release the past

The Last Step in Forgiveness

The Last Step in Forgiveness

Open Yourself To Forgiveness - by Genevieve Gerard

This morning in my meditation as I was considering the concept of forgiveness I was granted a new understanding of how forgiveness works. Something I realized is the last step in forgiveness.

Forgiveness has long been a pondering point in my meditations. It is a subject on which I have often written. It is a spiritual work that my life experiences required for me to become free of assaults and indignities that I suffered in my childhood, and sorrows and betrayals in my adult life.

Therefore, to have a new revelation about how the subtle and energetic workings of forgiveness impact life is very exciting for me.

To understand the mechanics of forgiveness in this new light expands the power of what is already one of the most powerful tools of transformation. Forgiveness is a liberation that frees pain and sorrow and allows it to heal. It unravels the chains of anger so that you no longer have to carry the past around and trip over it.

I shall try to share this new understanding with you because I know it is important. The way that this disclosure that I am calling the last step in forgiveness released the energy around a wrong committed by another released a whole new layer of forgiveness that I had never seen before. If you have read any of my previous writings on forgiveness, you know that I teach that the best reason to forgive another is to free yourself from the burden of the past. This then opens you to the unlimited possibilities of an unformed and now unfettered future that is just coming into manifestation.

As such, I have advised you to forgive another, not so much for them, but for you, for it is your life that is freed from the past, and it is your burden of anger and betrayal that is laid down. All of this is imparted in my prior writings and can be explored in detail in the links to related posts at the conclusion of this blog.

Let me start by saying that Forgiveness is profound spiritual work, it, however, is also one of the most life-transforming tools you can use for your personal growth and development.

When we have opened ourselves to give forgiveness or to accept forgiveness we have opened ourselves to touch the Divine.”
        – Genevieve Gerard

Today’s revelation and understanding go beyond anything I have ever written about the importance of forgiveness. It is not only something I have never talked about before, but it is also a new understanding of the dynamics and workings of forgiveness on an energetic level that makes the act of forgiveness much more powerful than I have ever realized before.

It works on an alchemical energetic level. It works with the powerful principle that energy follows thought and it relies on the truths expounded in the teachings in the field of Neuro-Linguistics. It requires a new layer in the process of forgiveness that has the power to transform the one you are forgiving.

It speaks to an age-old question about forgiving that has always been intertwined with the concept of forgetting. Yes, it has long been argued I can forgive, but I cannot forget what the other has done. In addition, since what has been done in the past cannot be changed, that has had to do.

We all know that it can be a challenge to forgive, so to forget throws it over the top. It is just too much to consider for most people. What we are forgiving in another are usually the most painful things they have done. Just to forgive something seems to be enough.

Indeed, on many levels it is too much for most people. Nevertheless, the insight that I received this morning in my meditation and indeed the whole purpose of this article is to take forgiveness to a entirely different higher level. A level that can bring about real and lasting change in the life of both the one who is forgiving and the one who needs to be forgiven.

Thoughts, as I have often written have great power. It is a universal principle that energy follows thought. Thoughts, in fact mold the world around us in creating our experiences and our reality. They influence the very fabric of matter itself in the world around us. This is part of the new knowledge that began when the world of physics discovered in recent times the workings of subtle energies that are being explored by the newer field of Noetic Studies. The secrets becoming known are beginning to confirm what have long been the teachings of the occult and have been passed down throughout time as the Ageless Wisdom.

This ageless truth is also the basis for the teachings of many past and present thought leaders and motivational speakers. It is to them that I reach today for the words of how to explain this new layer of forgiveness, this new revelation about how forgiveness works.

My Insight on How To Forgive

We all hold in our mind thought forms about one another, just as we hold thought forms or beliefs about ourselves. These thought forms, these beliefs that we hold onto about ourselves often are a focus of our personal work and often must be removed consciously when it is realized that they are “limiting beliefs.” As any practitioner of N.L.P. can tell you and most counselors, life coaches and therapists would confirm, releasing a limiting belief about yourself or making a conscious decision to revise that belief to bring about a desired change when you can affirm “that was true of me then, but now I am …” is a life changing transformational tool.

What I realized to be true that relates to forgiveness is that these beliefs, these limiting beliefs we have of one another create a reality manifested by our thought forms, expectations and the power of the energy we give to it. To release the negative and/or limited thought form you hold in your mind about the other person gives the act of forgiveness the life transforming power of empowering them to change. Ponder on this.

If we can, when we forgive another, also release the thought forms we have created in our minds about them, there is an energetic discharge that frees the person you are forgiving and empowers them to go on in their life and become the person they are striving to become.

