Forgiveness, Karma And Canceled Notes

Om Namo Narayanaya sweet practitioner,

Thank you for joining me for the practice of forgiveness where we examine the roots of true forgiveness. Most of all we are honest with ourselves that we too may have hurt others and that by letting go of the hurt, we become more free.

"To err is human, to forgive is divine." - Sivananda.

We start our meditation at 17:00 and we fill our mind with the divine virtue. We visualize, take affirmations and experience the benefits when we forgive and let go.

May all beings be happy, peaceful and free!

Transcript

OM SAHA NAVAVATU SAHANO BHUNAKTU SAHA VIRYAM KARVA VAHAI TE CHASVA VINAVADHI TAMASTU MAHA VED VISHVA VAHAI OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HI OM PEACE PEACE PEACE OM BULU SATGURU SHIVANANDA MAHARAJ JI KI JAI OM BULU SHRI SWAMI VISHNU DEVANANDA MAHARAJ JI KI JAI OM NAMO NARAYANAYA Welcome,

Sweet practitioner.

This is Maha Lakshmi with one hour's practice.

Thank you for joining me for the practice of forgiveness today.

Forgiveness is inherent within us.

When it's a real forgiveness,

It's rooted in love and compassion,

Which is our true nature.

True forgiveness is rare.

It is the realization that the other person who may have hurt us is manifestation of the same divine will,

Of the same consciousness that is allowing us to be alive.

And when we realize that by forgiving the other,

We allow ourselves to be more free,

To open up space for positive and constructive thoughts and emotions to take place,

Then we get closer to freedom.

Forgiveness is the spiritual tendency that allows us to be free.

It is the transformation of negative to positive,

From heaviness of the negativity to lightness of positivity.

Without expectations,

Without any debts or credit,

We just let go and empty ourselves of anything that we may hold against the other person.

As Swami Sivananda says,

Swami Sivananda also says that forgiveness is the antidote to anger.

It is that practice which allows us to control anger easier.

It allows us to become stronger,

To become more noble,

Because we're established in our true nature and love and compassion.

And it comes from the understanding that we all make mistakes.

He says,

Everyone has hurt another person or another being willingly or unwillingly.

And it is the understanding of the cosmic law of dharma.

This is the cosmic principle that governs this universe and ordains our experiences.

Being positive or negative,

It is that order that allows us to experience the fruits of our past actions,

To learn our karmic lessons.

So,

Each person is an instrument in the hands of the divine order,

Allowing us to learn our karmic lessons.

When we approach the pain and hurt that we're feeling with that perspective,

With the understanding that we too have hurt someone else,

We too are on the process of evolution,

And this is a natural part of it,

It becomes easier to let go of the grudges,

To let go of the negativity,

Of the anger,

Because anger and holding on to these negative thoughts and emotions,

It's costing us a lot.

It is first keeping our vibrational levels low,

And it is so much harder to come back to our normal being,

Which is positivity,

Which is love,

Which is thoughts of compassion.

It takes so much out of us.

It also takes a lot from others,

From the people around us that are experiencing our negativity.

The more we practice forgiveness,

The easier it becomes to snap out of that negativity,

Snap out of anger,

Snap out of hostility,

And come back to our true nature,

To love and compassion and kindness,

And be our best self,

Be the person who we truly are.

Knowing about the law of karma allows us to grow further in forgiveness,

Because it helps us understand the big picture of how this universe operates.

As Lord Jesus says,

Forgive them,

Father,

For they do not know.

He's asking for forgiveness for his prosecutors because they don't realize,

They have no understanding of how much pain they're creating for themselves by killing a saint.

It is that act of kindness,

Of love,

To forgive and let go,

And allow positivity and compassion to settle in.

However,

It does not mean that forgiveness is enabling us or someone else to continue with the bad behavior that they were exposing and by which we or someone else got hurt.

It is not closing our eyes to the negative traits of others or ourselves.

It does not mean that there should be no consequences to the actions that caused hurt.

For example,

Swami Sivananda,

When he was assassinated,

And we go deeper into the story of his assassination in our practice on generosity,

But here I want to mention it because while he does not want his assailant to be prosecuted,

He does ask him to leave the ashram.

He gives him the tools to transform his mind,

The practices by which he can elevate and not allow the mind to fall back into the bad habits.

He gives him the advice of how to become a better person,

How to be watchful of the mind.

He gives him his blessing,

Which is extremely powerful and able to transform many negative traits.

So,

With all those tools that person was actually,

With his effort by practicing the spiritual practices that Swami Sivananda advised him to do,

He was able to overcome these negative tendencies of violence.

So,

There were consequences for his actions,

And by his own effort he was able to overcome these negative tendencies in his mind.

So,

While there are consequences for the other person who has caused us hurt and pain,

Forgiveness helps us let go of that which is no longer serving us,

Letting go of the anger and the grudges,

Letting go of alienation,

Seeing the other as separate from our own self,

And allowing us to continue on our path,

On our evolution.

