The Freedom of Forgiveness

"Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die"
~ Malachy McCourt

In the experiment A YEAR TO LIVE, I invited the participants to review their life and become aware of the many people for whom they felt gratitude and appreciation, as well as those who might need to be forgiven. For me, it was a very powerful experience. I remembered an exercise I had done in forgiveness many years ago, and how free I felt once I really had completely forgiven this person. It was like a weight had been lifted from me, and space had been cleared in my brain for more creative thinking. I encouraged the participants to do the same exercise if they came across people who needed forgiving.

This week one of the participants wrote this in our forum:

"I have been working on forgiveness off and on since January as part of my Year and because the word/notion kept on popping up in books, websites, conversations so I knew I had to pay attention to what the "little"voice was saying. My meditation guide told me to meditate on forgiveness and I couldn't forgive my ex for what he had done to me, couldn't forgive my father for what he had done to me -during that meditation. It was a huge block.

And then out of the blue a few days later during a totally different meditation, it was there, overwhelmingly so, very emotional. But I knew when I came out of the meditation that the process of forgiveness had started. Within weeks I can say that yes I have forgiven my ex and my father and my life has never been better, lighter, happier. It seems so easy now looking back, but I know it took work, hard work. Work that I'm proud of, grateful for the Universe being there for me every step of the way, gently guiding me over the hurdles until the hurdles just dissolved and I know these hurdles and pain are gone now for good. Amazing that now that that dark cloud has been lifted how much sunshine there is!!!"

I know this woman has taken this year's experiment to heart and is doing everything with such gusto. Reading how this experience of forgiveness brought even more sunshine into her life, filled me with delight.