed into blissfulness... then pour it out.
Breathe out and pour yourself into existence.
This is the method of compassion:
Drink in suffering and pour out blessings.
Compassion is being a transforming force in existence - transforming the ugly into the beautiful, kissing the frog and transforming it into a prince, transforming pain into healing, darkness into light.
If you find any hindrance in the meditation, notice if you are holding on to expectations and release through heart breathing
Once you have learned that your Heart can do this magic, this miracle of giving, you will like to do it more and more.
Begin with yourself.
Breathe your pain, your suffering, your conflicts and knots into your own pure inner Heart.
Then breathe out from your Heart into all parts of yourself.
Keep going... and notice your increasing lightness.
- adapted from Osho, “The Book of Wisdom”
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“If you can experience it - this is of tremendous importance - then start absorbing it. Don't throw it away. It is such a valuable energy; don't throw it away. Absorb it, drink it, accept it, welcome it, feel grateful to it. And say to yourself, 'This time I'm not going to avoid it, this time I'm not going to reject it, this time I'm not going to throw it away. This time I will drink it and receive it as a guest. This time I will digest it.'
“It may take a few days for your to be able to digest it, but the day it happens you have stumbled upon a door which will take you really far. A new journey has started in your life, you are moving into a new kind of being.....
“But start with your own self. Make a small experiment with your own pains, sufferings and miseries. The moment you accept the pain with no reject anywhere, its energy and its quality changes. It is no longer pain.
“And once you have found the key, then you can share it with the whole existence. Then you can take all the suffering of all the world, or all the worlds.
“Ride on the incoming breath and your small heart becomes bigger than the whole universe, then you know what miracles it can do. And pour out your blessings. It is the same energy passing through your heart that becomes bliss, that becomes blessing. Then let blessings go riding on the outgoing breath to all the nooks and corners of existence."
- from Osho, quoted in "Relaxing Into Clear Seeing" by Arjuna Nick Ardagh
blessings
Xan
kindheart
16-10-2010, 03:09 PM
wow!!! :) Thank you!:hug3: This is great meditation and it feels so good! :smile:
Silver
16-10-2010, 04:06 PM
You are right on that score, kindheart.
Xan, I ran across this on another post/thread in brief, or so I thought about a week ago and I was having trouble with someone at work who stressed me out and bothered my sensitive self so much. I decided to try this notion of basically breathing in the bad an breathing out the good...when I was driving home, I immediately started to do this (without any practice, mind you) and it turned out to be so easy it was like falling off a log, and well, with my imagination, it worked brilliantly and it made me feel so good!
As many oft tell you
~Keep up the good work, Xan!
Oh, btw P.S. You were going to work on something meditative or the like regarding something along the lines of sensuality / sexuality...how's that going?
Here's another transforming heart meditation, from arive nan who said I could re-post it.
"I lie down and just focus on the emotion of love itself. I spend some time concentrating on that feeling and the effects it has on my heart rate and mood and the warmth I feel in my skin near my heart chakra.
"Then I let the energy gradually expand from that point to the rest of my body. I concentrate on feeling it spread and grow, radiating out from the heart chakra. Don't rush this part.
"You know where the energy has spread by the sensations in your body. I let it take as long as it takes to spread to my entire body until I can feel it even in my fingers and toes and it's buzzing in my head making me feel something similar to drunk.
"I concentrate on feeling it in my entire body for a while. I feel it penetrating my self.
"Then I tell myself that this energy is the essence of what everything in the universe is made of. Being in love is being aware of it. The energy is me. It is what I am made of. I meditate on that until it's not just a thought anymore and it becomes an experience.
"When the moment happens that I become fully aware that I am that energy, it is quite profound. All the sensations that I took effort to focus on earlier become so strong they can't be ignored. The feeling of love itself intensifies so much it's kind of overwhelming. But I sit with it and spend some in this state.
"Then I let energy and the awareness of being that energy expand beyond the body. Everything is made of this. Not just this body. I feel myself being this energy outside of my body, in everything, in every place in the universe. Then I stay in this state of awareness for as long as I can, because it's a lot of fun.
"After doing this I feel more alive, I can handle stress better and approach matters more calmly."
Xan
Oh, btw P.S. You were going to work on something meditative or the like regarding something along the lines of sensuality / sexuality...how's that going?
It's still in the 'not right now' category, and thanks for the reminder Silvergirl.
Xan
Il'Divino
08-11-2010, 10:25 PM
that sounds like a great meditation. I am putting myself on a 21day program to do it and see how it can benefit me. Im just a bit concerned about the breathing in of misery, sadness, stress, guilt, instead of breathing them out. Wont that increase or intensify them?
