So welcome to the freedom of forgiveness,
Letting go for yourself.
So just while you're settling in,
While you're making yourself comfortable,
Allowing your body to be what it is and allow this moment to be what it is.
This meditation is an invitation to meet the pain of past hurt with a soft heart,
Not to excuse or forget,
But to forgive for your own freedom,
To let go,
Not because they deserve it,
But because you do.
So just allow your body to settle into this moment,
Allow your breath to be what it is.
And here's a little bit about forgiveness.
So in Zen there's a word,
Mushin,
No mind,
A state free from attachment,
Judgment and lingering resentment.
It's not emptiness in a hollow sense,
But the spaciousness that allows everything to arise and just as easily pass.
And this practice invites us to touch that quality.
We do not need to carry the weight of what others did,
Systems or whatever it was that was done to us.
People do what they do,
Shaped by them,
Causes and conditions.
People do what they do,
Shaped by their causes and conditions.
It might feel personal,
But it's not personal.
What happened to you shaped you.
Yes,
But it does not need to define you.
So we don't forgive to change the past or to reconcile with someone else.
We forgive to stop drinking the poison that we've been holding.
We forgive to reclaim our peace.
We forgive to remember who we are beyond the wound.
So that's a Zen perspective.
How about we do a little practice?
As you relax gently into this moment,
Breathing in calm,
Breathing out,
Relax.
And just begin with the awareness of breath and feeling the body just as it is.
And you invite the body to relax and just soften in this moment.
There's no forcing.
The body knows how to relax.
It's just waiting for you to allow it to happen.
You don't need to change your breath.
Your body knows how to breathe in this moment,
As it normally does in all other moments.
And in a moment,
I'm going to ask you to bring to mind an event or a person that still holds some weight.
Then just take a few moments just to decide what event or what person you want to bring.
It could be something that is really strong.
It could be something that's slightly less stronger for now.
Now remember you're not there.
Remember that wise quote that says,
You cannot get wet from the word water.
We're not re-experiencing it.
We're just telling the story.
So if you bring that event or the person to your mind now and acknowledge the feelings it stirs,
Whether it's pain or anger,
Whether it's sadness or fear.
It could be resentment.
It could be just disbelief.
And then if you just speak inwardly,
Just,
Yes,
This happened.
Yes,
It hurt.
And yes,
I'm still here.
And just like that,
We acknowledge it.
Yes,
This happened.
Yes,
It hurt.
And yes,
I am still here.
And now shift your focus to the healing or your resilience and your freedom.
And remember we said about forgiveness,
It's not about them.
It's totally freedom.
It's not for you.
So silently repeat,
Just,
I forgive you.
Not for you,
But for me.
I forgive you.
Not for you,
But for me.
And you may feel somewhere in your body where this resistance has really been held and gently allow it space.
And maybe in your heart,
Maybe somewhere lower,
Or even just in your mind.
And you can ask yourself,
What did this experience teach me?
What did this experience teach me?
What wisdom can I carry forward?
And just rest here for a moment,
No fixing,
Not forgetting,
Just being present with your own freedom.
I don't believe in all the forgive and forget.
And I just don't think it's possible.
I think we can learn from what's happened.
We don't have to reach out to them or whatever it was.
We don't have to even let them know that they're forgiven.
We're doing it from inside of our own heart for ourselves.
And there's a different way of doing the Metta loving kindness,
Affirmations that align with this.
And it goes like this,
May I be free from the burden of forgiveness.
May I be free from the burdens of my past.
May I be free from the burdens of my past.
May I live with an open and peaceful heart.
May I live with an open and peaceful heart.
And may I remember that I am whole,
Even after being hurt.
And then just place your hand on your heart.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I be free.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I be free.
And just have a little bit of gratitude for your body and your mind in this moment.
And recognize that this is a journey,
It's not a one-off.
You might have to do this meditation a few times.
And remember it's not about them,
It's totally about you and your life and your freedom.
It's now time for you to live the life that you want.
On your terms.
So let's bring your awareness back to the room.
Five,
Four,
Gently open your eyes.
Three,
Move your arms.
Two,
Just look around the room.
One,
Just maybe take a little bit of a deep breath and just feel the relief.
Feel the difference between harboring it and thinking about it.
And just the freedom that can come from,
Do you know what,
It's not going to bother me anymore.
And it will come and go.
But the more you tell your subconscious mind,
The more you tell your body,
Do you know what,
I'm done.
I'm okay.
I'm here.
I've got a life.
I've got a life to get on with.
The more the subconscious mind,
The more the thing will go,
Okay,
I'll move on with you.
And you'll have this wonderful freedom from it.
Meditations like this aren't easy.
Thank you for doing it.
Thank you for your work and good luck and I wish you all the freedom.
I'm Stephen Webb and thank you for your support on Insight Timer.
Feel free to reach out to me.
