When we face pain—whether physical, emotional, or psychological—our natural human instinct is to contract, resist, and pull away. Yet, in the Buddhist tradition, the sacred practice of Tonglen (literally “taking and sending”) flips this instinct on its head. Instead of pushing suffering away, we lean in, breathe it in, and alchemize it through the heart.

Why We Practice Tonglen

We engage in Tonglen to dismantle the illusion of separation. At the core of human pain is often a quiet, heavy belief: “I am the only one who feels this way.” In this meditation, we visualize that self-centric story as a small, shiny black sphere at the heart. As we courageously breathe in our own suffering—and eventually the suffering of others—that sphere dissolves, replacing isolation with a profound sense of shared humanity.

Embracing Suffering to Unlock True Joy

Tonglen teaches us that pain is not a mistake to be avoided, but raw energy waiting to be transformed. By accepting and even embracing the full reality of suffering without fear, we stop living in defense mode. We soften the heart, widen our inner container, and realize that our capacity for joy is directly linked to our capacity to stay present with pain. When we stop running from life’s shadow, we expand more fully into its light.

The Flow of the Practice

* Refuge & Intention: Ground into enlightened wisdom and chant for the peace and well-being of all sentient beings (Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu).

* Taking In (Inhale): Gently breathe in the dark smoke of suffering—first your own grief, pain, or anxiety, and then expanding out to your loved ones, your community, and all beings on Earth.

* Sending Out (Exhale): Dissolve the rigid sense of “me” and exhale a bright, warm light of unconditional love, healing, and compassion into the world.

* Resting in Spaciousness: Conclude by resting in the open, luminous awareness that remains when all resistance melts away.

Reflections for your Journal

* The Black Sphere: Did you notice a physical or emotional shift when you imagined your personal suffering making contact with the “habit of me” at your heart?

* The Expansion: How did it feel to widen your breath from your own pain to the pain of the whole world? Did it feel heavy, or surprisingly liberating?

* Embracing Both Sides: Where in your life are you currently pushing pain away? How might leaning into that discomfort help you experience more joy?

Connect & Share

What arose for you during this practice? Were you able to feel the shift from isolation into shared connection? I would love to hear your experiences in the comments below!

If this Tonglen practice brought you comfort or helped you feel more connected to those around you, please consider sharing it with a friend or becoming a paid subscriber to support my work in bringing these transformative practices to light.

About Your Guide: Based in Oslo, Laura White offers online and in-person esoteric meditation and energy practices to restore inner harmony and connect with universal life force.

Practice inspired by David Michie of The Dalai Lama’s Cat: Compassion in Action on Substack

Background music is Deep Serenity (no FX) Composed by Chris Martyn & Geoff Harvey of Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com)

Photo of the street art in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 22/07/2026 by me, Laura White

When life feels overwhelming, we are often tempted to search outside ourselves for clarity. Yet, the wisdom we seek is already pulsing within.

In this gentle, Reiki-infused meditation, we gather our focus into Gasshō, which is a sacred mudra found in many traditions that unites the left and right sides of the body. It can help to restore balance within our bodies and minds and cultivate the sense of non-duality. By chanting the Gokai (the five Reiki principles) and nurturing a spark of pure life force energy, we remember our connection to the “net of light” that binds all living beings - and the universe - in unity.

The Essence of the Practice

This recording offers an invitation to drop into deep presence, clear mental clutter, and awaken your true path:

* The Warmth of Gasshō: Focus on the small, cupped space between your palms filling with expanding light of earthly and celestial support.

* Awakening Kokoro: Tap into your “heart-mind”— the seat of your intuition, where mind, heart, and soul combine — to listen to your innermost knowing.

* Cleansing in the Glistening River: Imagine drinking in rainbow-glistening waters to dissolve heavy layers of societal expectations, conditioning, and old narratives that keep your most inner-self hidden.

* Becoming a Beacon: Allow your unique color of light to radiate out in all directions — lighting the way not only for yourself, but for others to find their way in the labyrinth of life.

Whether you need to soothe your nervous system or find clear direction for your next step, this meditation serves as a quiet sanctuary to help you return home to yourself.

Reflections for your Journal

* Your Inner Color: As your heart-light expanded, what specific shade or quality did your personal light take on? How did it feel to embody that color?

* Shedding the Layers: Standing by the glistening river, what expectation or external pressure felt ready to wash away?

* Wisdom of Kokoro: When you turned inward to listen, what message or quiet direction did your “heart-mind” offer you?