Il'Divino... If we breathed in misery and kept it we would definitely add to our negativity.
However, the gift of this meditation lies in the transforming power of the heart. Whatever energy we bring into the heart is changed and uplifted by love itself. Then we breathe out caring and compassion which frees us from our usual excessive self-focus, and heals and releases us as well.
Try it first with emotions of your own and you'll see what I mean.
blessings
Xan
Shabda
09-11-2010, 12:29 AM
thank you Xan~!
You're most welcome, Shabda.
Xan
Il'Divino
09-11-2010, 06:31 PM
Il'Divino... If we breathed in misery and kept it we would definitely add to our negativity.
However, the gift of this meditation lies in the transforming power of the heart. Whatever energy we bring into the heart is changed and uplifted by love itself. Then we breathe out caring and compassion which frees us from our usual excessive self-focus, and heals and releases us as well.
Try it first with emotions of your own and you'll see what I mean.
blessings
Xan
thanx Xan. I wil certainly do that
Elfay
12-06-2011, 04:20 AM
Wow ! This meditation is absolutely amazing ! It made so much sense. Its perfect for me. As I was reading it I was doing the meditation and before doing it I was feeling pretty out of it and after doing the meditation I feel totally cleansed. I took the pain in and released the joy.
Thank you Xan for sharing this wonderful meditation.
How beautiful, Elfay, that you jumped right in!
Xan
Elfay
12-06-2011, 04:29 AM
It was as if it were made for me. I don't do meditations easily. I get too distracted and I was feel they are too complicated. This one just flowed .... like it was meant to be.
Natalia
12-06-2011, 04:40 AM
Beautiful Xan :hug3:
Bright Blessings :color:
tragblack
20-06-2011, 07:33 PM
There's also the practice of breathing good in and breathing good out.
I got the idea from Qigong. There is some kind of spinning wheel in the abdomen, like a chakra, that rotates nine times one way, giving out good energy, and nine times the other way, taking in good energy. Once activated, it stays and rotates until the end of one's life.
Tayopia
23-06-2011, 01:25 AM
that was beautiful
SerpentQueen
18-07-2011, 09:22 PM
I've been practicing this meditation for a few weeks and I wanted to share some of my experiences.
1) My neighbors argue a lot. When I hear them arguing, I do this simple exercise and what do you know... not only do I feel better, but their arguing stops!
2) My husband gets awfully testy when he's driving in traffic. The other day he was upset with bad drivers and he snapped at me. Without him realizing what I was doing, i did this meditation... and the next thing I know, I heard him sigh in and out, watched the tension go out of his own chest, and he reached over and squeezed my hand.
3) Yesterday we were on the beach and there was a child (around 2 years of age) crying -- it was probably past her nap time; sounded like a cranky cry to me. I did this meditation, and as soon as I was done the out breath, she stopped crying. Just like that. She did not even see me - her back was turned towards me and she was about 20 feet away.
4) Husband and I went to dinner. We were starving. We were seated but then nobody came around to take our order. Then a waiter appeared at the next table, and the customer at that table snapped at him, because he'd goofed her order. The waiter went hurrying away back to the kitchen -- without stopping at us, to say "be with you in a minute." My husband rolled his eyes at me, and muttered, "This isn't going to turn out well... maybe we should try another restaurant? Clearly the waiter is new." (My husband has a long history in the restaurant industry and he has a sense of these things).
So I said to him, "No, let's try the heart meditation on him. Except, when we breathe in, transform in your heart and breath out to him all your experience as a top-notch waiter." My husband humored me, and we both did the meditation together.
The waiter appeared a few minutes later, looking downtrodden, upset and unconfident. We smiled brightly at him, and gave our order. He frowned and informed me that the special I wanted was out... so I ordered something different.
The waiter leaves, and my husband once again rolls his eyes and says, "I have a bad feeling about this... " And I just smile and say, wait and see....
The waiter reappears promptly with bread and our drinks and with a big smile says "there's one last serving of the special!" I thank him and smile back at him, "That would be wonderful."
And the service continued to be excellent... and yes we gave him a generous tip.
Soooo.. give it a try!! It doesn't just affect you - it affects those around you, which is pretty dang cool.
Silver
18-07-2011, 09:54 PM
did this meditation... and the next thing I know, I heard him sigh in and out, watched the tension go out of his own chest, and he reached over and squeezed my hand.
What a beautiful share, SQ ~ but this one is the one that squeezed my heartstrings, thank you.
SerpentQueen
18-07-2011, 10:24 PM
What a beautiful share, SQ ~ but this one is the one that squeezed my heartstrings, thank you.
