Forgiveness Practice

This is a forgiveness meditation.

Begin by aiming the attention towards this experience of breathing.

Connecting into the heart space center.

Allowing each breath to rise and fall.

Connecting into this heart space.

Connecting into this place of original goodness within each of us.

Connecting into this place of original goodness within each of us.

Forgiveness practice is about looking within.

Seeing clearly the ways in which we have caused suffering for ourselves and for others.

And allowing some healing,

Some movement in these places.

As we breathe in,

Softening around the heart.

One aspect of forgiveness is to begin with a place that is easy.

A person who might be easy to forgive.

It's important to remember that forgiveness is giving up hope for a better past.

Forgiveness is about forgiving ourselves.

Forgiving in our own hearts.

Developing a sense of mercy and compassion for the ways in which we have caused harm.

And the ways in which harm has been caused to us.

So as we continue to have the attention aimed towards the heart,

Towards the center.

Connecting into.

This place of original goodness within each of us.

We'll start with some simple phrases.

Aiming towards our own hearts.

Aiming towards the way we have caused harm.

So silently repeating to yourself,

For the ways in which I have caused harm,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action.

May I forgive myself.

For the ways I have harmed others,

Maybe saying a name or getting an image in the mind.

For the ways in which I have caused harm,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action.

May I forgive myself.

For the ways in which I have caused harm,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action.

May I forgive myself.

It's important to remember that we are just learners in this life.

We make mistakes.

We struggle.

We repeat habitual patterns of reaction.

I forgive myself.

I am just a learner in this life.

May I learn to let go of these habitual patterns.

As we move to the next place of forgiveness,

If anyone has harmed me,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May I forgive them.

For those who have harmed me,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May I forgive them.

I am just a learner in this life.

So often we build these walls,

These barriers to protect ourselves from further harm.

And in doing so,

We separate ourselves.

This forgiveness is for us to live free,

To be open.

We can forgive in our hearts and never let an abuser or someone who has harmed us back us,

For those who have harmed me,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May I forgive them.

As I am a learner in this life,

So too are you.

So often we build these walls,

These barriers to protect ourselves from further harm.

As we move to the next place of forgiveness,

If anyone has harmed me,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May I forgive them.

We honor and own the ways in which we have caused harm,

The ways in which we have habitually reacted out of ignorance or suffering.

For those I have harmed,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May they forgive me.

For those I have harmed,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May they forgive me.

For those I have harmed,

Intentionally or unintentionally,

By word or action,

May I forgive them.

Again,

A quote by Jack Cornfield.

Forgiveness is giving up hope for a better past.

Please forgive me.

I forgive you.

I forgive myself.

It is helpful to do this practice as often as possible,

Knowing that forgiveness may be momentary.

Right now,

Please forgive me.

I forgive you.

I forgive myself.

Buddha.

You