Connect & Share

How did this practice feel in your body today? Were you able to feel the warmth building between your hands? I would love to hear your experiences and insights in the comments below!

If this guided meditation brought you peace and clarity, please consider sharing it with someone who needs a little extra light, or support my work through a paid subscription so I can continue to share these practices.

About Your Guide: Based in Oslo, Laura White offers online and in-person esoteric meditation and energy practices to restore inner harmony and connect with universal life force.

Background music is Spiritual Meditation by AmbientGarden (originally found on Pixabay, but also here: https://www.purple-planet.com)Photo of the solar eclipse 12/08/2026 in Oslo by me, Laura White

I en hverdag der tankene ofte ligger tre skritt foran oss, og nervesystemet konstant scanner etter neste oppgave på listen, kan det føles som en bragd å bare være. Vi vet så godt at vi burde slappe av, men hvordan gjør vi det egentlig når hodet nekter å skru seg av?

Min erfaring – både fra min egen reise og gjennom mitt arbeid som Reiki-behandler – er at veien ut av tankekjøret alltid går gjennom kroppen. Vi kan ikke tenke oss til ro; vi må invitere den inn.

Derfor vil jeg dele denne guidede kroppsskannn (body scan) med deg i dag.

Dette er en enkel, men dyptgående meditasjonspraksis designet for å hjelpe deg med å flytte oppmerksomheten bort fra merkelapper, prestasjoner og hverdagsstøy, og helt ned i den fysiske kroppen din. Ved å rette et mildt, vennlig lys mot én kroppsdel av gangen, gir du nervesystemet ditt et tydelig signal: Akkurat nå er det trygt å roe ned.

Hvordan bruke denne praksisen:

* Finn ditt pusterom: Legg deg godt til rette på en yogamatte, i sengen, eller sitt godt tilbakelent i en stol. Bruk gjerne puter under knærne og et lunt teppe over deg – når kroppen slapper av, synker temperaturen naturlig.

* Slipp prestasjonen: Det er ingen riktig eller gal måte å føle dette på. Hvis tankene vandrer (og det gjør de!), henter du bare oppmerksomheten mildt tilbake til stemmen min og det neste pustet.

* Kom hjem til deg selv: Se på disse minuttene som en kjærlig avtale med deg selv. En mulighet til å gi næring til din egen essens og lande mykt.

Gjør deg klar, ta et dypt pust inn... og la oss starte.

Laura er en utøver og lærer innen Reiki, yoga ogmeditasjon basert i Oslo, Norge. Bestill time: https://www.laurawhitebeyond.com/book-online

Del gjerne med en annen som ønsker å finne mer ro i kroppen.

Har du noen ganger følt deg helt overveldet, men samtidig utrolig sliten? Eller kanskje du opplever dager hvor tankene spretter i alle retninger, og det føles umulig å samle fokuset? Begge to er helt vanlig under sorgtider

Heldigvis har vi et verktøy som kan nullstille dette på bare noen få minutter, og det ligger rett under (eller inni) nesen vår: pusten.

I dag vil jeg guide deg gjennom Nadi Shodhana, også kjent som vekselpust. Dette er en eldgammel og dyptvinnende pusteteknikk (pranayama) som renser energikanalene våre og skaper en umiddelbar bro mellom kropp og sinn.

Ved å puste vekselvis gjennom høyre og venstre nesebor, stimulerer vi begge hjernehalvdelene. Det er som en mild og kjærlig tilbakesilling (reset) for nervesystemet ditt og en enkelt måte å finne balanse.

Hvorfor gjøre Nadi Shodhana?

* Umiddelbar ro: Den roer ned hjerterytmen og senker stressnivået i løpet av kort tid.

* Klarhet og fokus: Perfekt å bruke midt på dagen hvis du føler deg tåkete i hodet, eller før du skal sette deg ned for å jobbe, skrive eller meditere.

* Sentrerer energien din: Den hjelper deg å finne balansen mellom det maskuline og det feminine, det logiske og det intuitive.

Slik forbereder du deg:

* Sitt godt: Finn en sittestilling hvor ryggraden din kan være lang og strak. Du kan gjerne sitte på en pute på gulvet, eller oppreist i en god stol. Denne øvelsen kan også gjøres liggende — gjør det som er mest naturlig og komfortabel for deg.

* Vær tålmodig: Hvis det føles litt uvant å holde for neseborene i starten, er det helt normalt. Bare slipp prestasjonen og følg takten i min stemme.

