— Tranquil Abiding helps us calm the waters of the mind, allowing us to experience truth more clearly. We can learn a lot through studying the nature of the mind and reality, but we can’t stop there. Tranquil Abiding helps us to see for ourselves, through stilling the mind and experiencing insight. Through connecting with others, as a compassionate act, Tonglen helps us feel how we’re not separate from the rest of the ocean. This balance is important. The Tibetan scriptures speak of many pairs. In Why Bother? The definition of enlightenment is cleansing our obscurations and fully maturing our buddha qualities. Tranquil Abiding helps with the former; Tonglen with the latter. Another pair is wisdom (Tranquil Abiding) and compassion (Tonglen). Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) meets us where we are, and supports us in our journey from there. So it is with Tonglen. The word Tonglen means “sending and receiving” in Tibetan.
Valeria Teles interviews Lama Tsomo — the author of “Wisdom & Compassion: Starting with Yourself — (Ancient Wisdom for Our Times Tibetan Buddhist Practice Series – Book 2).”
Lama Tsomo is a spiritual teacher, author, and co-founder of Namchak Foundation, which preserves and shares Tibetan Buddhist practice in accessible, contemporary ways. She dedicates the majority of her time and resources to sharing the teachings and practices of the Namchak tradition, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism. Utilizing her psychology background, Lama Tsomo works to make it easier for Westerners to bridge contemplative practice and modern life. She is particularly passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change. Fascinated by science from an early age, Lama Tsomo’s teachings often reference the science behind meditation and the proven neurological impact. She holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and is the author of Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling? An Introduction and Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice and coauthor of The Lotus & the Rose: A Conversation Between Tibetan Buddhism & Mystical Christianity and the newly released Taking a Breath meditation journal.
To learn more about Lama Tsomo and her work, please visit: namchak.org
— This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well.