Let me just add that never happens with him. LOL. He stays stressed and angry until he finds a parking spot. I keep tell him he's going to give himself a heart attack one of these days. But, that day, he stayed calm all the way through the bumper-to-bumper traffic, through the city streets, while circling the block three times, until we found a space (which turned out to be a particularly good one, too -- it was July 4th so there was no guarantee we'd find a spot).
I long ago learned that when he gets in this state, it's best to just not talk. I practice meditating and zenning out. It's great practice too! I have learned to be this perfect zone of calm, his mental state can't reach me.
But this time... my mental state miraculously changed his. In 10 years, that's never happened.
Silver
18-07-2011, 10:27 PM
I long ago learned that when he gets in this state, it's best to just not talk. I practice meditating and zenning out. It's great practice too! I have learned to be this perfect zone of calm, his mental state can't reach me.
Boy, there are a lot of us out there in this fix, lol. It sure beats seething while keeping one's lips zipped, heh.
Thank you, Serpent Queen, for these instant-feedback stories of the magical power in our transforming heart.
Xan
Here's another transforming heart meditation that I just posted in a new thread over in the Meditation section at...
http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=264878#post264878 (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiritualforums.co m%2Fvb%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D264878%23post264878)
At the heart-level in the center of our chest, now appears a tiny rainbow light.
Gradually it expands through our body, totally filling it and dissolving all diseases and obstacles on its way.
When we can stay with this awareness, our body shines like a lamp and light streams in all directions, filling space.
It dissolves the suffering of beings everywhere and the world now shines with great meaning and joy.
All are in a pure land, full of limitless possibilities; everything is self-liberating.
We emanate this light as long as it feels natural.
-- Rainbow Light Meditation, from the 16th Karmapa
Xan
lemmiwinks89
25-07-2011, 01:22 PM
i have tried this for 1 week now, in this time i have made great strides on my path. There are some things i have tried which were not as affective. i have used a western technique which is the opposite of what your are teaching. I never had 100% belief in it for some reason and it never got me my intended results. I had a positive feeling as i was reading this and i instantly had faith that it was the answer i was looking for, the universe has sent me the answer i was looking for.
I am so thankful for you to post this up Xan,
it has made a difference in my life in just a small duration,
It is still making a difference with me everyday till this present day and will continue to make a difference in my future as i keep up the efforts with my practices. Thankyou Xan, Thankyou Universe, you empower me and continue to empower me.
Peace to all, Namaste.
I'm so glad you are using it and discovering its benefits, lemmi.
_/\_
namaste
Xan
StrandedSnowMonkey
05-08-2011, 03:21 PM
Thank you Xan! :smile:
I've used this one many times, it's a wonderful technique! :hug2:
:fish:
- The key is finding the underlying source of the negativity. To see where the source of pain is coming from, the stopped flow in energy.
- Once I’ve found the source I put my hand on the area of pain, and I see and feel the loving white light go from out of my hand into the person’s body. I feel the energy of the love in the body.
- When you feel your own love energy in someone else they will instantly feel better.
- The energy I pour into the one in need stays until it is completely healed.
Moke’s healing method, edited a little
`
Mayflow
22-01-2012, 12:52 PM
There is another meditation that can work along with Tonglen I think.
Think of someone you know and wish the very best and happiest of everything for. Notice how you feel.
Next, think of yourself in this same way and offer yourself the best of good will and unconditional love and acceptance.
Next, think of someone you know just a little in massing, and offer this to them in your heart.
Then, think of people who you may not have liked or you think may have done wrong to yourself or others and offer them in your heart the same.
Then go deeply inside and realize the oneness of the all and spread this beautiful love to everyone everything everywhere. Be creative. Go to outer space to distant Galaxies, spread light and love in many ways across the Universe to all.
BlueSky
22-01-2012, 01:25 PM
There is another meditation that can work along with Tonglen I think.
Think of someone you know and wish the very best and happiest of everything for. Notice how you feel.
Next, think of yourself in this same way and offer yourself the best of good will and unconditional love and acceptance.
Next, think of someone you know just a little in massing, and offer this to them in your heart.
Then, think of people who you may not have liked or you think may have done wrong to yourself or others and offer them in your heart the same.
Then go deeply inside and realize the oneness of the all and spread this beautiful love to everyone everything everywhere. Be creative. Go to outer space to distant Galaxies, spread light and love in many ways across the Universe to all.
Nice...I really like the last line................:smile:
James
Haoma
08-03-2012, 07:04 PM
Thanks for posting this Xan :hug3:
7luminaries
08-03-2012, 08:16 PM
Very nice...always good to bump Xan :)
And thanks for the sister meditation MayFlow :)
Lovely !!!
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