A Meditation for Forgiveness

We all know how important forgiveness is, but in my experience it’s one of the trickiest things to do.

For one thing, you may think you have forgiven someone, but somewhere in your heart is a hurt little child who has not forgiven. The adult you forgives. The adult you can understand that your parents, for instance, didn’t give you what you needed because they themselves didn’t get it. Your adult you can forgive your parents.

But somewhere inside there may be a 4-year-old part that still doesn’t understand why mommy didn’t take the time to notice that big sister would always bully you. That four year old feels sad, confused, hurt and angry. The adult you can forgive all you want, but unless those feelings from the four year old part are addressed and healed, the trapped energy will remain in your body.

If you have an illness or disease, it’s worth exploring what unaddressed “heart issues” might be under the tip of the iceberg. The tip itself could be resentment, anger, frustration or hurt toward someone. If you find it hard to forgive someone, or even if you’ve made the “decision” to forgive but haven’t really explored and healed at a deeper level, then it’s worth taking some time to address that issue.

I have a meditation I and others have used that works very well with this. (You can even use this with someone who has passed away.)

Steps to Forgiveness Meditation

The first step is to make a list of the people toward whom you still feel any resentment. Include what each person did and how it affected you.

You will need to do the meditation for each person on your list. Start wherever you want: either the person you resent the most, or the least.

Imagine that person is sitting in a chair opposite you. There is a chain connecting the two of you, and a big hook in your heart and the other person’s heart as you are connected by the chain.

Read your list, aloud if you like. After each harmful action of theirs and how it affected you, say while “looking” at them: “And I forgive you.”

Once you’ve gone through your list, sit quietly, eyes closed, and imagine Jesus (or God) standing between you, a little off to the side of the chain that hangs between you and the other person.

Turn to God and ask him to cut the chain that connects you. This is an act of humility and faith. You acknowledge that this is something you really can’t do for yourself; you need God’s help. Know that God is very happy and quite able to do this for you.

Instead of cutting the chain, however, what he does is come to you and gently remove the hook from your heart. He lays his hand on your heart and heals the wound from the hook. Take your time with this. Allow yourself to feel that healing grace flow from his hand to heal your heart wound. You might even lay your own hand there. Feel the warmth.

Next, watch as Jesus goes to the other person, and gently removes the hook from his or her heart. Watch as he lays his hand on the other person’s heart and heals just the way he healed you. Let yourself feel compassion for the other person. He or she also had been wounded. And now you’re both healed.

Jesus throws away the whole chain into a vast abyss, hooks and all. There is no sign of any of it.

Now Jesus is inviting you both into a three-way embrace: you, the other person, and Jesus. Let yourself feel how everything is made right.

I believe that if you are willing to try this, and open to God actually doing something, you will be able to truly forgive.

I suggest you do this meditation outside of your Healing Code sessions. You may need to do some Healing Codes just to get to the point of doing this meditation.

After this meditation, if you still feel any residual resentment, keep doing Healing Codes, perhaps focusing as you do so on some aspect of the meditation:

• the fact that there is a painful hook in each of your hearts that you really want removed

• your desire for Jesus to remove the hooks and chain

• seeing/feeling him lay his hands on the other person’s heart or your heart

• seeing him throw away the chain

• the moment when the three of you embrace

When you are able to feel that the embrace is “true,” and there is no “charge” when you think of that person, no resentment, you will know you have truly forgiven–from the heart.

Get ready for a new chapter in your healing, and perhaps in your relationship! Because when you truly forgive, you free yourself from one of the most destructive energies there is, and open yourself up to receiving more grace than you knew was possible.

For a printed version of this meditation, go here. For further help in healing your heart issues, visit HealingCodesCoaching.com and check out my coaching and the freebies there. For more on how Diane can guide you in healing connections with God through Immanuel Prayer, go here.