Forgiveness is difficult.
Let's just take a few breaths in together.
I'd like you just to feel what it's like to be forgiven by somebody else.
Just let yourself gently breathe into this feeling of what it's like to be forgiven by somebody.
It can be really difficult to forgive somebody,
Especially if they have hurt you deeply.
But forgiving is one of the most powerful things you can do to transform your life.
Forgiving yourself and forgiving others.
Forgiving will transform your life in ways you may not even expect.
So let's just take three connected breaths together.
Inhaling through the nose,
Let your body expand.
Exhale through the mouth.
Inhale through the nose,
Belly expands.
And letting go through the mouth.
Now just watch your breath for a moment as it comes in and out of your body.
You know when forgiving someone else,
It's always best to start with the small things.
But before we start forgiving,
I want to share a little story.
Some years ago,
Neuroscientists were working on ways to train the brain to develop deeper meditation practices.
They were trying to replicate the same peaceful brainwave states of Zen masters.
And during the training,
They noticed something very unusual happening to one of the participants,
Clara.
After just a few days into the study,
They noticed that Clara was showing a remarkable shift in her brainwaves.
Specifically,
Her brainwaves were balancing out faster than all the others on the training.
She was developing greater right and left brain coherence.
Plus she showed increased amounts of alpha brainwaves.
These alpha brainwaves are normally only seen in experienced meditators who have spent hours practicing over many years.
So they asked Clara,
What was the focus of her meditation?
And she replied,
Oh,
I am forgiving any and all the arseholes in my life,
Especially my ex-partners.
So they then had others trying Clara's method of forgiving others.
And the study found that forgiveness balances the right and left brain parts,
Bringing coherence.
And the balance to the brain then amplifies the alpha brainwaves.
So you see true forgiveness harmonizes the brain.
It brings inner peace and balance.
We know for ourselves that if somebody forgives us,
That gives us peace.
And so you see when we truly forgive something or someone,
We let go of an energy that we attach to it.
This energy is lingering in our body.
And forgiveness is not just about forgiving others,
But also about forgiving ourselves.
When we forgive ourselves,
We bring ourself into coherence.
And we take back our power.
And when we forgive others,
We empower ourselves and we take back our power.
So this practice today is about forgiveness.
And I'd like you to feel into your heart,
Feel into your body.
What is it that you need to forgive yourself for?
What is it that you need to forgive yourself for?
And I'm now going to give you 30 seconds to speak some words of forgiveness to yourself.
And now repeat after me.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my negative self-talk.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my negative self-talk.
One more time.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my negative self-talk.
And let's take three big breaths into this.
And now if you're seated or you're laying down,
I invite you to give yourself a big hug.
And feel into yourself forgiveness.
And while hugging yourself,
We go back to the mantra.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my self-negative talk.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my negative self-talk.
I forgive myself.
I am stopping my negative self-talk.
Feel again into this forgiveness for yourself.
And now that you have forgiven yourself,
Perhaps you are ready to forgive others.
You see when you forgive others,
You release the power of what has been done against you.
You release that power so it has no more hold on you.
Once you truly forgive it,
It will not affect you anymore.
And I know this can be very emotional.
So when forgiving others,
It's best to start with the small things.
And maybe you might want to come back to this meditation at other times to forgive some of the bigger things.
But when you forgive others,
You take back your power.
So now I'm going to give you 30 seconds to speak words of forgiveness to others.
You can speak this forgiveness with your voice or in your mind.
And now repeat this mantra after me.
I forgive everything and every person in my life that has hurt me.
I forgive everything and everyone in my life that has hurt me.
I forgive everything and everyone in my life that has hurt me.
I now release all emotions and pain attached to this hurt.
I release all emotions and pain attached to this hurt.
I release all emotions and pain attached to this hurt.
Remember something mysterious happens when you practice forgiveness.
It doesn't just heal you.
It extends across space,
Time.
And heals others.
It can't be explained.
And we don't need to know how it works.
But it is powerful,
Mystical.
It affects us as humans.
Both mind and soul.
Remember forgiveness is powerful.
And you can forgive people at any time.
They don't have to be there.
And you can forgive yourself at any time.
Forgiveness will transform your life in ways you don't expect.
And now repeat after me.
I forgive myself.
I stop negative self-talk.
I forgive everything and everyone.
I am bringing inner peace and balance into my life.
I forgive myself.
I stop negative self-talk.
I forgive everything and everyone.
I am bringing inner peace and balance into my life.
I forgive myself.
I stop negative self-talk.
I forgive everything and everyone.
I bring inner peace and balance.