Laura er en utøver og lærer innen Reiki, yoga ogmeditasjon basert i Oslo, Norge. Bestill time: https://www.laurawhitebeyond.com/book-online

Del gjerne med en som kunne ønske seg mer balanse i hverdagen.

Da grunnleggeren av Reiki, Mikao Usui, brakte dette healingsystemet ut i verden, etterlot han oss ikke bare en metode for energiarbeid. Han ga oss også et kompass for hvordan vi kan leve livene våre i hverdagen. Dette kompasset kalles Gokai – de fem Reiki-prinsippene.

Disse prinsippene kan være spesielt nyttig i sorgens stund, når vi går gjennom fasene med sinne, depresjon og forhandling. Når vi husker at disse fasene vil gå over med tiden, og aksepterer dem for det de er nå, kan vi lette vår egen lidelse.

I dag vil jeg invitere deg inn i en helt spesiell meditasjon der vi skal sitte sammen med disse prinsippene.

Vi skal hente dem inn, linje for linje – først gjennom den opprinnelige japanske lyden, og deretter integrert som personlige, norske affirmasjoner.

Hvorfor meditere over Reiki Gokai?

* Forankring i nuet: Startsetningen Kyo dake wa – «Bare for i dag» – tar umiddelbart brodden av fremtidsfrykt og overveldelse. Du trenger bare å håndtere akkurat dette øyeblikket.

* Emosjonell detox: Praksisen hjelper deg med aktivt å gi slipp på oppsamlet irritasjon og bekymring, og fyller tomrommet med takknemlighet.

* Hjerteåpnende: Den minner oss på å møte oss selv og verden med en mild, medfølende og ærlig tilstedeværelse.

Slik gjør du deg klar:

* Finn hjertekontakt: Sett deg godt til rette. I denne meditasjonen bruker vi ofte Gassho (bønnestilling) foran hjertet, da dette samler energien og skaper en dyp kontakt med din egen essens.

* Lytt med energifeltet ditt: Du behøver ikke å analysere ordene underveis. Bare lukk øynene, slapp av i kjeven, og la vibrasjonen av Reiki synke inn i cellene dine.

Gjør ryggen lang, plasser hendene ved hjertet... og la oss invitere lykken inn, bare for i dag.

Laura White er en utøver og lærer innen Reiki, yoga og meditasjon basert i Oslo, Norge.Bestill time: https://www.laurawhitebeyond.com/book-online

Behind the daily chatter of the mind lies a place of absolute love, ancient wisdom, and deep somatic restoration.

In this Reiki-led drum journey, we open by grounding into Mother Earth and anchoring our practice with the sacred Reiki Ideals (Gokai). Guided by the steady rhythm of the drum, we drop out of mental tension and travel across a vibrant bridge of elemental light, stepping beyond ordinary reality and into the sanctuary of the Land of Reiki.

The Essence of the Journey

This journey offers a gentle space to shed heavy conditioning and remember your true strength:

* Ground & Align: Align your breath with the heart of the universe and embody the timeless principles of letting go of worry, honoring gratitude, and standing in your authentic truth.

* Release in the Waters: Wade into the River of Life alongside the animal kingdom to wash away stored anxiety, fear, and the societal layers that no longer belong to you.

* Commune with White Tara: Sit in the presence of the Goddess White Tara to receive her sacred healing mantra (Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha), allowing her to awaken the courage within your heart to boldly claim your future.

Whether you are seeking deep relaxation, emotional clearing, or a direct link to divine spiritual support, this recording offers a doorway you can return through whenever you need.

Sidenote: As I was going through my pictures of a recent trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand looking for some of the regal lions I had found around the city, I discovered this beautiful statue of White Tara, sitting under a tree. I just love how she found her way into this journey long before I ever sat down to guide it. 💖 (check out my substack to see the statue of White Tara: https://laurawhitebeyond.substack.com)

Reflections for your Journal

* What washed downstream? As you stepped into the River of Life, what specific layers or worries felt ready to be released by the water?

* White Tara’s Blessing: What did it feel like to hear the call to “be as the lion”? What dreams or truths is your heart ready to roar into existence?

* An Energetic Anchor: Which color or element on the bridge of light brought the most immediate sense of balance or comfort to your body?

Connect & Share

How did this journey resonate with you? What insights or sensations emerged as you sat with White Tara? I would love to hear your experiences in the comments below!

If this drum journey helped you feel lighter and more empowered, please consider sharing it with a friend or becoming a paid subscriber to support my work in bringing these earth-led, esoteric practices to life.

