How can we transform suffering and self-centeredness into compassion and wakefulness?
In this talk, Gary Ost explores a practical path to emotional freedom and authentic connection -- something that he developed on his personal journey into Tibetan Buddhism, especially through the Shambhala Lojong teachings and Tonglen.
He shares how he discovered and embraced practices that cultivate compassion and wakefulness, and explains the often misunderstood aspects of Tibetan Buddhism—like mantras, mudras, and tantric elements— by relating them to familiar ideas such as the “high church” in Anglicanism, which helped him feel more at home with its rich, ritualistic style.
Gary focuses on Lojong, a mind-training practice composed of 59 slogans designed to help us work with suffering and mental habits, emphasizing antidotes to self-centeredness and promoting compassion. He finds deep meaning in these slogans, such as viewing all phenomena as dreams, driving blame inward to oneself, and acting with the intention to benefit others.
Central to his talk is the introduction of Tonglen, a meditation practice of “sending and taking” that involves breathing in the suffering—both personal and collective—and breathing out compassion and healing intentions. Gary guides listeners through the steps of Tonglen, encouraging honesty about difficult emotions like shame and fear while cultivating a warm, open heart (bodhicitta). The practice invites a transformation of the habitual reactivity that traps us, shifting the mind toward generosity and connection rather than self-absorption.
Gary’s message offers a powerful benefit: by practicing Tonglen and Lojong teachings, listeners can learn to meet their pain with kindness, gradually change their mental patterns, and open themselves to greater compassion for all beings.
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Gary Ost is a retired Episcopal priest living in San Francisco. He began his study of the dharma in 2008, starting with the Shambhala school of Tibetan Buddhism. Since then he has practiced daily samatha-vipassana meditation. He has declared his aspiration to help Christians understand Buddhism better and Buddhists to understand Christianity better. Gary has taken informal bodhisattva vows, and is studying the Lojong teachings of the 11th Century Tibetan monk Atisha.
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CREDITS
Audio Engineer: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter
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