The Shangpa Tonglen from the Wisdom Dakini Niguma
Today, when our human family is facing so many challenges, it is more important than ever that we find peace and sustenance in our hearts.
Tonglen is a eight-step meditation for anyone who wants to open their heart and come closer to realizing their true nature. One step can be done at a time as well, either in formal meditation, or in moment to moment daily life. This extraordinary form of Tonglen comes from an enlightened woman of the 11th century named Niguma. It has been passed down orally for the last 1000 years within the Shangpa Lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism. Now this ancient and profound meditation that has been practiced in isolated mountain retreats in the Himalayas is available to us in the modern world.
Tonglen is essentially a meditation to help us transform and liberate suffering into love and joy. In addition to experiencing our own suffering, and having compassion and loving kindness for others, we often unconsciously or consciously take in others’ suffering, which then sits inside of us unless we process it. This meditation transforms and liberates that as well. Through Tonglen we learn the skills that open our heart to ourselves and others. Opening our heart helps us connect with our inherent buddha nature, our innate awakened awareness.
Lama Palden Drolma’s eight session course from 2017 provides step-by-step guidance through the meditation, from beginning issues of sitting with awareness and focusing on the breath to safely taking in suffering and extending love. Real-life challenges of sadness, anger, and overwhelm are addressed with “On-the-Spot” versions of the meditation.
There are adaptations for practitioners of any religion, or for people who are not religious.
In June 2019, Lama Palden’s book “Love on Every Breath – Tonglen Meditation for Transforming Pain into Joy” was published by New World Library. This book provides an excellent complement to the video course and will further aid practitioners in their Tonglen meditation.
Your Instructor
Lama Palden Drolma founded Sukhasiddhi Foundation in 1996, developing its curriculum and teaching virtually all classes, retreats and programs for many years as Resident Lama, bringing many people to the profound transformative path, and supporting their growth. In 2002 she initiated and taught a traditional three year retreat and instituted multi-year programs for those serious students who could not attend the retreat. Lama Palden Drolma has led many pilgrimages to Bhutan and India, and has trained and authorized five of her students as lamas in the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, including Lama Dondrup who completed the three year retreat, Lama Tashi (Annik Brunet), Lama Stephen Gross and Lama Pat Berube, who completed all the Shangpa Lineage meditation and training of the three year retreat over a period of many years. Lama Dondrup is now Resident Lama at Sukhasiddhi Foundation, Lama Tashi and Lama Pat have been teaching at Sukhasiddhi for many years, and Lama Stephen lives in Corfu, where he teaches a weekly dharma class. Lama Palden has trained many others as Community Dharma Leaders. After two years of living in Portugal, Lama Palden Drolma returned to the San Francisco Bay Area in November 2021, where she continues to act as Senior Lama of Sukhasiddhi Foundation, teaching advanced programs, the Women's Group, and retreats.
Course Curriculum
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Start1: The Subtle Body; Resting in Awareness Itself (88:38)
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Start2: Taking Refuge: Finding our Sanctuary (96:24)
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Start3: Bodhicitta: Cultivating Altruistic Mind (89:36)
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Start4: Stepping into Love, Awakened Being (92:42)
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Start5: Entering the Heart of the Practice (84:46)
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Start6: Extending to All Beings (95:37)
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Start7: Dissolution: Resting in Pure Being (104:28)
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Start8: Dedication (100:20)