About Your Guide: Based in Oslo, Laura White offers online and in-person esoteric meditation and energy practices to restore inner harmony and connect with universal life force.

Laura White Beyond is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The June Solstice is a sacred turning point in the year—a moment of peak light (or darkness), and a powerful opportunity to transition from who we were into what we are becoming.

Things to have with you before the experience starts:

* Pen and paper

* Eye-covering (mask, pillow, or scarf to cover the head)

* A cozy spot to lay down

* Candles, crystals, incense, or whatever your heart desires to create a sacred space

* Water and small snack to help you ground back into your body at the end

In this Reiki-led drum journey, we use the potent energy of the solstice to embark on a deep inner exploration. Rather than looking outward for answers, this journey invites you to quiet the mind, drop into the body, and travel inward to commune with the natural world and your own intuitive guidance.

This practice is designed as a profound energetic reset for the season ahead. Through grounding breathwork and vivid visualization, you will be guided to:

* Root and Release: Connect deeply with the heart of Mother Earth, allowing her steady energy to hold you as you let go of accumulated stress and mental fatigue.

* Purify and Lighten: Cross an inner bridge of elemental light to reach a sacred river of life, washing away the invisible obstacles, old stories, and heavy baggage that have been keeping you stuck.

* Receive Higher Guidance: Step into a vibrant, supportive space of higher consciousness to gather with guides and unseen allies, opening yourself up to clear insights for the remainder of your year.

This is a sanctuary for your soul. It is a space to shed the old and step forward feeling completely refreshed, rejuvenated, and aligned with your true purpose. And the best part? It’s all already within you.

Reflections for your Journal

* How does your body feel lighter now?

* Were you surprised by the gifts and talents that were revealed to you?

* How will you put your guidance into action?

Connect & Share

What did you discover in the meadow? I would love to hear about the guidance you received or what you left behind in the river. Please share your experiences in the comments below!

If this solstice journey brought you clarity and peace, please consider sharing it with a friend or becoming a paid subscriber on Substack to support my work in weaving together Reiki, meditation, and earth-led practices.

Book a 1:1 session and find out about upcoming events: https://www.laurawhitebeyond.com/

Recently, I was on a walk with my husband and felt the urge to connect more fully with the trees lining our path. I was inspired to record this meditation upon our return, which is based on the life-force sharing practice I did on our walk. This practice is based on and inspired by Shingon and Usui Reiki Ryohō traditions.

There is a profound intelligence beneath our feet and above our heads—a silent, ancient wisdom held by the trees. When we enter the forest, we are returning to a conversation that has been happening for eons.

In this meditation, we step out of the rush of the modern mind and into the “Infinite Loop” of the natural world. This practice is about more than just relaxation; it is an act of honoring the symbiotic bond we share with the grandmother trees and the earth that sustains us. The Infinte Loop is created by the air that we breathe: We exhale carbon dioxide that trees transform into oxygen, exhale fresh breath into our lungs once again.

The Earth Star and the Mycelial Web

We begin by grounding ourselves through the Earth Star Chakra — the energetic anchor located just beneath our feet. It is said to connect us not only to Mother Gaia, but to universal consciousness. By sending our roots down to mingle with the mycelium and the ancient tree roots below, we remember that we are supported by a vast, living network.

The Sacred Exchange

Through the breath, we engage in a beautiful, rhythmic dialogue:

* The Inhale: We receive the gift of green life force energy offered by the trees, letting it fill our veins and fibers with vitality.

* The Exhale: we offer back shimmering white light—the frequency of unconditional love, gratitude, and forgiveness—flowing from the universe, through us, and into the roots of the forest.

In this space, the boundaries of the self begin to soften. We find our center not as an isolated individual, but as a vital link in the chain of existence. We are simply one with the divine animal kingdom and the grandmother trees, giving and receiving the joy of existence.

Reflections for Integration

* Rootedness: As you visualized your roots mingling with the trees, did you feel a shift in your sense of stability or belonging?

* Reciprocity: How does it change your walk through nature to realize that you are offering the trees “love-force” as they offer you “life-force”?

* The Heart-Center: Take a moment to thank the Grandmother Trees for their community. What message of wisdom did you feel from them today?

Commune with the Community

How did the trees speak to you today? I invite you to share your experience in the comments. Whether it was a sensation of deep grounding or a moment of sudden clarity, your reflections enrich our collective space.

If this practice resonated with you, please consider sharing it, or

supporting my work through a paid subscription so I can continue to bring these ancient wisdoms to light.

