Forgive and be free! Forgive them for what they did or didn’t do! Exclude no one from the blessing of your forgiveness, including your Self. Forgive your 4th grade teacher, the co-worker who betrayed you, the military, parents, siblings, all relatives, enemies and friends! And whoever it was who scratched your car and forgot to leave a note. Right now as you read this, close your eyes and imagine that all is forgiven, the past, current issues and fears projected into the future! The power to change your mind i.e. what to think or how to think about something is up to you. That is where your true power lies. We have been brainwashed by parents, society, governments with laws but forgiveness, the release of judgment, is the trump card, your creative choice!
We live in a dualistic world: good and bad, hot and cold, short and tall, young and old, etc. We also have a split mind with two thought systems. We can listen to the ego or the voice of Love. YOU, the Decision Maker decides which system to follow. Choose the Christ mind, (Spirit, Source, God, Allah, Yahweh or Creator,) Love or the ego’s voice of fear, judgment, guilt and envy. Watch your mind to see these thought systems. For stress, choose the ego’s fear, pain, guilt and hate. For peace, choose the thoughts of forgiveness, equality, compassion, non-judgment and kindness. To tell which mind you are listening to ask yourself: How do I feel? A forgiveness thought brings a soothing balm. A blaming, judgmental thought brings guilt and fear of attack. The ego thought system is designed to keep the misery, disharmony and attack going. It can also make you sick, literally!
The purpose of the world is forgiveness! Forgiveness is our function over and above marriage, career, family etc. It brings inner peace. When you are upset there is something to forgive. We can be hurt by nothing but our thoughts and we can change all thoughts that hurt. For example: Someone at work really bugs you, he/she is a loud mouth, controlling, conniving busy body. Ask the voice for Love/Spirit in your mind: How can I see this differently? Then wait. A thought will come, maybe in the next few minutes, hour or even later but hang tight! Keep asking. If asked, the ego mind will bring up an attack or get even thought. The thought that brings a feeling of release and peace is the voice for love within your mind. Forgiveness sets in. Sometimes this has to be repeated because the ego is resistant. When we can see a person or situation differently, we understand that it was just a mistake; we had a lesson to learn about our perceptions, expectations and or projections. A projection is a judgment that we project out, onto someone else in order not to recognize it in ourselves. Like disliking someone who constantly interrupts when we in fact do the same thing but no one tells us!
How freeing to have a mind at rest! When tenseness, headache or worry sets in there is something to forgive. Forgive, release and laugh at it! Remember, your true identity is Spirit, eternal, residing in Oneness and Loved. So is everyone. How can the eternal be hurt? The only thing that seems to hurt is the ego and the ego is not who you are! It is false and has a loud shrill voice. Don’t listen to it. Choose the decision making mind and listen to Spirit, the eternal that is in you. Forgiveness enters and heals all wounds, judgments and grievances. We all have had painful experiences that seem beyond the forgiveness factor. The question is: How long do you want to hold onto the pain? We have a high tolerance for pain. It will last as long as you withhold forgiveness. Be pain free in 2010 and forgive everyone for everything!
Sally McKirgan, A Course In Miracles student, artist and poet lives in Ashland, Oregon.