Hello,
This is Dr.
Shaniqua.
Today,
I am going to lead us through a forgiveness meditation practice.
Forgiveness is the process of releasing and transforming the negative feelings that we have toward ourselves or towards someone who has hurt us.
That includes anger,
Resentment,
Hostility,
Blame,
Fear,
And condemnation.
Sometimes forgiveness is part of the path to restoring relationship that has been broken.
But many times,
The main point of forgiveness is to help us release what holds us to the harm.
It is to help open our hearts after pain has closed them off.
In today's practice then,
We'll use a guided visualization to help open our hearts and allow forgiveness to do its work in us.
First,
Let me give a caveat.
This practice is meant to support forgiveness in situations where healing is well underway.
It is not appropriate for situations where there are strong feelings of hostility,
Fear,
Or ongoing conflict,
Abuse,
Trauma,
Or other serious harm.
Be cautious with this practice and consult with your therapist to see if it is appropriate for you.
Above all,
Honor your limits and respect your feelings.
So let's begin by taking a sitting posture on a chair or perhaps a meditation cushion if you have one,
Really wherever you feel comfortable and safe,
Any place where you can maintain a position for the duration of this practice without too much fidgeting.
So settle into your posture.
And when you are ready,
Close your eyes gently and just breathe slowly,
Calmly at your own pace,
Calmly at your own pace,
Noticing each inhalation and each exhalation.
And take a few moments to check in with yourself.
What arises for you as we begin this practice?
There are all kinds of feelings that might come up or thoughts,
Anxiety,
Nervousness,
Fear.
Excitement,
Maybe even readiness.
What is here for you now?
Notice and name those feelings without judging them.
And whatever arises,
See if you can be with it.
Now,
Continuing to check in with yourself,
Notice how your body feels right now.
Is there any tension in the body?
Pain,
Discomfort,
Or maybe ease?
Our bodies often tells the story of our pain and our hurt.
What is here in the body for you right now?
If there are any unpleasant sensations,
Just breathe into them and invite them to soften and relax.
Throughout this practice,
Continue checking in with yourself,
Noticing the emotions,
The thoughts,
And the physical sensations that arise.
If at any point you begin to feel overwhelmed,
Take a break.
You might return to your breath or perhaps open your eyes and ground yourself in your physical space.
If the practice is too overwhelming,
Gently accept that it may not be the right practice for you or maybe just not the right time.
Give yourself permission to stop and be grateful for your desire to forgive.
Continue breathing in and out.
Now,
As you sit here relaxed and with eyes closed,
Imagine that you are sitting in the most beautiful place in the world,
A place where you feel safe and completely at ease.
This can be somewhere that you've been before or a place that exists only in your imagination.
What does this place look like?
What sounds are here?
What smells?
Are there any other living beings here or is it just you?
Take some time to look around your mental image and get comfortable in your surroundings.
Now,
Bring to mind a person or being who embodies wisdom,
Love,
Compassion,
And forgiveness.
It doesn't matter who this is or even if you have an accurate mental picture of them.
It could be a divine figure like Jesus or perhaps the founder of your religious tradition such as Muhammad,
The Buddha.
It could be a religious leader such as Gandhi,
Mother Teresa,
Or Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Or it could be someone you personally know and admire for their faith,
Their resilience,
And their capacity to forgive.
Maybe this is someone whose love you have experienced,
A grandparent,
A teacher,
A friend.
It could also be an ancestor or even an imagined person that you wish you had in your life.
Imagine that person is here with you in your safe space.
Imagine this person looking at you,
Smiling at you.
In their presence,
You are completely safe and protected.
You are completely and unconditionally loved.
In their eyes,
You sense a deep wisdom.
You know that they can see you for your full self.
They see your whole life story,
All of your choices,
Good and bad,
All of your gifts,
And all of your shortcomings.
And they love and embrace you just as you are and as you have been.
Their whole being is love.
As you look at them,
This love begins to shine from their heart center,
A bright light radiating from them and toward you.
The light grows and grows,
Expanding beyond them until it reaches you,
Surrounding you with warmth,
With love,
With compassion,
And with forgiveness.
Breathe and feel this sacred,
Loving light.
The light embraces and permeates you,
Feeling you,
Feeling you with warmth,
With love,
With compassion,
And with forgiveness.
Until every cell in your body is filled with this sacred,
Loving light,
And it begins to emanate from you as well,
Touching everything around you.
As you sit in this space,
Surrounded by and filled with this sacred,
Loving light,
You notice that this loving figure holds the hands of another person.
They too are surrounded in this light.
And as you take a closer look at them,
You realize that it is a person whom you have harmed,
Maybe with your words,
Your thoughts,
Or your actions.
Who is this person?
What did you do to harm them?
Notice what arises for you as you face this experience.
And then continuing to breathe in this sacred,
Loving light,
Repeat the following phrases to the person you have harmed.
Repeat,
I accept responsibility for the harm I caused you.
Where possible,
I will make amends for this harm.
I will refrain from harming you and others in this same way.
I ask for your forgiveness.
Now let that person's image fade away.
And continue breathing here in your safe place,
Surrounded by perfect love and light.
Now as you breathe,
Imagine that this loving figure holds the hand of a different person.
This time,
It is someone who has hurt you,
A person toward whom you feel resentment,
Anger,
Blame,
And disappointment.
They too are surrounded by this light.
As you look at them,
Recall the harm that they did to you.
Don't get too carried away with the details of the memory.
Focus instead on the feelings that arise.
What feelings are here as you think of this person and the way that they hurt you?
What arises in the body?
Breathe into these feelings and sensations.
Breathing in this sacred,
Loving light.
And now repeat the following phrases to the person who has harmed you.
I forgive you for hurting me.
I let go my resentment,
Anger,
And blame.
I release you and the hold that your actions have on me.
Now allow that person's image to fade away.
And breathe.
And as you breathe,
Imagine that the loving person is also fading away.
And in their place now sits you.
You are facing yourself,
Perhaps as you are now,
Or perhaps a younger version of yourself.
And as you sit facing yourself,
Recall the ways that you have harmed yourself.
Perhaps the unkind words that you have directed towards yourself.
The ways that you have abused and neglected yourself.
The ways you have engaged in behaviors that brought harm to you.
Hold yourself in this sacred,
Loving light.
And place your hands over your heart and repeat the following phrases to yourself.
I forgive myself for hurting myself.
I let go of my shame,
Guilt,
And blame.
I am capable of loving and forgiving myself.
I am capable of loving and forgiving others.
Continue to breathe.
Sending this loving light into yourself.
Now slowly let your visualization fade away.
The image of yourself,
This sacred place.
Returning to your physical space,
Gradually open your eyes.
Take in your surroundings,
Noticing where you are.
And know that you bring love and compassion here with you.
And you are capable of accessing your forgiving nature at any time.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Thank you.
