Tonglen Part II: Three Stages of Tonglen practice

Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the regarding the three stages of tonglen practice: a moment of "not being caught up," breathing in, and breathing out, in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! The bonus episode that was also posted this week is a guided tonglen meditation from Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening and being YOU!

Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the intention and instructions behind practicing tonglen in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! Look out for next week's episode that will also explore the practice of tonglen and also a bonus episode with a guided tonglen meditation faciliated by Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening & being you!

Anne:Gogh and Posh Gibson discuss celibacy and why it is probably the most underrated tool/practice for growth, maturity, self-discovery, and uncovering "knowledge of self". Fucking is GREAT but also we can use it like a DRUG if we are not aware of our behavior. We delve into this topic and probably also mention empanadas along the ride. Thank you 4 listening and being you!

Where have I been? Not on social media and focusing on writing above most everything else, for once in my silly life. In this return episode, I discuss why my body rejects social media like bad seafood poisoning, but now I am overall conflicted by this technological tool; is it all good, all bad, both, none of the above? Frankly, I consider social media, and the internet broadly, as an alternate dimension that you can visit temporarily but if you spend too much time there, it fucks you up in regards to your true dimension. I explore this thread and play a clip from computer programmer and Silicon Valley veteran Jaron Lanier discussing the ideas from his book entitled, "10 Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Right Now." At least cut back globally by 10-20% would be a good start for sure and re-invest that time and family, community, and creativity....food for thought! Side note: You don't need to know this, BUT it is always interesting - he is a white guy with locs! I know right? Anyways, we need to ask and discuss these questions in modern society, because we may be getting pretty intoxicated and fucked up from being on social media, at least being on it too much. Thanks 4 listening and being you!

In a double episode:

Posh briefly talks about "The 9 Plots of Our Self-Care Garden." Then we read an email newsletter from entrepreneurial-spiritual badass Aubrey Marcus, about why we need to say "F*CK GOALS!" and instead say "F*CK YES!" to intentions. Surprisingly, we end up discussing Spiritual Warriorship AGAIN and Chogyam Trungpa AGAIN. We read a chapter about our "cocoons" of habitual patterns of thoughts-behaviors. These cocoons keep us stuck and in comfortably smelly, dank and dark caves. Naturally, he discusses how we can get up out of there and basking in light from the "Great Eastern Sun." We end by answering our first Ask The Renegade Social Worker (#AskTheRSW) segment! The questions is about "How do I not fall off my New Years Resolution?” Thank you for listening. Thank you, for being you. Let's get our shit together -- Together!

#AskTheRSW:

Do you have a question about self-care, healing, social work, psychology, emotions, gratitude, spiritual warriorship, or anything else? Send a question to us by emailing: [email protected]

In the first APW podcast of 2019:

Posh discusses having appreciation and gratitude for 2018 (Happy Old Year) and all that went down, bad and good, over the past year, the idea of the "Foolish Monk," and the fundamental problems we encounter when we want to change our behavior positively, i.e. New Year's Resolutions. Posh goes into a mini-course on behavioral theory and practice, so buckle up warriors. Thank you for listening. Thank you, for being you. Let's get our shit together -- Together!

#AskTheRSW:

Do you have a question about self-care, healing, social work, psychology, emotions, gratitude, spiritual warriorship, or anything else? Send a question to us by emailing: [email protected]

In this week's episode of the podcast:

We discuss FEAR & FEARLESSNESS from the Shambhala vision point of view. Thanks to our co-host Chogyam Trungpa for providing wonderful text to read and react to for this episode. Listen to this episode to hear about going BEYOND Fear...Thanks for listening. Thank you, for being you. You are Love & You are Loved; So let's get our shit together -- Together!