I am not a religious person. Yet there is one salient point on which all religions agree - forgiveness is essential to peace of mind. There is a regrettable tendency toward hatred and retribution in our world. It causes unhappiness. If you don't adopt an attitude of detachment rather than an attitude of hatred and anger toward someone who has wronged you or a difficult situation which arises in your life, you are the one who suffers. It is like the old story of two monks walking alongside a stream. There was an old woman waiting to get across but the stream was rushing and she was frightened. She asked the monks to help her. One of them refused outright. This was not technically allowed, they were not to have contact with a woman. But one of the monks had compassion on the woman and helped her across. He took her on his back and waded through the strong current, leaving her on the other side of the river and wading back. The other felt resentful as his fellow monk had broken a rule. He didn't say anything but inside he was angry. At the next rest stop, he finally criticized the monk who had helped the woman. The compassionate monk was surprised and asked, "You are still carrying that woman? I put her down on the other side of the river, three miles back!"
When we hold anger and resentment in our hearts, we are carrying burdens and making life more difficult for ourselves. We are the ones imprisoned by our sour attitudes and we are the only ones who can set ourselves free. Not only is it emotionally constricting, cutting us off from more positive people and experiences but it is bad for our health. This is a documented fact.
What do you do to free yourself? Forgive everyone who has ever wronged you. Make a list of people you have been angry with. Then go through the list and in your mind (or out loud if you prefer) I forgive you. I release you. I wish you well. Send love to that person. It is an extremely freeing exercise.
When we hold anger and resentment in our hearts, we are carrying burdens and making life more difficult for ourselves. We are the ones imprisoned by our sour attitudes and we are the only ones who can set ourselves free. Not only is it emotionally constricting, cutting us off from more positive people and experiences but it is bad for our health. This is a documented fact.
What do you do to free yourself? Forgive everyone who has ever wronged you. Make a list of people you have been angry with. Then go through the list and in your mind (or out loud if you prefer) I forgive you. I release you. I wish you well. Send love to that person. It is an extremely freeing exercise.
RSS Feed