On Forgiveness

For a number of reasons, the act of forgiveness is a vitally important lesson out of the “spiritual unfoldment playbook” -- yet it seems to be one of the toughest lessons for us to learn.

Forgiveness is an act of love that is rooted in wisdom. Many people are unable to forgive because they don’t want to give something to somebody who in their minds is undeserving of that gift of forgiveness. However a wise soul recognizes that the act of forgiveness is really an act of love towards oneself. When we forgive, we release negative energy that existed within ourselves. Though that negativity was directed towards another person, the energy is always strongest in the “host” -- that is, within the person who needed to do the forgiving. My teacher, Goswami Kriyananda, likens holding onto anger as akin to holding onto a hot coal that hurts you more than the other person.

The act of forgiveness releases negative energy that binds ourselves to the person whom we forgave. In effect, it demagnetizes us from that person. As a result, we are both free to move forward. Hopefully, it frees us from repeating the karmic pattern with this person in another lifetime.

On a deeper, mystical level, the person who needs forgiveness manifested due to the force field that existed within oneself. When we realize this, we look at the experience and use it to our advantage by learning and growing from it. It is important to thank that person (mentally is sufficient) for coming into your life because this person showed you what was out of balance within you. In this regard, the person acted as a mirror. Now that you see what is out of balance, you can do what is necessary to restore balance. This is truly a great gift.

And on another level, we recognize that by forgiving another person, we are forgiving our true Self, for we are all one.

Finally, the ability to forgive is directly related to your ability to be content. How can you truly be content and joyful if you are holding onto resentment or anger due to your inability to let go? These negative feelings magnetize us to the lower planes of consciousness and undermine our spiritual practices. So an inability to forgive inhibits spiritual growth. Thus, forgiveness is an essential quality in any individual who is sincerely trying to evolve spiritually.

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” -- Alexander Pope.