In my last post, I talked about “living in the present” by letting go of regrets, worries and fears. I’d like to take that a step further by explaining how extending forgiveness toward the people who have caused you pain can help you to release the past and move forward. It is important to point out that forgiving someone for past behavior does not, by any means, say that you condone their behavior; rather, it frees you up from a negative cycle that can be detrimental to your growth and evolvement as a soul.
When we hold grudges against someone, we are the ones carrying around the negativity which we wear like a heavy, black cloak. This cloak is what trips us up in life as it weighs us down, trapping us in its gloom. Its darkness keeps us wrapped in a victim mentality which can draw even more negativity toward us.
Forgiveness means recognizing that the person who committed the injustice was misguided in their actions towards you. Somewhere along the line, they received faulty information or no guidance at all as to how to behave with compassion toward another soul. As souls traveling onwards on our own unique journeys, we need to recognize that not everyone is on the same level of evolvement. That does not mean that one soul is better than another, it just means that we all have lessons to learn in life and the person who hurt you has yet to learn the particular lesson that led them to hurt you. Keep in mind that you, too, have lessons yet to learn and will make mistakes along the way that may cause someone else pain. When you recognize your own mistakes, it is important to learn from those mistakes and extend forgiveness toward yourself. If possible, apologize to the person or people you have hurt and do your best not to repeat the same mistake.
To truly forgive another, acknowledge the pain and let it go. Know that you cannot control the actions of others. You can only control yourself and how you react or respond to the events that occur in your life. You do not have to see the person face-to-face to forgive, nor do you need to re-enter a toxic relationship or put yourself in a negative situation in order to extend forgiveness. You can say it out loud to the universe or in your own mind. Surround the situation with love and light and visualize it as healed. Whenever you find the heavy, black cloak of negativity trying to slip itself back upon your shoulders, remind yourself that you have already forgiven the past and let it go. If you feel that you need help forgiving others, ask the Angels and Spirit Guides that protect you to lend you their strength and support as you take these positive steps in your life. They are there for you if you need them—all you have to do is ask.
With Love and Light,
Karen T. Hluchan
