I recently read the book Grace and Grit by Ken Wilbur, an inspiring account of the life and death of his wife, Treya Killiam Wilbur. On her journey a Buddhists spiritual practice called Tonglen was a healing focus that opened Treya to deeper awareness of her/our place within the concept of oneness; a meditation practice of compassionate service with every breath. In simplest terms it is a breath that takes in all the suffering of the world and sends back love and light through an open channel that does not allow for any “kaka” to attach to your own body. Throughout my life I have dipped into various “religions” to add valuable strands to my personal spiritual tapestry so I immediately felt a resonance with Treya’s story as an evolution for myself in the usage of both the Violet Flame and Fire Breaths (see Archives). I began breathing into this new practice allowing it to reveal its livelihood within the context of my own spiritual journey which simply gives me a way to root the offering in a practical way I can relate to.
I must also add that years ago in an Ayahuasca journey which left a profound visual and sensory effect on me, I found myself being the Earth, breathing as she breathes, breathing in all the toxins of the world and breathing out a calm, detached neutrality as a loving pool for us all to be held. It felt to me at the time and still does that each of her exhales support us in an embryonic ocean of love and nurturing compassion; that the dark and the light are one in the same in a world of polarity; that separation only exists in our mind’s view of embodiment and that the heart knows oneness. This experience that is deeply grounded in my senses and soul joined my journey through this new breath and became the foundation of the look and feel of it for my mere personality self to be able to apply as a realistic and useful breathing tool.
So, in the interest of sharing another thread of my weavings, here is the breath that surfaced to the level of consciousness for me, keeping in mind that if you are a beginner in meditation and conscious breathing it is best to have already grounded in your breathing practices both the Fire Breath and the Violet Flame Breath; otherwise, whatever breath you personally use to center, deepen, protect and enliven will be your entrance point.
Begin with 3 Fire Breaths: Rest your awareness on the Solar Plexus visualizing your inner sun and INHALE oxygen, aliveness and light into that area below the diaphragm fueling and maintaining that fire and light; on the EXHALE, expand and radiate that fire and light out from the belly, even from a holographic perspective from every cell, moving out every pore from your physical being to and through your energy bodies and out into the world. On the edge of this expanding light is always a protective shield/boundary of fire that deflects from your field and body all that is not for your highest good allowing you to reside in a pool of light and expand that space out infinitely knowing/trusting on the edge of this light is a protective boundary of fire.
Next, in further preparation, take 3 Violet Flame Breaths: On the INHALE, draw UP from the Earth through the feet the RED RAY while simultaneously drawing DOWN from the Cosmos through the crown the BLUE RAY, seeing them meet at the HEART; (keep in your visual awareness that the red ray comes from the liquid lava core in the center of the Earth and also passes through the Solar Plexus on its way to the heart, infusing with her fire, flames from our own inner sun). On the EXHALE, having joined the red and blue rays at the heart, visualize a violet flame pouring from your open heart out to the world delivering and expanding compassion with each breath beyond your own body, house, community, country, planet and universe; into oneness.
Now, with your heart ready and wide open, imagine yourself as the Earth in whatever way works for you (if might help to do this breath in the beginning lying down until it is grounded in your consciousness).
Rest your awareness at the base of your spine and on the INHALE, breathe in through the heart all the pain and suffering in the world, it might appear as black smoke, a grey cloud, whatever, and let it flow through your heart down a protected channel of light to the base of your spine imaging this area as a lava pool of liquid fire that all the world’s suffering is being poured into; on the EXHALE, rest your awareness on the heart sending up from this pool, fire and light filled compassion out to the world. All suffering transmuted into compassionate light with each breath. Its all in the intention: our intention flows from where our attention goes.
USE OF THE COMPASSIONATE SERVICE BREATH:
Keep in mind that one can begin this breath as a means to release one’s own suffering as this in and of itself is a gift to the whole. As a compassionate service offering, rest your awareness and focus on any person, peoples, sentient being,or location you feel drawn to serve in any given moment and simply breathe:
the inhale drawing in the pain and suffering, the exhale delivering the transmuted energy as light and love to its destination.
And, yes, it becomes that simple once the practice of grounding the imagery and trusting the breath and your intention are in place. Such a practice is unique to the individual and will take on a sensory and visual life of its own. How it developed for me is what I have offered here. Use it as you will and allow for it to create from your individual catalog of experiences and reference points. Remember, tis a practice. Once the practice is secured within your personality and body, it becomes a simple walking, breathing awareness in each moment; at any time, in any place the breath can be serving the oneness of all life at a time on this planet where every bit of conscious compassion is beneficial and catalytic.
My gratitude to you for reading this rather lengthy description of a simple breath and sharing the journey. Namaste.
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