Exploring Tonglen Meditation (Giving and Receiving Practice)

During this day retreat Shakyapada will introduce us to the concept of the Collective Consciousness, a state where we can ultimately transcend the sense of Self and Other, or Subject and Object. There will be short talks and two different approaches to tonglen meditation

Tonglen is an ancient form of meditation that focuses on compassion: connecting with it, developing it, and learning how to apply it in everyday life. The practice centres on imagining that as we exhale, we are sharing the light of well-being and its causes with everyone who needs it. As we inhale, we are relieving others of the darkness of suffering and its causes. The result, quite counter-intuitively perhaps, is that we can feel lighter and happier in ourselves after doing this practice.

Tong means "giving or sending", and len means "receiving or taking".[2] Tonglen is also known as exchanging self with other. The function of the practice is to:

• reduce selfish attachment
• increase a sense of renunciation[1]
• purify karma by giving and helping[1]
• develop and expand loving-kindness and bodhicitta[1][5]

The practice of tonglen  or exchange of self and other helps us to let go of our delusion of separateness and can help us to feel more a part of the collective consciousness. Sangharakshita says of this

“Collective consciousness… is a special kind of consciousness common to, in a sense even shared by, a number of truly human individuals who follow the same spiritual disciplines and have the same spiritual ideals, or who are engaged in the same creative activities. Collective consciousness in this sense is as much above individual consciousness, taken separately, as group consciousness is below it. The bodhisattva principle is the key to collective consciousness in this higher sense in that the bodhisattva, even though appearing as an objectively existing personality, in reality transcends the distinction between subject and object, self and others.” Sangharakshita from The Bodhisattva Principle 

Open to all over 18. You do not need to be a Buddhist to attend. Please bring vegan lunch to share.

This Day Retreat is Priceless! Apart from a £5 booking fee there is no set charge. However we rely on your donations to keep York Buddhist Centre open so please donate extra if you can either when booking or on the day. We suggest £15 to £20 for the day (or whatever you can manage)