Happy Lo-sar!
Feb. 28th, 2006 07:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icarusHappy Lo-sar, everyone! It's the Tibetan New Year today, the Year of the Fire Dog (I just like saying that).
Lo-sar's a little bit like hobbit birthdays: you give things away. I'm working on my usual storyness, but I thought I'd offer something else this morning.
Sending and Receiving
A monk friend of mind uses this technique whenever there's a problem in a friendship. It's a compassion "Bodhichitta" practice that can be done by anyone at any time.
All you need do is breathe.
As you breathe in through your nose, you consider that you're breathing in all the negativity of all other people (expanding that to include cats, lions, tigers, ghosts, everyone). You breathe in their negative karma, anger, sadness, ignorance, grasping, sickness... don't worry, no one's ever gotten sick doing this practice. Breathe in slowly, gently.
Then as you breathe out, you breathe out all your own good karma, all that you've done (in this life and others) to help others, all your good intentions, wealth, good fortune, kindness, merit and virtues, giving them away to all other beings. Consider their health and vitality improves and that they become happy and satisfied with their lives... don't worry, no one's ever lost money in the stock market because of this. Breathe out slowly, gently.
This practice is highly portable and can be any time you can manage to breathe. It helps other people on a very subtle level, and it develops equanimity, kindness, compassion, and happiness.
Have a happy Lo-sar! Tashi delek.
Lo-sar's a little bit like hobbit birthdays: you give things away. I'm working on my usual storyness, but I thought I'd offer something else this morning.
Sending and Receiving
A monk friend of mind uses this technique whenever there's a problem in a friendship. It's a compassion "Bodhichitta" practice that can be done by anyone at any time.
All you need do is breathe.
As you breathe in through your nose, you consider that you're breathing in all the negativity of all other people (expanding that to include cats, lions, tigers, ghosts, everyone). You breathe in their negative karma, anger, sadness, ignorance, grasping, sickness... don't worry, no one's ever gotten sick doing this practice. Breathe in slowly, gently.
Then as you breathe out, you breathe out all your own good karma, all that you've done (in this life and others) to help others, all your good intentions, wealth, good fortune, kindness, merit and virtues, giving them away to all other beings. Consider their health and vitality improves and that they become happy and satisfied with their lives... don't worry, no one's ever lost money in the stock market because of this. Breathe out slowly, gently.
This practice is highly portable and can be any time you can manage to breathe. It helps other people on a very subtle level, and it develops equanimity, kindness, compassion, and happiness.
Have a happy Lo-sar! Tashi delek.
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Date: 2006-02-28 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-28 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-04 09:35 pm (UTC)