Tonglen for Racial Inequality

Transcript

[0:01] Let's practice.

[0:24] On our cushion or chair or floor, just wherever we are. Arranging our body. So that we are open, leaning into our world. Slight. Slight sense of leaning forward. Our life unfolds in a forward direction. As Chagyam Trungpa used to say, birds can't fly backwards. No matter what, leaning in, being open to facing forward, welcoming the rising sun. With an open heart.

[2:13] Connecting to the present moment. That we constantly forget. This is why we practice remembering to awake. Feeling with all our senses into the vastness of space all around us. In this very moment. Feeling the air on our skin. The temperature of the space. Whether we're inside or outside. The sunlight. Directly or filtering through a window. In the energetic sense of space. Flashing our awareness. Out. The sense of pulsing. Flashing. Into openness. A sudden opening of the heart.

[5:03] And then an extending, an exploration of this vast space, sending our awareness outwards. How far?

[5:49] Where is the space? The space that can encompass everything. All that happens can arise, abide and fall within this vastness of space.

[6:39] All that arises in our mind, all that arises in the world.

[7:03] Empty. Gentle space.

[7:30] Each thought just arising, abiding and falling. Each physical object arising, abiding and falling within the giant vast space. And then we could begin to be aware of the suffering in the world. Feeling it as a texture within this space. A dark, grainy, sooty, smoky texture of heat, of pain. The suffering of fear, of anxiety, of disease. Of injustice. Of racial inequality. Feeling this texture. Breathing it into our body. With every pore of our body. Taking in and really feeling this texture. Opening ourselves to allow this to flow in. Not taking it on. It doesn't stay within us. But we open to feeling it. To knowing it. This hot, dark, sooty, thick smoke. Of suffering. Of pain.

[11:17] Allowing ourselves to take it in, to be with it, to know it.

[11:48] And now... Releasing and reaching into our heart. Feeling this bright cooling light. And allowing this to send out from our body. Feeling our heart grow. And for this cooling white light of kindness, of compassion. Of compassion and action. Of love. To radiate from every cell in our body. And to become familiar and to know this.

[13:40] Allowing it to flood our body. Sending it to every crevice. And outward into the world.

[14:13] And now we could bring to mind a specific situation of suffering. Perhaps of racial injustice. Something you read about. Something you've seen. Or it could be anything close to you in your life. And bring to mind the people involved. And start breathing in this suffering. This dark, sooty smoke of pain, of injustice, of suffering, of fear, of anxiety, of hatred. And breathe out the cooling light of love and kindness. Breathing in the dark, sooty smoke of suffering. Breathing out the cooling. Cooling. Soothing. Loving. Loving kindness. With each breath in. Taking in. But not on. Taking in. The suffering. Of this situation. And with each breath out. Sending what is needed.

[16:47] Allowing the depth of suffering to open our heart. And with each breath in.

[17:21] And the specific people involved. Breathing in our suffering. Breathing out love and kindness. Breathing in the pain and fear. Breathing out whatever may be needed.

[18:40] We can include those connected to the situation. Breathing in both sides. All those around. Breathing in suffering. A stark, sooty, smoky texture. Breathing out kindness and love and compassion and ease.

[19:34] We can include more beings. Can we grow to include all sentient beings? Breathing in all their suffering. Breathing out love and kindness. To heal the world.

[21:08] When we could, let this go. Letting go the visualization and connection with the breath. And just feel ourselves sitting in the white light of compassion and kindness. Letting this flood our body. In the vastness of open awareness of space. This space vast enough to hold all that arises, abides and falls. Feeling this love permeate our body.