posted November 22, 2004 12:03 AM         

The act of forgiveness is one of the great gifts of spiritual life. It enables us and the world to be released from the sorrows of the past.

Forgiveness is an act of the heart, a movement to let go of the resentment and outrage that we have carried for too long. It eases the burden of pain in our heart. To forgive does not mean that we condone the misdeeds of another or ever allow them again. It acknowledges that no matter how much we may have suffered, we will not put another human being out of our heart. We have all been harmed just as we have all, at times, harmed ourselves and others.

FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS
There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed others, have betrayed or abandoned them, caused them suffering knowingly or unknowingly out of my pain, fear, anger, and confusion. Let yourself remember and visualise the ways you have hurt others. See and feel the pain you have caused out of your own fear and confusion. Feel your own sorrow and regret. Sense that finally you can release this burden and ask for forgiveness. Picture each memory that still burdens your heart and then to each person in your mind repeat:

I ask for your forgiveness, I ask for your forgiveness.

FORGIVENESS FOR YOURSELF
There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed myself. I have betrayed or abandoned myself many times through thought, word, or deed knowingly or unknowingly. Feel your own precious body and life. Let yourself see the ways you have hurt or harmed yourself. Picture them, remember them. Feel the sorrow you have carried from this and sense that you can release these burdens. Extend forgiveness for each of them, one by one. Repeat to yourself:

For the ways I have hurt myself through action or inaction, out of fear, pain and confusion, I now extend a full and heartfelt forgiveness.

I forgive myself, I forgive myself.

- GAUTAM BUDDHA

posted November 22, 2004 08:47 PM         

Visualize as clearly you can the face of the individual you are sending/receiving the forgiveness to. While you're doing this say one or the other:

To forgive them:
I forgive you (name) for anything you have done to me, real or imagined,in thought, word or deed in this or any other lifetime.

To be forgiven:
I ask you (name) to forgive me, for anything I have done to you, real or imagined, in thought, word or deed in this or any other lifetime.

Send loving energy their way and picture them holding a beautifully wrapped gift that contains your love for them (no matter how you are really feeling at the time). Visualise them opening the gift and the look of joy on their face.

Continue to repeat the visualization (not on the same day, but every few days, it might take a couple of weeks) until you feel at peace with the situation.

posted November 23, 2004 06:32 AM         

quote:

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..picture them holding a beautifully wrapped gift that contains your love for them..

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