Wish I had a magic wand to make hurt go away. Well, as a human being on planet earth, it appears that uncomfortable feelings are a reality. Thank goodness, though, for forgiveness. I still can’t prevent emotional injury from harming loved ones. But I can dig into my bag of tricks and transform hell into heaven for myself. Or at least head in the direction of relief.
Here are a few tried and true methods:
Ø Pray for the Person:
Pray for the person who caused you harm for 30 days. (A go-to for students of Course in Miracles teacher and author, Marianne Williamson as well as 12-Steppers.)
Ø Perspective:
Imagine how you might react if you had the person’s upbringing and/or circumstances.
Ø People are Trees:
Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now and a seminal leader in spiritual studies, says, “When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn't get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don't get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.”
New York Times bestseller author, John-Roger, DSS in this video says that others are mirrors. When judgments arise, it’s because we have yet to forgive a similar quality in ourselves. His words about not expecting instantaneous forgiveness are stellar, too!
Love to see your thoughts about forgiveness in the comments section. Better yet, delighted if you can share them on Tuesday, February 20th. We’re dedicating a whole evening to the subject of forgiveness at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens. Click here for more details.
Links referenced in the post.
https://www.msia.org/videos/show/55-MP174-A-MOP-%26-Forgiveness