To forgive, without this dynamic extra step in the forgiveness process, dare I say the last step in forgiveness, adds to both the probability and possibility that they will again live up to our expectations (and energetic thought forms) and continue to do exactly what they have always done before that needed forgiveness.

Certainly, the best predictor of future behavior has been past behavior. That very expectation, that limiting belief held by both you and the one you are forgiving creates a huge obstacle to their change. Likewise, when you forgive down to the level of shattering the limiting belief you are holding in your mind about the one you are forgiving, you open the door to real and lasting change for them to take full advantage (and responsibility) of the possibilities and potential of the unwritten emerging future with a real freedom that simple forgiveness without this step does not grant.

So, when you forgive, although you may never forget what was done, if you can within your own mind, with the love of your heart, release the limiting belief you have held of them and hold the image in your mind of how they can be and who they can be, freed from the hurtful and painful behavior they have exhibited in the past, you are by your forgiveness, setting them free.

They can release all of the failures and foibles so that they can be, all that your love desires them to be and all that they desire to be for themselves. Then your act of forgiveness has the power and potential to expand into an act of transformation that will make you, and the one you are forgiving and who has needed forgiveness, much happier.

As I was pondering this, I saw the image of the person I was forgiving shatter into millions of shards that exploded and released an amazing rush of energy.

Releasing a Limiting Belief

To release a limiting belief, whether about yourself or another, requires being aware of your mind chatter and what you are thinking. Then you need to change the thought “change your mind” and thereby “change your life.” This is done by editing your negative or limiting thoughts and replacing them with positive, transformational or healing thoughts.

As soon as you catch your thought defining someone (including yourself) with an “am” or “is” statement such as “I am . . .”, “He or she is . . .”, immediately revise the negative or limiting thought with a reframed new positive, limitless thought, now free of the negative limiting belief.

This takes vigilance and consistency. Energy follows thought, that is both the rule and the underlying principle but conflicting thoughts undermine the efficiency of the desired change especially when it requires changing ingrained patterns of behavior. Ponder on this rule.

Know that, with this process transformation and change do occur. It begins with the alteration of a single thought, which works its way energetically into manifested substance, until one day you notice that the limiting thought or belief is no longer in your thoughts. Interestingly, it is often only vaguely in your memory and at that point, you truly know that you have exercised your role as co-creator of your life.

I encourage you to experience this last step in forgiveness, releasing the negative thought forms you have held in your mind about the other and watch how their lives may transform.

Know that this new aspect of forgiveness can bring about real healing in relationships when forgiveness is being asked and being granted.

Remember the past is finished. It has no power over you or over them when with your forgiveness you also free them from your thoughts that have held them in that past. The future is now revealed, as the unfettered and unlimited possibility, to evolve as the fulfillment of all of your dreams.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

 

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Copyright © 2014-2016 Genevieve Gerard and Touch of the Soul. All rights reserved.

 

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Are You Still Carrying the Past?

Are You Still Carrying the Past?

Are You Still Carrying The Past - Genevieve Gerard - Wisdom Wednesday

There is an old Koan that tells a story of two monks who were traveling from their monastery to a neighboring monastery far away.

Now a Koan is a story that Zen masters of old told to impart an important lesson.

A Koan is a story the student is to ponder to learn an underlying truth that leads them to intuitive enlightenment.

Long ago in my spiritual training, my Zen Master told this one to me. It is one of my favorite stories. Today I share it with you.

The Story

Two monks were traveling on a long journey. As was the way of the times, they were walking. Their journey eventually took them to a stream that was rapid and overflowing. As they were considering the best way to cross the stream, a beautiful maiden approached them.

It was the tradition of Buddhist monks that they take vows of celibacy so these monks had little experience with or exposure to beautiful maidens. The woman explained that she must get to the other side of the flooded stream and had not been able to cross. She asked for help.

One of the monks, upon hearing of her difficulty swept the woman up into his arms and carried her across the flooded water. He gently deposited the maiden on the opposite bank. She thanked him profusely. Then he walked on.

When his brother monk had also made his way across the stream, the two monks traveled on. As they walked, there was an uncomfortable silence between them. The brother monk seemed to be agitated and annoyed.

Eventually the monk inquired of his brethren monk what the cause of his distress was. The monk finally blurted out in anger and judgment. “I don’t understand how and why you could touch that woman. We, monks, have vowed to have nothing to do with a woman.”

After a few moments of considering what had distressed his brother the monk stated calmly “Brother, I left the woman back at the stream, are you still carrying her?”

This simple Koan speaks to the distress that is trapped in judgments and anger. The longer you hold onto that judgment and that anger the more you are trapped and limited from moving on. Clinging to your anger and righteous indignation can keep you from enjoying and appreciating what re opportunities and possibilities are before you. Clinging to those feelings, especially holding on to resentments keep you unable to see what is available in the present, in the moment, in the NOW.

