Modifying Practices
lobster
Crusty Veteran
Tonglen is an advanced practice now taught to beginners by some . . . Yep, strange but true.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonglen
I like to do my own version on occasion, using a Russian doll image. These are the Russian wooden dolls nesting inside each other.
I am not interested in becoming a wooden Russian, so I visualise myself as a Buddha Bodhi. There are many tantric practices that invoke this initial phase.
When I have a 'perfect' centering Boddhisattva, I visualise the Buddha in my being expanding, with a new more perfect visualisation at the centre. The old 'dharma doll shell' falls away to bow before Buddhas, feed the Purelands and dharma hungry needy etc
Then I continue for a while with new Buddha Dolls.
The reason I mention this is because focus on breathing in negativity and transforming it can be detrimental to those not partially cleansed of impediments. They get caught in their own smoke and mirrors . . . tsk, tsk . . . who would have thought . . .
Another way I do this is with a 'metta bubble' that works as a transforming mirror based around the heart/mind. On the in breath the negativity/dukkha is drawn in and immediately begins to be transformed and add to the radiance of metta from the core inner Buddha quality of metta. The metta is for all beings in all realms.
Have you adapted or modified a traditional practice? Do share. 
Comments
Kind of, I recently read Bhikkhu Analayao's compassion and emptiness in early Buddhism where he states that the generation of metta to specific individuals is a later teaching in the Vissudhimagga and early buddhists just used to radiate metta to the entire universe. I modified my practice to generate metta to myself, then everyone in the area for a few minutes, then everyone in the city, the country, the world and finally spending a significant amount of time generating metta throughout all space and time. I was in an intense state of metta that nothing could touch for three weeks. It was interesting while it lasted.
^^. metta radiation sounds like a good Therevada plan. In other words no drawing in and then radiating, which is more a Mahayana approach.
I work with the elements when walking by the sea, they are all there in abundance, though the fire element can be a bit elusive in the winter.
just a reminder
fire element has two side, cold and heat
Interesting. Not something I have considered. Can you say some more about this?
Everything is Yin and Yang, @lobster.... You can have a nice cosy warm glow or a fierce explosive raging fire...
we can identify elements by experiencing, seeing through their characteristics?
when we touch a thing we feel its warmness or coldness, so we can say there is fire element
when we touch a thing we feel its roughness or smoothness, so we can say there is earth element
etc.
No, coldness is Water element. Not Fire.
No smoothness is Metal element, not Earth.
(I think we re referring to different classifications of the elements. I base my comments on TCM, which I find personally to be more profound and logical, for my own interests.)
"And what is the fire property? The fire property may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's fire, fiery, & sustained: that by which [the body] is warmed, aged, & consumed with fever; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, consumed & tasted gets properly digested; or anything else internal, within oneself, that's fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the internal fire property. Now both the internal fire property & the external fire property are simply fire property."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.140.than.html
Interesting.
My understanding of the elements is more to do with the way of experiencing an internal experience or element.
So the element of water can ground us - a bath
soothe and refresh us - drink
focus and fire us up - cold shower
take away our thoughts - stream or waves
So interesting to hear other interpretations. For example metal and wood is included in some Chinese interpretations but not the one I studied.
More elementary chat here ...
http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/21791/six-elements
When walking by the sea I feel the ground beneath my feet, the wind on my skin, the warmth of the sun on my face ( or raindrops on my head! ), that kind of thing. And of course there are the sights, sounds and smells of the sea, including noisy seagulls.
(I/my) feet (a label for form/all four elements are here) touches (contacts) (I/my) feet (a label for form) feels (arising of consciousness about it) the 'hardness/roughness' or 'softness/smoothness' of earth element
when we say ground (a label for form) all four elements are there but earth element is predominate
wind ('movement' of air element brings earth element) on my skin giving a feeling of cold if there is lower amount of fire element or feeling of warm if there is higher amount of fire element
when we say wind all four elements are there but air element is predominate
all four elements are there in warmth but fire elements is predominate
all four elements are in raindrops but water element is predominate
all sight, sound, smell are derived forms of four elements
all these four elements and derived qualities are on space element
these five elements are everywhere, internally and externally
when someone (being) knows about them there is consciousness element
then there are the six elements
instead of reading or listening to experience of someone else do the following and see yourself
take some flour (in flour, earth element is predominate) touch it and feel it
put it on a pot and add some water (in water, water element is predominate) little by little and see what will happen to flour
increase the water (water element)
see whether earth element is predominate or water element is predominate
keep the pot on the stove and switch on and add the fire element
see what will happen to the earth element and water element
air element will come out from the mixture of flour and water
catch the air element (steam is the perception we used to give air element at this stage) and see the water element come with air element
check whether air is warm or cold
everything consists of four elements and four derived qualities (colour, taste, smell, and strength/texture/oja)
I tend to keep it simple, I am more interested in observing the transience and conditionality of experience.
I rather like this. Very simple.
Tried it whilst walking. First though I had to do some directing the attention to the body tension and breath - relaxing, softening ...
Then when I was at ease and peaceful, radiated out metta/goodwill/blessing radiance. Such an effort heals, improves and calms - no doubt. Goodwill and kind thoughts are contagious ...
Good plan. Many thanks.
@lobster Glad you found the technique useful, plus London could do with some good vibes. I've only practiced it while sitting and find feeling the breath in the chest/heart centre helps.