Tong Len 'a mind training - Meditation

Tonglen (also spelled Tong Len) is a Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice that focuses on cultivating compassion and altruism through a process of "giving and taking" (literally, tong means "giving," and len means "taking").


Tonglen practice, also known as "taking and sending" reverses our logic of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. In tonglen practice we visualises taking in the pain of others with-even in the breath and sending out whatever will benefit to them, on the out breath.


What is Tonglen?


Tonglen is a mind-training (Lojong) practice in which the practitioner:

Inhales the suffering of others,

Exhales relief, compassion, and healing to them.


It reverses the ordinary habit of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure for oneself. Instead, the practice opens the heart by connecting deeply with others’ pain and cultivating the wish to alleviate it.



How It Works (Basic Practice Steps)


  1. Settle the Mind
  2. Begin with calm-abiding meditation (e.g., focus on the breath) to settle your mind.
  3. Visualize Suffering
  4. Think of someone who is suffering—someone you care about, or even a group of people (like those in war zones, the sick, etc.).
  5. Inhale Their Suffering
  6. As you breathe in, visualize taking in their pain, fear, or confusion in the form of thick, black smoke or darkness.
  7. Transform It
  8. Let the suffering dissolve into your heart, which is vast, open, and capable of transformation.
  9. Exhale Relief
  10. As you breathe out, send love, healing, comfort, or whatever they need—imagine it as white light or a cool breeze going to them.
  11. Expand the Practice
  12. Over time, extend it to strangers, difficult people, and eventually all sentient beings.


Purpose and Benefits


Cultivates compassion and empathy

Dismantles ego-clinging and self-centeredness

Deepens awareness of interconnectedness

Builds emotional resilience in the face of suffering


Roots in Tibetan Buddhism


Tonglen is associated with the Lojong teachings, particularly from teachers like:

Geshe Chekawa (author of Seven Points of Mind Training)

Pema Chödrön (modern teacher who popularized it in the West),


Also read "Lungta" wind horse or other ancient meditation practices, such as raising energy for driving more deeper.