I have always liked this simple story because it is clear that the angry monk did no harm to anyone but himself. The Buddha is reported to have said “It is not that you will be punished for your anger, but that you will be punished by your anger.” Ponder on this.

To carry your anger forward from the event that initially created the anger is one of the most significant ways we interfere in our own happiness, our ability to enjoy life, and our ability to experience true joy.

EXPERIENCING EMOTIONS

Of course, it is natural for us all to experience anger. That is an unavoidable part of our human experience. However, once someone has done something that makes you angry you get to decide how long you wish to carry it with you. In that decision, you decide how much you choose to be hurt and ultimately held back by the anger.

An emotion, any emotion, but particularly a strong emotion like anger has a flow to it, much like diving into a pool of water. When you dive, you know instinctively how deep into the water to take the dive before you naturally and spontaneously turn to the sky and come out of the dive.

When you take that natural and spontaneous feeling of anger and layer it with judgment (they shouldn’t have done that to me), resentment (I deserve to be treated better) and any of the other justifications you can create to cling to the anger, you are prolonging the pain of the initial injury. This is where you have a choice that can have a far-reaching impact on your life. This is the crucial point where the choices you make have an impact on how much joy you have.

In the thrall of your anger, judgment and righteous resentment at the wrong, it may be difficult to see that you have a choice. But anything beyond that initial spontaneous flash of the emotion of the anger is within your control, your choice. You might ask what you can do other than experience the outrage? You might wonder what choice I am talking about. You could feel completely trapped in that past event and see no possible solutions; after all, you were wronged.

Aren’t you totally justified being angry and resentful? To that, I say yes that may be true. But I ask you for your consideration, why would you choose to? What happened, whatever happened, is now in the past. The question I would ask for your consideration is what does bringing it into the present and carrying it with you give you? It certainly does not make you happy.

You can let go of the past pain, sorrow or injury by coming into present time and releasing the past. That immediately frees you from the burden of carrying old hurts. I understand it may require forgiving the person who hurt you. They may well not even deserve your forgiveness. The freedom that your forgiveness gives is to you, not them. The life forgiveness most influences is yours.

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is a way that you can put what is past behind you and move forward in your life to whatever new experience and adventure that life places before you. You do not have to choose to carry old hurts and waves of anger around with you. Ironically, the person who wronged you may not ever know that you forgave them. That really is not important. If you are in an ongoing relationship with that person they may sense it on some intuitive level, or you may choose to tell them. However, the most important change that takes place when you release an old anger is within you.

By forgiving, you are now free. You are no longer limiting your ability to seize the new opportunities that are unfolding before you because of something outside of this moment. By choosing to let go of the past you are empowering your life.

A SIMPLE FORGIVENESS TECHNIQUE

A very simple technique of forgiveness that I have found to be very freeing and very powerful comes from an old Hawaiian teaching called Hoʻoponopono [ho-o-pono-pono] (an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness.) Please note, I have added a few additional phrases to the standard teaching.

The Traditional Phrases are:

  • I love you.

  • I’m sorry.

  • Please forgive me.

  • Thank you.

The additional phrases that I sometimes also add are:

  • I forgive you.

  • And

  • I forgive myself.

The elegance of this technique is its simplicity. All you have to say in your mind is the specific repetitive phrases above when observing the behaviors of those around you. Keep repeating the phrases no matter what is happening or what anyone is doing.

Beyond using the power of your mind there is nothing you need to do or say out loud. You don’t have to belabor the circumstance; the focus on these phrases creates the release.

IN CONCLUSION

The freedom to be in the present releases you from the past and opens you up to enjoy the possibilities of the future while you experience more joy in your life at this moment.

At times, although this technique is very simple it may seem hard for you. That is OK. Simple is different from easy. When you find it difficult to release the past or forgive it, it might be revealing to ask yourself what are you getting from clinging to an old hurt or wrong.

For many the lure of clinging to the past is the reassurance that you were right, and therefore, the other persons were wrong. Certainly, that reassurance is not worth carrying the pain of the anger with you and it is not worth limiting the potential and possibilities that are emerging in your unobstructed life as the future is unfolding.

Therefore, I encourage you to choose to stop carrying the hurts of the past and open yourself up to the new opportunities that will be revealed to you. You will be happier. You will be immediately rewarded with a greater lightness and more joy.

Namaste,

   Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on all that you do!

 

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Last updated 3-20-2019

 

Copyright © 2014-2019 Genevieve Gerard and Touch of the Soul LLC. All rights reserved.

 

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