Posted by August (208.161.103.136) on April 08, 2001 at 01:12:11:
In Reply to: What to do with the pain...Non CHRISTians do not click here posted by Dennis O'C on April 07, 2001 at 23:12:44:
there is a meditative practise called tonglen that is along this same principle of dedicating your pain for someone. It's a practise that i do maybe out of selfish intent because i need meaning for my pain.
It goes like this. You sit and imagine the person you wish to take pain away from. When you breathe in you imagine their pain being breathed into yourself. When you breathe out, you imagine peace and bliss being returned to them.
When i'm suffering, i imagine it is pain that i've taken from someone else. I sit still as long as i can and i keep my focus on my breathing, and even when i can't sit anymore i still try to focus on my breathing. Each breath i think to myself i'm taking it away from the person i want to be freed from pain. It doesn't make it any less painful, but it gives me added strength.
When i went to catholic school there was this nun that would tell us if we fell and banged up our knees or whatever, to imagine taking the pain for Jesus. Whenever i would get a shot or go to the dentist i'd tell myself all for Jesus, because he died for me. It was like the least i could do. It's funny because when i get a shot i still say that to myself when i'm faced with scarey things.