Empathy For Forgiveness - 2025

Forgiveness is hard and for most people it takes time to let go of resentment and anger. Using mindfulness and contemplation we can heal much faster. Empathy melts the ice walls and brings a deep understanding. Through regular practice we may find forgiveness. This meditation is a contemplation where we switch between self and other.

Transcript

So let's try a little practice exercise right now and it's not the easiest little exercise but let's just humor me and it might make you feel a bit uncomfortable but that's okay.

Alright,

Two feet firmly on the ground let's take in a nice deep inhalation breathing in through the nose and slowly breathing it out the mouth with control.

Now recently somebody may have pushed your buttons,

They irritated you,

They agitated you.

Don't think of the person you hate the most in your life but maybe just a fellow student,

A friend,

A colleague,

Maybe a family member and imagine they're sitting opposite you and you have the ability to tell them what it is that you felt,

Why you were upset,

Why you were irritated or agitated and we are practicing our mental skills for opening up to authenticity.

Explain to them.

Maybe there was a place,

A certain conversation,

An event,

Some incident happened and it's important to get in touch with the way it made you feel and express this in your mind to that particular person and imagine they are sitting opposite you.

Imagine that person's reaction,

The look on their face and now move yourself into their position,

Move yourself into their shoes.

Imagine that you that you are now sitting in their seat and you are them.

Now imagine because we don't really ever know but we can imagine their response to us as to why they behaved or said the things they did.

I know it's not easy but give it a try.

Are you able to do it?

If you find it challenging that's okay.

Something like this can take practice.

Let us take in a deep breath in as we end this contemplation.

Slowly breathing it out the mouth with control.

All right,

Good.

Let's move into the next session now.