What is forgiveness and why is it so important to forgive to create heart harmony? The most simplistic definition of forgiveness is to stop feeling anger toward or to stop blaming someone who has done something wrong. For those of us who have been pained by another person, particularly a person of a past relationship, to forgive may feel impossible. Many people hold false myths about forgiveness such as, to forgive means they have to forget. Is that true? NO, you may never forget. In fact, if something horrific happened to you, you are not likely to forget it, but you can forgive. And forgiving does NOT mean you are condoning what the person did to you. Also, forgiving does not mean that you have to verbally have a conversation with that person. You can go into your own heart and forgive without having any conversation with the other person at all.
In reality, when you forgive you are shifting your perception about what happened. You’re giving up any perception of victimhood that you were feeling by not allowing that person to have power over you. And by doing so, a space opens up from which you can live more fully.
So how do you forgive? At some point you have to retell the story in a more empowered way and be willing to let it go. Instead of holding yourself to be a victim, you must be able to witness a “bigger picture” than what you believe occurred. What did you learn from this experience? How did this event contribute to your overall growth and development?
Forgiving is about letting go of the past and deciding that you are now the hero and author of your life story. Forgiving is about comfort, kindness, and gentleness to your own soul. Above all, it about liberating yourself!