Yesterday, I mentioned the importance of doing Tonglen and Metta practices for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and for the rescue workers as well. Today I want to remind you about how to do these practices.
For Tonglen you visualize or just bring to mind the person or beings of your intention. Then when you breathe in, you take their suffering off of them and bring it into yourself. It is then transformed because when you breathe out you send them happiness and well being and relief from suffering. You do not have to feel any particular way for this practice to be effective. What matters is your intention.
Metta or lovingkindness is a sending practice. I use the sentence, "May they be happy; may they be well; may everything be well in their lives."
Be sure and start each practice by giving yourself compassion and lovingkindness. Then you can share it with all beings everywhere. Focusing on a particular group or individual is completely appropriate.
Another important focus is to do the practices for other people just like you who have the same feelings of distress you have about the disaster. It's sometimes easier to get started this way that to try to focus on the victims right away.
Tonglen and Metta are not substitutes for action. They are the context and the ground for action. They keep us from desensitizing ourselves and from giving up. They stir the inner potential for deep caring and motivate us to give blood, to give money, to volunteer in whatever way we can. Do make these practices part of your daily discipline as more and more news reaches you about the devastating effects of the disaster before us.
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