How Forgiving Are You?
Published on 20 Jun 2009 at 5:22 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under Feature Articles, Personal Development Strategies, Spirituality & Inspiration.
This morning I had the opportunity to work with a new friend and colleague Lori Leyden who has done some amazing healing work with her Grace Process, a spiritual practice based on the principle that your deepest healing is possible when you activate your heart resonance to connect with the energy of Grace. The practice focuses on clearing the mental, emotional, and spiritual blockages that are generated by your ego, and that interfere with your ability to receive Grace.
Lori blessed me with a session to experience her process and to be on the receiving end of some powerfull healing. Even though I have many skills and talents for healing and transformation, allowing others to guide me through my own healing at different times of my journey has brought amazing shifts, like today.
She says two major blocks to feeling more gratitude, joy and wonder in our life are self-judgments and self-forgiveness. For my session, my intention was to receive healing for some financial choices I had made in the past that I regretted so I could come to a place of peaceful resolution. I also wanted to deepen my faith and trust that I was always supported by the Divine for those times when fears came up, especially when I was stepping up in bigger ways. To receive the full healing benefits from our work together meant I had to be willing to be vulnerable and look more deeply within myself for the truth beneath any judgments, anger, or lack of forgiveness that I was holding onto.
As we worked on the situation I wanted to heal, she asked me several questions:
- What judgments was I holding against myself for what I had created?
- What if the financial choices I made that I thought were divinely inspired were really motivated by my ego? Would I be willing to forgive myself?
- What if the situation that I created as a result of some of my choices was for the sole purpose of reconnecting me to God? WOW - I’ve often asked a similar question to my clients and when she asked me that question, I could feel something click. I used to joke and say if the Universe wants to get my attention quickly, the two ways to do that would be something with money or something with my cats/loved one that would cause me worry and upset. How brilliant, really.
- If I knew with unshakable certainty that my needs would always be met, how would I feel?
- What would I be thinking and saying to myself? (That might be more loving and compassionate?)
At the end of the session, I felt so much lighter and at peace. Thank you Lori!
To receive the full benefits of healing, you must have the courage to feel what you are afraid to feel and the curiosity to uncover the real truth which can be very different from what you believe to be true. You also have to be willing for transformation to occur without knowing how or when. Willingness opens the door for healing to be possible.
If you wonder if you might be in need of releasing some judgments or need to do some forgiveness healing, take a look at your life. How’s it going for you?
Pay attention to your language and self-talk. How often do you beat yourself up? How often do you find fault with who you are being or what you are doing? When you think or speak, how many times do you use words like, “I should, shouldn’t, should have, shouldn’t have..” that cast you in a negative light to yourself and others?
- What in your life is causing you to feel unhappiness, anger or fear?
- What if any situation you are dealing with (addictions, illness, relationships, or money…) that is causing you pain was created to bring you closer to God and your Divinity? And the situations were designed to take the forms that would best get your attention so you might choose to “wake up” and remember who you are?
When we feel in despair, fear, or pain, it is common to pray to God for help. We reach out for assistance, opening our arms and hearts for relief and release of the burden we are carrying. In times of extreme pain, if we are willing to soften our hearts, let some of our protective guard down, and be willing to be vulnerable, many miracles can happen. I believe all prayers are always answered although they don’t always match the picture of what we expect.
- Would you be willing and open to forgive yourself for any judgments you might be holding?
- Would your attitude change towards yourself? Others? Your life?
- What might you do differently?
- How would you feel and think differently?
- Would you feel less constricted inside and more expansive?
Each of us at one time or another has strayed from our path, ignored our heart, betrayed another, been unloving, acted unwisely, given in to an addiction, desire, or temptation we might regret. There is a need for forgiveness when there is blame that often results in a misunderstanding or taking things personally.
The Blame Game - finger pointing, accusations, buck passing, using excuses, defending, and explaining are all ways people deny taking 100% responsibility for what they create in their life. 99.99% (really 100%) of the anger and upset we place in blaming others and our life situations for our happiness, is really how we feel towards ourselves. As long as we have someone or something to blame for our situation, we never have to look at our role in what happened. The fact is that we are powerfull creators and we are consciously and unconsciously manifesting all the time.
- Is there anything you or anyone else has ever done that is unforgivable?
- If you blame anyone or anything for your life circumstances, who would you become if you gave up being a victim and embraced for-give- ness?
- What is something you blamed yourself for or regretted that didn’t turn out the way you wanted was really Divinely inspired?
- If you hold onto your judgments or self-condemnation, how can you ever come to peace?
- Is anything you have ever done or experienced from another worth the price of giving up your happiness? Your self-esteem? Your peace of mind? Love?
Forgiveness allows us to heal and let go so that our hearts can open to self-love and compassion.
Grief and sadness lies beneath anger. As long as we remain judgmental and unforgiving, we are unable to release the pain and come to a place of resolution and inner peace. When we can view each experience as a healing and growth opportunity that brings us closer to our Divinity, we can release the pain through forgiveness and open our heart to feel gratitude and joy. Joy connects us to love, which is our true nature and the essence of God. Celebrate all that is right with you and your world. Appreciate all the richness you have in your life rather than focusing on what is missing.
Approaching life with wonder, like we did as innocent children, invites us to see and attract options and possibilities that can resolve challenges and bring Grace. In wonder we delight in the blessings, gifts, and wonderfull surprises The Divine has for us. Remember to look for all the ways the Universe conspires in your favor to make you smile. 
For a special healing session using The Grace Process, click here
Take advantage of scheduling ThetaHealing™ with me to uncover subconscious beliefs, themes, and patterns that can be blocking what you desire to attract and manifest.
Blessings,
Lorraine
www.isayyesnow.com
www.powerfull-living.biz
m mushtaq akhtar on 23 Jun 2009 at 12:22 am: 1
One who can forgive gets peace of mind. One who has peace of mind, becomes source of providing peace to the society. The guidelines provided in the article hereinabove need to be disseminated to all and for all.
lorraine on 23 Jun 2009 at 10:47 am: 2
Thank you for adding your thoughts and a thumbs up for the article post. I appreciate it!
Powerfull Living » 7 Reasons Why You Might Not Be In The Flow on 1 Aug 2009 at 3:02 pm: 3
[...] 1. Forgiveness Healing Work. 99.99 % of the time the person or situation we are the most upset with is US. Getting angry at ourselves or others is a common way we hold onto the past and drag it around. Forgiveness doesn’t mean excusing or forgetting what happened, rather it means coming to acceptance and peace with the past and our humanness so we can move forward. Read my article on How Forgiving Are You? [...]