04/05/2026
Unlocking the Heart
Meditation from Lama Yeshe
There is a Tibetan saying, “If you have a warm place in your heart for yourself, you will
be comfortable wherever you go.” We can learn to nurture that warm place. Here is a simple exercise in growing that warm place. This is the key to unlocking our heart. The exercise is called taking and sending, Tong Len in Tibetan. It is a practice of sending love and removing suffering. It is best to sit cross legged on a meditation cushion on the floor as you would when meditating. It can also be done in a chair. Visualize yourself in
the future, perhaps 10 minutes into the future, sitting in front facing you. When you breath in imagine you are inhaling black smoke coming from the visualized you in front.
It carries with it your self loathing, anger towards yourself, helplessness, powerlessness, any negative feelings your inner critic tells you. This is compassion, wanting to remove
your future suffering. When you exhale, imagine breathing out white light which goes to the you in front and soaks into you, like the future you is sunbathing and soaking up the sunlight. The light carries with it contentment, satisfaction, cheerfulness, joy, delight, well-being, lightheartedness and forgiveness; transferring it from the present you to the future you. This is love.
Compassion for all, including yourself, is necessary for spiritual growth. The smoke you inhale can contain any thoughts that you hold on to that cause you to suffer. You may
become aware of other things causing you to suffer as you practice this exercise over
time. Make a list if you like. Include the items on the list in the black smoke coming from
the visualized you in front. The smoke goes into your lungs, dissolves, and disappears.
The negativity and suffering does not accumulate in you. Concentrate on a few specific things in one session.
The in breath is short as you are breathing normally. When exhaling we are preparing that warm place in our heart. Love is wanting people to be happy. And again remember
you are a person too and worthy of love without earning it. Sometimes it can be difficult to know and experience love free from negative emotions. Fondness, tenderness,
warmth and non sexual intimacy are associated with love in this practice. The light you are exhaling can carry anything that makes you truly happy. When inhaling you remove the things that cause you to suffer, now think of the antidote and give it to this future
you. The intimacy is that you allow yourself to look into the places where fear and loathing lurk. Then you can apply the remedy, love, to those places. In that warm place you treat yourself like a loving mother treats her infant; whatever the child does the
mother responds with tenderness, warmth, fondness, and gentleness. Now you can
have that love you may never have had as a child or even an adult. You don’t need to
seek it in others just look inside to experience love.
This is intended to be done regularly for 5 to 10 minutes. As you practice more, it is fine
to extend the time if you like. During any one session you can concentrate on a few
things to inhale and a few other things to exhale. Use whatever is most needed at the
time. One day it might be anger and forgiveness, another fear and fearlessness. This
way the lock slowly opens. You begin to discover the advice your inner critic gives is
inaccurate and does not need to be followed. Open the door and venture out into an
open, spacious world. Take that warm spot in your heart with you where ever you go.
Now you can be more compassionate and loving with whoever you encounter in your
daily life. Compassion and love are healthy and easily passed on.
