Med # 12 Exchanging Self and Other

All our training so far is leading to this powerful meditation, one of the highest practices of yoga called Exchanging Self and Other.



This practice is based on the recognition of the disadvantages associated with the self-cherishing mind and the benefits associated with the mind that cherishes others.  All the good things we have in our lives right now result from cherishing others in the past.  All our challenges result from self-cherishing because self-cherishing is the root of our negative thoughts and actions - our mental afflictions and negative karma which cause us to be reborn in samsara.

Contemplation
While we formerly spent most of our time cherishing ourselves, and not having a deep concern for most others, we now reverse the focus of these attitudes.  Exchanging oneself and others means to transfer the focus of our self-cherishing attitude by directing it to others.  The way to train our mind in this practice is to cultivate the following attitudes:  "Just as I previously had no concern for others, now I will abandon concern for myself.  And just as I previously cherished myself, now I will cherish others."

We make a switch in our minds like this.   And, this switch - abandoning self-cherishing and regarding the happiness of others as supremely important - is among the most powerful things we can do.  It will plant all the positive seeds we need to see ultimate reality and escape samsara and then help others to do the same.

Meditation
Contemplate the above until you come to the conclusion: I must abandon self cherishing and cherish others because self cherishing is the root of samsara and cherishing others is the root of liberation and full enlightenment. When this determination arises in our mind, meditate on it single-pointedly.

Dedicate: Dedicate all virtues you have created in this meditation to your and all being's quick enlightenment.

Subsequent Practice:
Try not to follow our instinctive self cherishing but instead try to cherish others.