As they say,

Forgive,

Forget and move on.

Much easier said than done,

Because emotions are very powerful,

They overtake our mental capacities to make reasonable decisions.

But with the practice,

We become more proficient in forgiving others and ourselves.

With practice,

We quicker let go of the frustration.

With the practice of forgiveness,

We are easily coming back to our true self,

To loving and kindness and compassion and empathy.

Forgiveness helps us continue on our path,

And allowing us to be the best that we can be in every moment.

Let's take a few moments to contemplate,

Meditate on the teachings,

Allow them to really soak within our heart,

So we can bring them to our day when situations call for them.

Let's sit comfortably with our spine up straight.

If you're sitting on a couch or on a chair,

Make sure you're not leaning backwards,

As you can easily fall asleep.

If you're sitting on your yoga mat,

In a cross-legged position or any comfortable position,

Make sure the hips are elevated,

So the knees feel a little more at ease.

The hands are either in Chin Mudra or the right on the top of the left one.

Open up towards the sky.

If you feel comfortable,

Close your eyes.

And we'll start with two deep breaths through the nose.

Inhale,

Abdomen,

Ribcage and chest expand.

And exhale,

Abdomen,

Ribcage and chest relax.

One more time,

Inhale deeply and exhale completely.

We'll start with a few rounds of inhaling for four and exhaling for the count of eight.

It will empty the lungs of any stale air,

Will refresh and fill the blood with fresh oxygen.

It will allow the mind to be emptied from that which does not serve us any longer.

If the count is too long for you,

You can inhale for the count of three and exhale for the count of six,

Or inhale for two and exhale for four.

Listen to your body,

It knows best.

As you feel comfortable,

Inhale for four.

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

One last time,

Inhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4.

And exhale,

OM 1,

OM 2,

OM 3,

OM 4,

OM 5,

OM 6,

OM 7,

OM 8.

Return to normal breathing.

Inhale,

And exhale.

Notice how you feel just after a few rounds of deep and elongated breathing.

Let's fill the mind with the divine quality of forgiveness.

As you inhale,

Mentally repeat to yourself,

OM forgiveness.

And as you exhale,

Repeat OM forgiveness.

Inhale,

OM forgiveness.

And exhale,

OM forgiveness.

Inhale,

OM forgiveness.

And exhale,

OM forgiveness.

Inhale,

OM forgiveness.

And exhale,

OM forgiveness.

OM forgiveness.

OM forgiveness.

Let's remind ourselves that we all make mistakes in the process of evolution.

Everyone that is hurting us,

Or have hurt us,

Has done it from ignorance.

From not knowing better.

Remember that we too have hurt others,

Unconsciously or consciously.

We too are on the path of evolution.

We all are doing our best,

Even if that means to hurt another.

Remember that it is our own actions from the past that have brought us these experiences.

Allow yourself to be empty of all the negative thoughts and emotions.

Imagine that there is a thread on which all the anger and negativity and hurt and pain are attached to.

And you start turning the thread.

And these negative thoughts and emotions get around the thread.

And the thread becomes thicker and thicker.

And you keep turning and turning the thread until all the negative emotions and thoughts have been captured by it.

Have become entangled with each other and onto the thread.

You take that thread and by saying thank you for serving me and bringing me to this moment,

I let go of you.

And you take that thread and you bring it to a river,

To the divine river,

Which will purify these negative thoughts and emotions.

Now bring this lightness into your heart and allow it to be a catalyzer for new thoughts,

New ideas,

New emotions of positivity,

Of love that are constructive and helping you continue on your path of evolution.

Mentally repeat to yourself,

I forgive wholeheartedly.

I allow myself to be free of anger,

Hostility,

Frustration,

Pain,

Anything that does not serve.

I allow myself to be free from all that does not serve.

I allow myself to be free.

Continue to mentally repeat them.

I forgive wholeheartedly.

I allow myself to be free.

I forgive wholeheartedly.

I allow myself to be free.

Believe it to be true.

Feel it and see it with your mind's eye as if it has already happened.

Feel the lightness,

The joy that you feel in your heart from letting go.

Notice the benefits in the physical,

Mental and emotional layers of your being.

We'll conclude our meditation with a firm resolve.

This forgiveness,

Whose essence is love,

Is my true nature.

I will manifest it in my thoughts,

Words and deeds from this moment onwards.

This forgiveness,

Whose essence is love,

Is my true nature.

I will manifest it in my thoughts,

Words and deeds from this moment onwards.

Repeat it with determination,

With the strong belief you will manifest it in your day to day.

This forgiveness,

Whose essence is love,

Is my true nature.

I will manifest it in my thoughts,

Words and deeds from this moment onwards.

As you feel comfortable,

Open your eyes if they were closed.

Thank you for meditating with me.

Remember to practice it in your day.

To forgive,

To let go and reflect on your practice at the end of the day.

Let me know in the comments below how it is for you.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Om Namo Narayanaya.