Tonglen became my saving grace. I started small: every time a siren went by my house, I imagined what might be happening and breathed in those people’s suffering: their sadness, or fear, or loss. I breathed out what little I felt I had: a roof over my head, stable employment, and my own present calm, wishing for them to feel that too.
What happened was fairly miraculous. Instead of closing off to the pain that something was wrong, I felt closer to the people who needed help. I felt worried about them and hoped that my tiny prayer would give them a small amount of peace, somehow. I imagined myself in their shoes. I felt a small amount of what they might be feeling, in my body — not taking on so much that I felt overwhelmed, but whatever small amount that I could absorb and diffuse with my peace and positive intention. (...)
Freedom from Trauma 