Namaste,
I'm Natalie and I'm so grateful that you chose to be here with me today.
This meditation is called the Alchemy of Forgiveness and this meditation is based on the ancient Tibetan Tonglen meditation practice.
Like alchemists,
We can work with the breath to transform something that doesn't benefit us into something that does.
In our case,
Instead of turning metal into gold,
We are creating something much more precious.
We are turning suffering into love.
We do this by breathing the issue into our heart space to be transmuted from its base energy into glittering,
Shining,
High vibration energy of love.
This method can be used for any type of suffering,
But today we are going to use it to unburden ourselves from the weight of long held grudges and resentment and transform these into forgiveness and love.
We can use this process to forgive other people and also ourselves.
Forgiveness is such a healing practice.
When we hold on to negative emotions like resentment,
Anger,
Pain and ill will,
It is deeply damaging to ourselves and our relationships.
Nothing good can ever come of holding a grudge and the person who suffers most is the grudge bearer themselves.
Unforgiveness and resentment hold you back from spiritual development,
Keep your vibrational frequency low and attract similar experiences into your life.
Letting go of these heavy unnecessary burdens will allow you to move forward with lightness in your heart and frequency and have the freedom to progress on your path of spiritual and personal evolution.
So let's get started.
Begin by getting yourself comfortable.
Make sure your spine is straight and your shoulders are relaxed.
Make any adjustments that you need to ensure that you are as comfortable as you can.
Now take a few deep mindful breaths.
Really focusing your awareness on your breath and where you can feel it in your body.
Become aware of the weight of your body sinking into the chair or cushion underneath you.
Notice any sounds you can hear either in the room that you are meditating in or further afield.
Trying not to react to any particular sound.
Just noticing and allowing what is to be.
Now bring your awareness to your heart space,
The area in the centre of your chest.
Connect with the energy of your heart centre.
Can you feel anything in this space?
A warmth or a tingling sensation perhaps.
This is your alchemical laboratory where you will do your transmutation work.
You want to generate a good amount of energy in the purifying fires of your heart.
So imagine there are smouldering coals there and as you exhale your breath acts like bellows and stokes the fire.
With each exhalation the heart fire of transformation becomes stronger,
Hotter,
Brighter.
These fires are special because they only destroy negative emotions and they enhance positive emotions such as love,
Gratitude and compassion.
It's not really fire at all but pure positive love energy at its fiercest which is needed for this alchemical process.
Exhale and strengthen your fire of transformation.
See the area of your heart in your imagination glowing bright pink with love energy.
Now bring someone to mind whom you are having a hard time forgiving.
It could be a friend or family member or of course it could be yourself.
Bring that person to mind now.
Either visualise them in front of you or just get a clear sense of them in your minds eye.
Next bring to mind the thing you are finding it difficult to forgive them for.
Notice the emotions that arise when you connect with the image or sense of this person and the thing that you are having trouble forgiving.
Try not to judge or analyse.
Just allow the emotions to arise and be there.
Now bring to mind the thing you are having a hard time forgiving.
As you inhale breathe in the emotions that you feel when you think of this person and the thing you are having trouble forgiving.
Breathe them all the way into the fires of purification and transformation in your heart centre.
As you exhale you breathe out love,
Forgiveness and acceptance.
You can direct it towards the person or just release it into the world to find its own way home.
This is the pattern for you to continue for a few minutes on your own.
Breathe in all those negative feelings of resentment and pain all the way into your heart to be purified in the alchemical fires and breathe out positive energy,
Love,
Acceptance and peace.
If your mind wanders no problem,
Gently and without judgement or analysis return it to the practice.
I will guide you out of the practice in a couple of minutes time.
Thank you you you you you Now focusing on the person again and allow your feelings to once again arise Notice if you feel differently about them Has the feeling of resentment reduced Has it gone away completely If you still feel negative feelings,
It's okay You can do this practice again until you have transmuted all of the resentment to acceptance and love It's perfectly okay and normal for this process to take more than one session Thank the person for being part of your forgiveness practice Even if the person you were forgiving or working with was yourself And allow the person to fade out of your awareness As you let go of any effort you have been making and relax for a few breaths Allowing the effects of your practice to integrate into your being And as you breathe just remember that love is a double-ended arrow You can't give it without experiencing it too As it emerges from your heart to go towards another It raises your frequency and generates positive emotions Allow all of this love to settle into your body as you relax And we'll end with a blessing Bring in your palms together at your heart center Bringing your chin to your chest to bow to your heart center Bringing your hands to your forehead May you have purity of thought To your lips May you have purity of speech And back to your heart center May you have purity in your heart and loving kindness for all beings Om Shanti Shanti Shanti May threefold peace be with you Namaste
