Hello and welcome to this forgiveness meditation.
We'll begin by creating a container of forgiveness towards ourselves before moving into forgiveness of others.
Please find a comfortable position and we'll get started.
If it feels right you can gently close your eyes or if you prefer you can simply soften your gaze and keep your eyes open.
Give yourself permission to soften in all of the places where you may be holding tension.
You are safe here.
Now let's place one hand on our heart and another on our belly.
Let's take a few deep breaths here together in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Breathing in and out.
Couple more times.
In and out.
In and out.
Relaxing into this moment,
This space.
There's nowhere else that we need to be.
We are here together across time and space.
And with your hands still on your heart and another on your belly,
Slowly bring to mind something you did that creates emotional discomfort within you.
This could be something you did or said that you regret.
Something you wish you had done differently or not done at all.
Perhaps it's an action or behavior that you're currently engaging in that you wish you weren't.
When you have this particular thing in mind,
Become aware of where it shows up in your body.
Do you feel it in your abdomen?
Your sternum?
Your chest?
Perhaps it's in your face or head.
Wherever it is,
Begin directing your breathing into that area now.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
If you can't find a specific bodily location for the emotion,
That's perfectly okay too.
Continue breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
We'll be here for one minute.
Okay have a good rest of the day.
Now you can allow your breathing to return to whatever feels most natural to you.
And bring to mind again the difficult emotion or memory we had recalled earlier so that it's present again.
And with your hands on your heart and your belly,
Repeat after me.
I forgive myself for being imperfect.
I forgive myself for the mistakes that I have made.
I forgive myself for all the ways that I am still learning.
I forgive myself for being human.
Again,
Repeat after me,
Internally or externally.
I forgive myself for being imperfect.
I forgive myself for the mistakes that I have made.
I forgive myself for all the ways that I am still learning.
I forgive myself for being human.
You can rest your hands again now if you'd like.
Let's sit in this space that we've created for a moment,
Allowing forgiveness to permeate our being.
Let's now turn our gaze outward towards someone we feel hurt by.
This could be someone who did or said something that hurt you,
On one occasion or many.
Perhaps it's an old friend,
A sibling or a parent,
A work colleague or a romantic partner.
This could be someone with whom you're currently in conflict or someone who is no longer present in your life.
Bring the hurtful event or circumstances to mind as clearly and as viscerally as you can.
Remember the details as closely as possible.
And again place one hand on your heart and another on your belly and repeat after me.
I forgive you for being imperfect.
I forgive you for the mistakes that you have made.
I forgive you for all the ways that you are still learning.
I forgive you for being human.
Once more,
I forgive you for being imperfect.
I forgive you for the mistakes that you have made.
I forgive you for all the ways that you are still learning.
I forgive you for being human just like me.
Let's rest in this space for a little while.
You can relax your hands.
Let's rest in this space for a little while.
Thank you for taking the time for this meditation.
This is one that you can return to again and again when you feel resentment,
Hurt or anger,
Frustration towards yourself or others.
Thanks for being here and we'll see you next time.
Take care.
