Forgiveness is a gift of release and healing that we give ourselves.
Practicing forgiveness has been shown to have significant health benefits.
Forgiveness reduces anger,
Depression,
Lowers our stress,
Reduces cardiovascular disease,
Decreases chronic pain,
And fosters greater feelings of optimism,
Hope,
Compassion,
And confidence.
Forgiveness frees us and opens us to life.
Forgiveness is a gift that can take time.
And practice.
Today,
Right now,
We practice.
Sit quietly and begin by taking a few slow,
Smooth breaths.
Set an intention to cultivate the power of forgiveness and then bring a curious attention to what is happening here and now in the present moment within your body.
Notice your breath as it flows in and out of your body.
Allow your mind and body to relax,
Letting go of any obvious tension that you're carrying.
Breathe gently and see if you can invite some space into your heart.
See if you can breathe a little bit of openness and softness into your tender heart.
It may be helpful to put your hand over your heart.
Feel your own loving support.
We begin with forgiveness from others.
Reflect on the many ways that you've hurt others when acting out of your own fear,
Pain,
Anger,
And confusion.
Let yourself remember one specific incident.
Allow any images,
Sensations,
And emotions that accompany the memory to surface.
Open yourself to the sorrow and the regret.
Notice how it feels in your body.
And then,
When you're ready,
Silently ask for forgiveness.
I ask for your forgiveness.
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
Feeling your breath,
Feeling your body,
Silently asking for forgiveness,
Feeling your own good heart,
Your genuine remorse.
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
As you're ready,
Letting that go.
And now we turn toward forgiving ourselves.
Reflect on the many ways you have harmed yourself,
Betrayed yourself,
Abandoned yourself.
Choose one specific individual incident and allow yourself to feel the pain you have carried from this.
Notice how it feels in your body to reflect on this way that you have harmed yourself while you acknowledge the preciousness of your own life.
Silently,
As you're ready,
Repeat.
I forgive myself.
Or maybe,
If you're not ready,
May I forgive myself?
Or perhaps,
May I forgive myself 5% more?
Remember,
Forgiveness is a practice.
It's not about doing it perfectly.
It's about practicing.
May I forgive myself?
Then,
As you're ready,
Letting that go.
And finally,
We turn toward forgiveness for those who have hurt or harmed us.
Reflecting on the ways that you have been hurt or betrayed or abandoned by others.
And choose one person or experience you want to begin to forgive.
Feel the sorrow and pain you have carried from this past and sense that you can begin to release the burden of this pain.
Silently repeating to yourself.
To the extent that I am ready,
I offer you forgiveness.
To the extent that I am ready,
I forgive you.
Again,
You don't need to forgive completely.
It's a process.
We're just planting seeds.
We're practicing.
As you're ready,
Taking a deeper breath in and out.
And just take a moment to thank yourself for your courage,
For your good heartedness,
For taking this time to take care of yourself.
Perhaps even placing your hand on your heart and just resting quietly.
This is a powerful practice that can deeply stir emotions.
See if you can welcome whatever is arising with kindness.
Trust that you're going at the right pace.
Forgiveness can't be forced or rushed.
Take your time and practice.
Your heart will heal and release the burdens of the past.
