Find a comfortable seat,
Either sitting cross-legged on the earth or a cushion.
Sitting upright in a chair or laying down.
Wherever you choose to be,
Allow your spine to be long and straight.
If you're sitting up,
Taking hands to rest on the knees with the palms face up,
Or if you're lying down,
Just resting the arms beside the body with the palms face up,
Floating the eyes closed.
Take a deep breath in through the nose,
Open the mouth and let it out.
Feel that exhale land you in the space of your body.
Let your energy ground and settle by taking another long,
Deep breath in through the belly.
Feel the belly rise and exhale slowly,
Softly,
Let it out.
Again,
Take a long breath into the belly,
Feel the belly rise and slowly,
Softly let it out through the nose.
One more beautiful,
Deep,
Long belly breath in and slowly,
Softly let it out.
Throughout this meditation,
We're practicing the art of forgiveness,
Just noticing and tuning into the wisdom that all forgiveness is essentially self-forgiveness.
Holding onto past hurts,
Past memories,
Holding onto hatred or distrust,
Any negative emotions you feel towards others,
You are the only one that suffers.
These emotions get stored in your body,
Trapped and create dis-ease.
Through this practice,
We release all of this and you set yourself free.
By moving through forgiving yourself first and then other people in your life,
Once we've completed the forgiveness practice,
Loving kindness will be sent.
Starting with yourself,
Just allowing your mind to cast its attention to any memories or actions of yours about which you feel guilt or shame or a feeling of disappointing someone.
Any guilt or shame you've been holding onto,
The memory of which may bring about an emotional or physical trigger within you,
Just allow it to bubble to the surface.
Allow the memory to arise,
Allow the sensations,
The emotions to arise.
We have to feel in order to release.
It could even be something from childhood.
And together,
Let's take a long breath in through the nose.
Exhale out the mouth and release that memory.
Feel it float away.
If you feel the need to practice a few more of these cleansing breaths,
Feel free.
Watching the memory,
The charge,
The emotion and the sensation leave your body as you exhale out the mouth.
Let this be complete.
Let the forgiveness be complete.
Now,
Send yourself love,
Kindness,
Affection,
Appreciation.
Feel your body fill up with warm,
Nourishing,
Loving sensations.
Warm tingles in the heart,
In the belly,
Like you're embraced by a delicious,
Beautiful hug.
Any affirmations that come to mind,
Feel free to say them about yourself.
You could say,
May I be happy.
May I be joyful.
May I be at peace.
May I live with ease.
May I live in abundance and prosperity.
May I live in bliss and pleasure.
Fill your body with these sensations,
These affirmations.
Let this healing be complete.
Now,
I invite you to drift your awareness to someone that is close to you,
Someone you hold near and dear,
Someone you love.
Maybe a family member,
A partner,
A close friend.
And cast your attention to something they have done that you still hold on to.
Perhaps it's something from childhood,
A sibling or a parent.
Perhaps it's your partner.
Whoever it is,
Cast your attention to something they've done that you still hold on to.
That is not yet forgiven.
And again,
Allow that memory,
Allow the feelings and emotions associated with the memory.
And allow the sensations to bubble to the surface.
You may feel hot,
Rage,
Frustration.
It's all perfect.
It's all part of the process.
We feel in order to heal.
Let it arise.
And then allow yourself to forgive.
Take a long breath in through the nose.
Open the mouth and let it out.
Again,
If you need a few more cleansing breaths,
Take them.
Allowing the charge of the memory,
The emotions and the sensations to evaporate out of your mouth.
Let it all go.
Let it all go.
Let it be complete.
Let the forgiveness be complete.
And then picturing this person in your mind's eye and shower them in love,
In affection,
In appreciation.
Send them loving,
Kind energy.
And if any affirmations arise for them,
Repeat them in your mind.
May this person be happy,
Healthy,
Joyful,
Abundant,
Anything that feels right.
Visualize them full of joy,
Happy and healthy.
With everything they desire around them,
With them,
Within them.
And let this healing be complete.
Now I invite you to drift your awareness to someone less close in your life.
An acquaintance,
Someone you know that has recently done something that has upset or annoyed you or hurt you.
Either something recent or something from the past that you still hold on to.
Find it.
Find the person.
Find the memory.
Feel the memory bubble to the surface.
The emotions and the sensations associated with the memory.
Allow them to arise also.
Feel them in your body.
Again,
You may feel heat,
Frustration,
Even hatred.
It's all perfect.
Be gentle on yourself.
And know that in order to heal,
We must first feel.
Let it all come out.
Take a long breath in through the nose.
Open the mouth and let it out.
Let it all go.
Let it all go.
If you need a few more cleansing breaths,
Take them.
Release the charge from your body.
Release the charge from your body.
Release it from the subconscious mind.
Free yourself of negativity.
And then once again,
Visualize this person in your mind's eye.
And start to send them loving thoughts.
Wishing them well.
Kind energy.
Peaceful energy.
Send it their way.
If any affirmations arise that feel aligned,
Repeating them.
May this person be happy.
May this person live with ease.
May this person be content.
Whatever arises.
Visualize them happy.
Surrounded by love.
And let the healing be complete.
Now casting your attention to someone that has deeply hurt you.
It may be someone from childhood.
A toxic ex-partner.
It may be someone that has caused trauma in your life.
Bring them up.
Bring that memory up.
Feel the emotions.
Feel the sensations.
Allow them to arise.
To bubble to the surface.
Let yourself feel in order to heal.
Don't judge yourself or make yourself wrong if strong emotions arise.
It's normal.
Know that you don't have to forget.
You don't have to overcome.
You simply release yourself.
From the hold this person has had on you in your own mind.
You forgive in order to forgive yourself.
In order to free yourself.
Free yourself of any strong emotions.
If this feels too much.
Simply practice loving kindness towards the emotions.
Loving kindness towards yourself.
Experiencing the emotions.
Allow yourself to feel held.
While experiencing these strong emotions.
You may wish to physically hold yourself and hug yourself.
Give yourself grounding touch.
Firm touch.
You're safe.
If you are able.
If you are ready.
Forgive.
Forgive.
Release yourself.
Release yourself.
Release yourself from the negative emotions.
Forgive.
To set yourself free.
Take a deep breath in through the nose.
Open the mouth and let it out.
You may need quite a few more of these breaths.
Feel free to take them.
You may even wish to practice your emotional release tools.
In order to experience,
To feel,
To heal and release.
Let it out.
Let it go.
Free yourself.
