Practical Spirituality and Anger III

In the last two articles (Practical Spirituality I and II) we discussed a type of meditation called Tang Lin, and how that type of meditation could be used not only to control anger, but to transform it into a life-giving source of power. In this, our final article in this series of three, we will discuss the final steps in using Tang Lin. Through the use of Tang Lin you can make your life more fulfilling. Tang Lin will help heal any problems that you have had with anger, depression or fear, even if you have had them most of your life. This, however, takes time and your willingness to practice it.

In step one you learned how to just breath and relax. You learned how to imagine a large open space, or a star, or the hands of God at the center of your being. After that you allowed yourself to feel your anger (or any other overwhelming feeling). You learned to imagine it as a color or feeling and then you breathed that color of feeling into the space at the center of your being. As you exhaled you exhaled the opposite feeling or emotion from the center of your being sending it throughout your body.
In step two you learned how to go deeper. You learned how to find areas where there was still tension even when you were relaxed. You learned how to feel the emotions in those areas and then draw them into your center while inhaling, and then you learned to exhale the opposite feelings or emotions out to them as you exhaled. After doing that you learned how to imagine yourself surrounded by whatever the negative energy was.
Using the same technique as in step one you learned how to cleanse the space around you by taking in the negative and sending out the positive. In step three you will go farther. You will use the same technique over a longer distance. In step three, after steps one and two are completed, you think of a family member or loved one. Imagine the person’s face and see them as clearly as possible. With your breath draw the emotion that you have been working on away from them and into the center of your being. As you exhale, send the opposite emotion to them.
Do this until you feel that it is done and then move on to the next person. As you do this you will realize that you aren’t alone. Many people share in the emotion of anger, fear, sadness, or whatever. As you do this you are recognizing the oneness of the condition of human beings and you are helping them on some level. Continue to do this for your loved ones. When you have completed this, do it for people who you have known for years who you feel neutral about. And finally (and this is the most difficult) begin to do this for the people whom you don’t like.
Begin this practice for those who are causing you the anger, the grief, the fear, or whatever negative emotion that you might have. Continue with this. Allow faces to appear and disappear until you are finished. When you have completed step three go back to the step where you changed the negative atmosphere of the small space around you. Inhale the new positive energy in the space around you and exhale the positive energy. Continue to do this as you rest in meditation, until you have completed the exercise and you will have done Tang Lin.
As I wrote earlier: You can do different parts of Tang Lin; You can leave some parts off; You can do it standing, walking and even sitting. The main idea, however, is to do it. If you suffer from sadness, depression, fear, anger, or any overwhelming emotions Tan Lin may be a good meditative exercise for you. Try it and see how you like it. I am sure that you will not be disappointed.

Dr. John Gilmore is a writer, spiritual director, martial artist, a healer and ordained Unitarian Universalist Minister living in Costa Rica. For more information or like materials, visit his Practical Spirituality Journal at http://www.dswellness.com. You may also find related material there.

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