Asking Forgiveness Meditation

This is a second practice of Forgiveness. It is worth approaching this practice only when you feel you have forgiven yourself. This meditation is to support participants of the Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living Course (MBCL) developed by Frits Koster and Erik van den Brink.

Transcript

Asking forgiveness.

So we can begin by settling down and inviting a soothing breathing rhythm.

In this exercise you can explore your willingness to ask forgiveness from a person you have hurt,

Harmed or wronged in any way.

In real life this can be very hard.

Sorry seems to be the hardest word,

Has become a classic song.

But you do not need to feel ready to ask forgiveness in real life yet.

You can start doing this in your imagination.

Whether the person concerned is inclined to grant forgiveness is not important for this practice.

All you're doing is opening a way for reconciliation with this person from your side.

Of course it is hard to ask forgiveness if you are unable to forgive yourself.

So if you find this is the case then just return to forgiving yourself practice.

So begin by bringing the situation to mind in which you hurt the other person.

Imagine the situation in as much detail as your memory allows and particularly focusing on the pain or disappointment you may have caused the other person.

Imagine you're feeling what he or she felt and now see if you feel space to forgive yourself first.

And then imagine looking this other person in the eyes.

You can softly whisper their name followed by words like I understand I caused you pain and I feel sorry for what I did.

I cannot change the past but I value our relationship and wish we may live in harmony now and in the future.

May you at some stage forgive me.

May we live in peace.

And if the words don't feel right to you instead of working with words you can practice compassionate breathing.

Imagine breathing in the pain you have caused the other person allowing it to transform in your heart into a healing consoling or comforting quality which you breathe out towards that person.