Guided Meditations

“Whenever catching sight of others, look upon them with an open, loving heart.”  — Shantideva

Below you will find guided meditations with Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on shamatha meditation and equanimity practice.   

To begin a path of meditation, Rinpoche emphasizes the practice of the Four Immeasurables practice that cultivates bodhicitta as a foundation for the entire path. “If we can only do one practice in a day, it should be giving rise to bodhicitta, of which compassion is the very essence.”

The series of short instructions below begins with shamatha, which is essential to settle the mind and create a space to engage in any further practice. Following shamatha, Rinpoche will guide you through the practice of equanimity, which is the foundation for the following three contemplations: loving kindness, compassion, and sympathetic joy. Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel presents a short instruction on meditation posture.

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, “From my own personal experience, I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.” We hope that anyone who listens to these teachings may find peace and a loving heart of open kindness.