The Nature of Forgiveness

[Eva Libre]

Heavy clouds, strong winds,

Lightning, thunder, rain. The

Storm passed; my rose bloomed.

What is your experience of the nature of forgiveness?

In my experience, forgiveness is not something I directly choose.  Rather, it is a space or state of being I arrive at when I have fully expressed myself and taken full responsibility for my emotions, how I express them, and any stories or beliefs I have regarding my experience. How is it that I do not simply choose to forgive?  I invite you to look at forgiveness in two different ways.

In the first, in a moralistic sense, if I have decided someone else was wrong to do what they chose to do, and passed a judgment, then I may “forgive” them by taking on a self-image of being “in the right,” morally superior, and thus “above” or “passed” anger or grief.  I can do the same with myself in my mind, making my current self morally superior or of “higher awareness” to a past, misguided self. How can I continue to be emotionally intimate, relaxed, and enjoying time spent with another or with myself, if I seek and create this type of “forgiveness?”  If I cannot be open and joyful with the forgiven, have I truly achieved forgiveness?

In the second type of forgiveness, I choose not to judge myself or another, understanding that judgments are make-believe, just stories I tell myself (and others).  In this case, I understand that to blame or judge another (or my past self), I must first make them wrong in my mind (or make myself wrong), and since I have no basis in fact to do this, there is no need to ever take this first step.  If I have already taken this first step, I can be aware of it, then choose to undo it, letting go of the ideas of wrongness and blame. Then I choose to express myself fully, speaking of my emotions and experiences in first person, as related to specific actions and events in my experience.  Especially, I choose to express myself in that way to the person involved, or fully have the expression in private while maintaining awareness, if the person involved is myself. By speaking my emotions in first person, as related to specific actions or events, I take full responsibility as creator of my emotional experiences, and my sharing becomes a revealing of myself and my experience that is authentic without story-making or judgment of self or other. I relate my whole self clearly and directly. I am revealed, and I enter a new space of possibility to greet someone anew, to go forward without judgment of self or other.

[Stephen Quinto]

Interesting issue, dear Eva. I would like to comment too as it is a subject I've had to give a lot of consideration to... I think that everything we choose to do ....is the exercise of judgment in the circumstance[s]. And that act defines our progress along the road on which we are each journeying. Thus we approach the validation of our life in the materium - I know this is not an 'eastern' concept; nor is it a western one. Let's just say ...it is a Stephen one. Thus, it tries to shed a light on the very heart of the matter: 'why we are here.....' [there's that big question again]

I have tried to be responsible for all these things that my brothers/sisters have done ....some so unspeakable it is to die each time, the remorse can be so great.... And so by taking responsibility myself, I can finally forgive myself! For we are all one....! I know it's a tough one. but this life was not only the joy and splendor of a Heavenly Creation - so many of us have made it pure hell!

In the end I have come to Peace since, after all, there was no more anger left in my heart. And thus can I, each time I stumble through the awarenesses I am fated to confront and the continuing depradation of the Earth and, by extension, the Universe by so many of us. Thus am I forced finally to retreat into the bosom of that Universe in awe of its radiant Live and Love .....and beg forgiveness.

Perhaps those of us who are indifferent to the immense suffering and loss we have inflicted on the Earth will face it ....and the Universe ....to express their sorrow for the pain they have caused [all of the miracle-family we were born into on this earth.... and with whom we have the choice to proceed [along the red road] ....with Humility and Respect.

[Béatrice LATEUR LACROIX]

Thanks for this new discussion, Eva ;-)
We always have the choice to be catch by our ego or to remember we are all One and our true nature is Love.

So faults and errors disapear and we are able tobe who we really are.

Love and Peace for all Beings.

[Kerrin Charles Muir]

Well said.  Jesus Christ taught us to forgive others, so that we in turn can be forgiven.   There is  a very good reason for this teaching.  Previous to his teaching, the current thinking was, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Gandi updated this with, an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind.

Obviously this is a very important teaching with all these wise Spirits commenting on it.

Forgiveness is different for each of the Spiritual gifts.   It is very hard for feeling type people to throw off a negative or baD feeling THAT somebody, unknowingly, has given them.  There is nothing intellectual about this. 

This person must deal with this the best way they can. Probably by using their other gifts to deal with it.

For people , whose first gift is  Intuition,  they will forgive, but never forget the action that may have crossed a boundary.  Forgiving others, that have seriously interfered in our business, or even our own family, helps us grow another leg.  But we don't have to forget it.  We can forget it when the time is right, usually when there is no longer any need to remember.

Forgiving others, is recognising that the world does not revolve around each of us individually, but there is a bigger picture working out in our lives.   

[Kerrin Charles Muir]

Well said Art.    Empathy comes with our feeling gift.  For some, who's feeling gift is number four, they will be further away from their empathy with others,  but thats OK.  They still have empathy,  unless they have real mental problems.

[Kerrin Charles Muir]

Very true Jane. Mirror image.  What we see in others is indeed also in us.  It is said we should remove the log in our own eye,  before we condemn the splinter in another's eye. This also applies to good qualities too of course.  So we can get a kick out of looking for good qualities in others.

Its great fun.