Forgive and Forget
Photo - Brett Jordan
We hear a lot about revenge in the media today – and sometimes people say, ‘oh I just did it for spite’. And the expression ‘anger is a dish best served cold’ is also in common usage.
If I’m holding onto to anger, if I intend to ‘get my own back’, who is disadvantaged the most? The one with whom I am angry or myself, using my time and energy in a negative non-productive way?
Sometimes too we hear people say ‘well I’ve forgiven him/her but I’ll never forget what s/he did’ and we have to ask ourselves if we keep remembering have we really forgiven?
There is much evidence nowadays that holding onto anger and resentment is toxic, is bad for our own health and well-being. That said, it is not always easy to forgive and let go. But it may well be the better option – primarily for our own health and well-being but also for the one whom we perceive as having hurt us. And it is often those closest to us, those whom we love the most, our immediate family and friends, who have the power to hurt us the most and whom it may be hardest for us to forgive.
One of our core beliefs here at Our Spiritual Earth, and indeed in most religions, is ‘do unto others as you would others to to you’. None of us has lived perfect lives, we have all intentionally or otherwise hurt others and we would like to think we have been forgiven for our own thoughtlessness or unkindness or hurt to others. And we need to forgive ourselves too.
In his wonderful bestselling book ‘The Power of Your Subconscious’ (a favourite of ours) Dr. Joseph Murphy dedicates a whole chapter on ‘how to use the subconscious mind for forgiveness’. Here is part of a prayer from that chapter, which Dr. Murphy recommends we say when we are relaxed: ‘I fully and freely forgive (person X). I release him/her mentally and spiritually. I completely forgive everything connected with the matter in question. I am free, and s/he is free’.
Today is a new day. This moment is a new moment. Let us let go of the past. Let us truly, fully and willingly forgive and let go. By doing so, we can make our personal lives happier and more peaceful and we are also contributing to creating more Peace on Our Spiritual Earth.