Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
Today,
I'm going to talk a little bit about forgiveness,
And I'm talking about forgiveness of ourselves and forgiveness of others.
And forgiveness is such a complex and deeply personal process.
You know,
It's about letting go of resentment and the hold that past wrongs have on us.
And it's multifaceted.
There's the forgiveness we extend to others who have wronged us,
And the forgiveness we extend to ourselves.
Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting or excusing what happened.
It's more a way of freeing yourself from the emotional burden.
And it requires a lot of strength and empathy,
Both for yourself and others.
In thinking about my talk today,
I thought about some of my live sessions and meditations,
Where I talked about acceptance and letting go,
And being our authentic self,
And about healing and about impermanence.
And the more I thought about it,
I realized that,
In a way,
Forgiveness is just another way to be kind to yourself.
It's also a way of letting go of the past and past wrongs,
And it's also a way of accepting yourself just as you are,
Flawless and all.
It's a path to healing.
I know from my own life that forgiveness can lead to a sense of peace and closure.
And it's a step towards healing and moving forward.
But it's not something you can rush or force,
And everyone's journey to forgiveness is different,
And it's okay if it takes time.
When we talk about forgiveness towards others,
There's releasing the resentment.
When we forgive someone else,
We're not excusing their behavior,
But freeing ourselves from the weight of anger or bitterness.
Carrying resentment is like holding onto a burning coal.
It hurts us more than the person we resent.
It's also about restoring connection.
Forgiveness can reopen the possibility of a relationship,
Though it doesn't always mean reconciliation.
Sometimes it's simply about letting go so we can move forward.
And seeing others as imperfect beings,
Just like ourselves,
Helps soften judgment.
Forgiveness becomes an act of compassion rather than a transaction.
And you know when we forgive ourselves because we all make mistakes?
Self-forgiveness is about recognizing that imperfection is a part of being human.
We break the cycles of guilt.
Without self-forgiveness,
Guilt can spiral into shame and self-punishment.
Forgiving ourselves allows us to learn and grow instead of being stuck.
Maybe most importantly,
Self-forgiveness is often harder than forgiving others.
It always has been for me.
But it's essential for cultivating inner calm.
It's the soil in which self-compassion and resilience grow.
Close your eyes now and let's get in touch with our breath.
And it doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Standing,
Lying down,
Or kicked back in your favorite recliner.
The only thing that truly matters when we meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.
So settle in and focus on your breath.
We're just breathing in and breathing out.
One breath at a time.
And then the next.
And then the next.
That is the present moment.
One breath.
Let's scan our body.
Relax your face.
Unfurl your brow.
Unclench your jaw.
Smile.
Relax your neck.
Relax your shoulders.
These are common places of tension in today's world.
We spend too much time hunched over phones and tablets and keyboards.
Relax your arms and your hands.
Look for any tension in your chest and belly.
Relax your legs and your feet.
And as you begin to settle in,
Let's focus even more on our breath.
Our breath is our anchor.
It's there for us in all moments.
When we're happy,
When we're sad,
When we're angry,
And when we're being forgiving.
Our breath is like a river as it flows in and flows out.
Notice your breath.
We breathe all day long.
But notice it.
A cool sensation in your nose as the breath flows in.
And the movement of your chest and belly as the breath flows out.
And if you have thoughts,
Just let them go.
They're like waves on a lake,
Or clouds in the sky,
Or leaves going downstream on a river.
They're a part of us,
And we don't have to judge them.
Just let them go.
The same goes for any sounds.
Just allow yourself to arrive fully in this moment.
There's nowhere to be,
Nothing to do.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Notice the rise and fall of your chest and belly.
Notice it.
Your chest rising and falling,
Rising and falling.
Imagine roots extending from your body down into the earth,
Rounding you in stability and safety.
And just rest for a moment in this sense of being supported.
If you will,
Bring to mind someone who has hurt you,
Even in a small way.
Just notice any feelings that arise.
Anger,
Maybe sadness,
Or disappointment.
And without any judgment,
Simply observe these emotions.
Now imagine holding those feelings gently,
As if cradling them in your hands.
And whisper inwardly,
I release the grip of resentment.
I choose peace.
I release the grip of resentment.
I choose peace.
And if you will,
Visualize this person.
Surrounded by light.
Not to excuse their actions,
But to free yourself from the burden of carrying pain.
Let the light dissolve the heaviness in your chest.
And just breathe for a moment and think about this,
And I'll be back.
Now,
Recall a moment when you judged yourself harshly,
Or carried guilt.
And try to notice how that memory feels in your body.
And if you will,
Place a hand gently over your heart.
And imagine a warm glow spreading from your heart,
And gradually filling your whole body with compassion.
And if you're willing,
Repeat the following positive affirmations,
Either silently or out loud.
And I'll say each one twice.
I forgive myself as I forgive others.
I forgive myself as I forgive others.
Forgiveness is freedom.
Forgiveness is freedom.
And last one,
I release resentment and guilt.
I release resentment and guilt.
Now,
Just allow yourself to rest in that kindness,
As if you are being embraced by your own spirit.
Feel the spaciousness in your heart.
You can whisper,
Forgiveness is freedom.
Forgiveness is peace.
Let this affirmation settle deeply within you.
And if you listen to my meditations or my live sessions,
You know that I love quotes.
And I have one here from author Harriet Beecher Stowe,
Who said,
The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid,
And deeds left undone.
Wise words.
I hope you'll carry this feeling of forgiveness,
This sense of release and compassion with you into the rest of your day.
And I hope it's been a beneficial and calming session for each and every one of you.
Till next time.
