Love on Every Breath: Tonglen Meditation for Transforming Pain into Joy

A powerful Tibetan Buddhist meditation, long used to transform pain into compassion, adapted for Western audiences.

Many today feel called to action. Others are stymied, grief-stricken, confused about how to proceed. An ancient Tibetan Buddhist meditation - Tonglen - addresses this condition. One breathes in the suffering of others and breathes out compassion. But it is a difficult, advanced practice. Breathing in the suffering of others can be overwhelming.

Lama Palden Drolma, a Western woman trained by Buddhist masters and also schooled in contemporary psychotherapy, here introduces readers to a variation of Tonglen that is no less powerful but more user-friendly. What she calls Love on Every Breath is a direct descendent of Tonglen, dating back centuries. Lama Drolma walks readers step-by-step through the meditation, from beginning issues of sitting with awareness and breath to taking in and extending love. Challenging situations of sadness, anger, and overwhelm are addressed with On-the-Spot strategies. Love on Every Breath elegantly and practically addresses a contemporary culture rife with anger, fear, and a sense of exclusion. The practices heal both the practitioner and the society in which they live.