Tonglen - a dance of giving & receiving

Tonglen is a meditation practice of giving and receiving - the word means "to send out and to receive". The practice is closely related to the training of the bodhisattva who opens unconditionally to the suffering of the world.

Pema Chödrön said: We can spend a lifetime chasing after pleasure and trying to get away from pain, never staying present with the underlying feeling of discontent. Even when fame is achieved, does it bring the happiness that people anticipate? What if, by contrast, we trained in staying in the middle – in that non-grasping open space between seeking what’s comfortable and avoiding what is not?

In our own practice, it is perhaps always a question of how we can remain open or become still when we are truly aware of the pain and suffering around us. How can we, without closing ourselves off, be fully present here and experience that we are a part of the world?

This event is an introduction to Tonglen practice in a form that involves the body and voice. We will be using movement improvisation and meditation. You can expect to experience joy on this event. No prior experience is necessary. Booking is required.

To book please contact the Glasgow Buddhist Centre

Image credit: Joshua Woroniecki