We are currently living in an era defined by walls. Whether it is the hardening of political divides, the echo chambers we retreat into online, or the psychological armor we build to protect ourselves from the “other,” we seem to have forgotten how to be truly connected. We feel separate, and in that separation, we find conflict.

But what if you could practice the dissolution of these boundaries, starting with your own skin?

In the Japanese esoteric Buddhist tradition of Shingon, there is a practice called shintō-hō, or the “permeation visualization.” It teaches us that the body is not a closed fortress, but a porous, open vessel. As you exhale, you visualize your breath leaving through every pore, touching the furthest reaches of the universe. As you inhale, you draw that same universal life energy back into your very being.

“In the permeation visualization (shintō-hō), the practitioner visualizes his exhaling breath as leaving his body through all his pores and spreading out into the universe. Then, with each inhalation, the energy of the universe enters the practitioner through his every pore, permeating his body. Shubhakarasimha wrote in his Essentials of Meditation that when one exhales, universal life energy “flows again from every single part of the body,” and when one inhales, it “enters through the nose and circulates everywhere throughout the body, filling every vein and fiber.” The Dainichi-kyō says that this life energy “enters the entire body through every single pore and flows through the body, making it entirely pure.” Using this technique, the practitioner seeks to unite with the cosmic energy permeating all things.” - Shingon Japanese Esoteric Buddhism by Taiko Yamasaki

By practicing this “cosmic exchange,” we move beyond the illusion of dualism. We experience, even if just for a moment, that we are not separate from the environment, the people, or the world around us. In a time where polarization feels like the default state of humanity, this meditation is a radical act of union—a way to remember that we are all breathing the same air, composed of the same energy, and woven into the same cosmic fabric.

Join me as we quiet the noise of division and return to the wholeness that has been here all along.

Journaling Integration

I always recommend journaling after a practice, whether it is yoga, meditation, or a self-reiki treatment. This provides an healthy outlet of underlying emotions, thoughts, and feelings, as well as, further integration of the concepts explored. This can be in the form of free-writing, or, answering the journal prompt below:

"Think of a person or a viewpoint that currently represents the 'polarization' you feel in your life. As you reflect on the feeling of breathing the same air as the rest of the universe, what changes when you visualize that person or idea also being 'permeated' by the same universal energy as you?"

Take a moment to ground yourself in this practice—then tell me what you found:

Did you notice a shift in how you relate to the world around you after finishing this meditation? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below.

If this practice helped you find a sense of center amidst the noise, please consider sharing this post with a friend or becoming a paid subscriber.

Your support allows me to continue creating these spaces for reflection and deep, human connection.

Step into the mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis, the fierce and luminous embodiments of awakened energy in Vajrayana Buddhism, on this Dakini Day. In this guided journey, we visit each dakini family in turn, meeting their encumbered patterns with compassion and transforming them into their radiant, liberated qualities. In Sanskrit, dakini translates to sky dancer**, which beautifully captures the essence of this figure as one who traverses the vastness of the sky — or more symbolically, the expanse of consciousness.

Rooted in the teachings of Lama Tsultrim Allione and inspired by her book Wisdom Rising, this practice follows the mandala she offers — a pathway for transmuting anger into clarity, pride into equanimity, jealousy into enlightened action, grasping into spaciousness, and confusion into mirror-like wisdom. With each dakini, we shift the heavy into the holy, returning these energies to their innate brilliance.

This meditation is for:* anyone seeking personal transformation through embodied, lineage-based practice* practitioners drawn to the empowered feminine and the mandala of the dakinis* meditators navigating emotional patterns and wishing to alchemize them into wisdom* those longing for a practice that blends Buddhist depth, energy work, and psychological integration* people exploring the teachings of Lama Tsultrim Allione, Tara Mandala, or the Five Wisdom Families

Whether you’re familiar with the dakinis or stepping into this mandala for the first time, this journey invites you to experience their energies directly — fierce, compassionate, spacious, and profoundly transformative.

May it guide you toward your own luminous, liberated nature and be of benefit to all beings. 🙏💖

Spoken words by me with inspiration from Lama Tsultrim Allione’s workBackground music by AmbientGardenPicture by Lasha Mutual “Yogini in Retreat with 5 Dakinis”

**Some may recognize Sky Dancer as the name of my beloved drum, who was christened with this name by Ros Simons, the woman who birthed her. It is only one of the many reasons I knew the drum was created specifically for me.