In order to start,
Please put the attention on the breath for just a few moments.
Madame Cliff steel.
We are going to fill our heart with forgiveness for ourselves,
For anything that we dislike in ourselves,
For anything that we think we've done wrong,
Thought or said wrong,
Anything that is a burden.
We want to forgive ourselves,
Fill ourselves with forgiveness,
Surround ourselves with forgiveness and feeling the ease that that brings.
If there's anyone among those present that we have found doing anything we dislike,
We'll forgive that person completely and forgive ourselves for having had the dislike,
No matter what the reason may have been.
Candidate,
Week,
Date,
And date in mind,
Please.
We will think of our parents,
Whether they are still alive or not,
And forgive them for anything that we have blamed them for,
Realizing that if it was unpleasant,
It came out of their dukkha.
Forgive them completely.
Let our hearts reach out to them,
Open,
Without any negative feeling in it.
And we can see that that eases our own burden.
Forgive them completely.
We'll think of those people who are closest to us,
With whom we live possibly,
And forgive them for anything that we have blamed them for,
For any thoughts,
Speech or action that we didn't agree with.
Give them the gift of our loving heart,
And realize that we're letting go of a burden.
Forgive them completely.
And we think of friends and acquaintances,
Relatives,
And our forgiveness.
Let our hearts reach out to their hearts,
Knowing that anything they may have thought,
Said or done,
Which we didn't agree with,
Was due to their dukkha.
We let it all disappear into the past.
And we'll think of those people whom we meet in our everyday life.
Even if there has been any dislike or rejection,
We forgive them completely.
Reach out with love and compassion,
And feel connected to them.
Now,
We'll think of the most difficult person that we have ever encountered in our life.
And recognize the dukkha in that person's heart,
And forgive that person completely for anything they may have thought,
Said or done.
And let the warmth of our heart reach out to that person,
Feeling the easing of the burden.
That is a message of gratitude.
And we'll think of those people whose ideology or actions we have disliked or blamed.
And realise that there is a person behind all that which has dukkha.
And we forgive the person.
Anyone who comes to mind in the past or in the present,
Who are doing things we reject.
Forgive that person and wish them well.
And we open our hearts very wide and let forgiveness flow out of it.
To the people near and far.
First of all,
To everyone who is here.
Giving them the gift of a loving and open heart.
Rejecting and disliking nothing,
No one.
To everyone present in the monastery.
Rejecting,
Disliking nothing and no one.
Giving the gift of the loving,
Open heart that can forgive whatever it may have,
Harboured.
And then we'll let the stream of forgiveness reach out into the world to the people around here and further and further.
So that with a heart which rejects no one,
Our togetherness and lovingness can touch as many people as possible.
We'll put our attention back on ourselves.
And if there's anything left that we need to forgive ourselves for,
We do that now.
Everything we have to forgive ourselves for is in the past.
It's all gone.
And we can see quite clearly that in the present,
The heart can be loving.
And need not retain any of those feelings which do not bring happiness.
We forgive the person we were,
Who thought and said and did things we may not approve of and lovingly embrace that person that we are now.
May people everywhere forgive each other.
Thank you.
