Forgiveness: A Gentle Process

Forgiveness can only be achieved in the mind -- not between people as all relationships are in the mind, not between bodies; and I learn to FORGIVE -- to see the innocence in you -- by withdrawing the guilt I projected on you -- I withdraw the guilt from myself

So then, practicing forgiveness becomes a gentle melting away of guilt from the mind, a journey leading you to a point where you see EVERYTHING as either a call for love or as an extension of love (no matter what the other person has done in terms of behavior) -- so, over time, my only response becomes extending love to all, where no one is excluded from that love that radiates from my mind

To Forgive But Not Forget Is Not Forgiveness

How many times in my day do I forgive someone else or myself, but I do not forget?

It is that NOT FORGETTING that makes forgiveness an exercise in futility.

Forgiveness is a relinquishment of any perceived attack to myself or others.  Forgiveness and not forgetting are mutually exclusive, so I cannot forgive until I see that it is my unwillingness to forget that keeps me in the illusion of attack revenge cycle -- i perceive attack from you or against someone I love or hold dear and I then I get my true 'revenge' from your attack by not forgetting.  In my wrong mind, I get the best of both worlds -- i get to 'forgive' but I get to hold onto the attack as well...ah, self-righteousness -- it is the goal of perceived separation.

Happily, this internal bargaining I make is all an illusion -- attack is only a wrong minded idea.

It is only when I can begin to see your 'attack' as your fear and nothing else (and fear is not real) then true forgiveness is possible -- I realize I am outside the illusion looking in and I gently smile -- I know I have forgiven myself; for I am the only one I can forgive -- and in that moment, I am awake.

How Do I Practice Forgiveness?

I look at you and see myself and remember to gently laugh at it ALL

Forgiveness Required As Long As I Perceive Needs

When I can step back and look at the "life" that I seem to be experiencing; only then can I see that my need for forgiveness is only "required" because I perceive that I have needs other than being that perfect expression of peace and love -- in two words -- GOD IS

Any other my 'perceived needs' which include my need for self love, or the need for love and companionship from others, moreover, needing anything or anyone in the world to "be" a certain way; or stated another way -- that anything needs to change in the world before I can have peace of mind, requires only forgiveness to undo that thought

Parting thought:  At any time, I can step back and  change my mind's purpose -- forgive -- outside of the dream, to see things as they really are; not how I want to see them; only then will I experience real peace

Forgiveness: Changing the Goal/Purpose

Been thinking about my peace of mind and particularly my lack of it and its causes.

Could one of the possible "causes" of my lack of peace be my unconscious pre-decision that I really do not want peace?  That I would not know how to navigate in my world without the constant undercurrent of fear, pain, victimization, discomfort, discontent, and disappointment?

Perhaps one option could be to 'wipe the slate clean' or 'lay aside' my unconscious goals.

One way I could practice consciously is when I notice that I am experiencing the effects of 'my unconscious goal' to remember that I have another choice and to recognize that I am just too afraid in this moment to let it go; nothing more.


Just by acknowledging what I am REALLY doing may be enough to take away any 'guilt' from my thought and what will be left will be peace.


Parting thought: just admitting to myself that I am just too afraid to give up my investment in specialness may be all I need to open up the door to lasting peace

 

Forgiveness Leads Us Back to Who We Are

So, we begin our "life" with the mistaken belief that we are separate, on our own, incomplete -- but that is just a belief; a mistaken belief -- it is not true, only our belief in it seems to be true

In reality, we are perfect oneness, perfect love, but at the time of our "birth" we mistakenly "forget" our true identity.

So we then spend our entire lives trying to reclaim that oneness which we actually never lost -- that was impossible -- but the mistaken belief that we could be separate seems possible -- and so we replay that original thought of separateness each and every moment of every day -- even in our dreams -- until we each come to the conclusion that a belief in a separate self does not bring us peace or happiness -- there must be another way to look at life.

Parting thought:  I can use every single thing that happens in my life to gently remember and "reclaim" that thought of perfect love and peace that I never really lost; I only thought I did; here's to remembering who I truly am

Forgiveness: I should or ought to...

When I feel like 'I should' or 'ought to' do anything -- that includes Forgiveness -- then I have unwittingly brought my false self (ego) to replace my true Self (my identity as love) -- because love does not or cannot demand anything...


Love sits quietly and waits and does not judge (so it would never need to do anything; so there is nothing it should or would or could do -- in fact it cannot do anything)


So, just by making the observation that I'm feeling that 'tinge' of guilt (the shoulda/coulda/woulda/oughta), I can recognize that as a red flag as the ego's offering of guilt to my decision making mind -- if I decide to choose for guilt


But forgiveness gives me an alternative -- there is another choice which appears to be its opposite (if that were possible) -- to be in the moment and extend love


Parting thought: I can make the choice to experience love in this moment whenever I feel the need that i really should/ought to do anything -- peace will be the reward