January 22 – Awakening the heart of compassion

Dear Friends,

I was inspired and grateful to the people here in Saskatoon and all around the globe that assembled yesterday for events supporting the Women’s March on Washington. (I regret that I wasn’t in attendance.)

I have a set of “Compassion Cards” from Pema Chödrön, which have a set of slogans on one side and brief commentary on each slogan on the other side. One that I came across fit the reflections from yesterday’s email on why we practice, and speaks to the efforts that are needed in this world:

When the world is filled with evil, transform all mishaps into the path of bodhi.

Whatever problems occur in your life, instead of reacting to them in the usual habitual way, you could transform them into the path of the bodhi heart. That is, you could awaken your compassionate and open heart. Use the tonglen approach and breathe in the pain of the situation, wishing that all beings could be free of it. Then breathe out and send loving-kindness to all suffering beings, including yourself!

Bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning awakened. Tonglen is a practice from Tibetan Buddhism, and it’s a practice that Tara Brach says can help us awaken compassion in the face of suffering. (In her book Radical Acceptance, Tara cautions that tonglen may not always be an appropriate practice, as for some it “may cause emotional flooding or a deepened feeling of being stuck”, so you may wish to consider if this is a practice that is wise for you in this moment.)

Here is a video featuring Pema Chödrön describing and leading a brief practice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwqlurCvXuM

This is a practice that can be done anywhere. Tara Brach says

Whenever you become aware of suffering, you can practice tonglen. You might see on the TV news a family who has just lost their home in a flood or fire. You might be traveling on the freeway and see a car accident. You might be at an AA meeting, listening as someone describes his or her struggle with alcoholism. Right on the spot you can breathe in, letting yourself feel the immediacy and sharpness of that hurt and fear. Exhaling, release the pain into the openness of awareness, with a prayer for relief. After spending some minutes in the way, enlarge the field of compassion, breathing for all being who are suffering from loss or trauma or addiction.

May our caring, in whatever form we demonstrate it, create ripples that flow out endlessly through the world, touching all beings with kindness and creating the conditions for peace.

With best wishes,
Andrea