The Power of Forgiveness

One of the greatest things I have done in my life is to learn how to forgive; forgive myself, my family members, the Universe, my friends, my enemies, my fear...etc.

To me, forgiveness does not mean condoning or excusing.  It does not mean forgetting.  For myself, I define forgiveness as "the full willingness to release an offending person from what they have done- and from the pain they have caused- so that I may move on with my life, free from the negativity of the past".  In essence, I forgive another for my own well being as well as the well being of those around me that I love. 

I read once that un-forgiveness is like being on a giant hook and next to you on that hook is the person that has hurt you.  You take that person and all of the pain with you everywhere you go.  I imagine this hook as an anchor with multiple sharp edges that pierce myself and the people I have not forgiven.  I imagine us all stuck there in pain- suffering.  I imagine the anchor piercing people in  my life that are innocent bystanders.  Before long, this anchor is too heavy and my ability to move forward is null and void and my life begins to lack love and trust.  

I have been there before in my life- anchored and heavy- and I have vowed to never get to that place again no matter what happens to me.  I have learned from experience that carrying pain from the past only re-creates it in the present.  It not only re-creates it for me but it also creates it for those around me that certainly don't deserve it.  

When I need to forgive someone, I imagine a hook.  I sit in meditation and quiet my mind.  I go as deep as I can and I then imagine myself and the offending person on the hook.  I fully feel the pain.  I fully remember what happened.  I let myself be there completely.  I accept it fully for everything it is.  I see and feel the negativity of all that came from the experience/s. 

 I then recognize what I can gain from the experience- how I can grow from it.  I imagine who I want to be once I release myself from that hook.  I connect myself to a feeling I may have had in the past that was positive- or a few feelings from the past that layer on top of one another to create the person I want to be when I think about the offending person and what they did to me.  Instead of the pain of the hook, I imagine what I want to feel, keeping in mind the overall feeling of freedom.

I then go back to the hook and pain.  I see and feel the picture clearly right in front of myself.  I then remember the picture of how I want to feel in my freedom and I replace the pictures in my mind.  I replace how I did feel with how I want to feel.  I do this over and over again until when I think of the offending person, I feel free and good about myself and my life.  I replace the pain and suffering with how I want to feel in my freedom.  

It is amazing what a difference this activity has made in my life.  It is amazing how I have been able to overcome a lot of adversity through forgiveness.  It is amazing how easy it really can be for anyone that wishes to free themselves from the hook of un-forgiveness to simply do so....

...And remember, forgiveness is for you and for the ones in your life that you treasure and love.  

Forgiveness Mantra:

I release myself, for everything.

I release everyone, for everything.

I release my life, for everything.

I release my fear, for everything.

I release my judgement for everything.

I release those who have judged me.

I release those who have feared me.

I release myself for love not yet given to myself.

I love myself.

I am free.

I am free to be fully me!

Melissa McNulty

Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Nutrition Coach, Mind/Body Wellness Practitioner

hypnotherapytaos.com

575-921-8234

If you need help with this process, I am here, and I specialize in forgiveness.  You can reach me at hypnotherapytaos@gmail.com, at http://www.hypnotherapytaos.com/contact.html or by calling 575-921-8234.