Inspirational Texts - Forgiveness

Asking for Forgiveness · Meditation

Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes. Straighten your back, allowing the breath to gently come into the body and to flow out of your body. Feel the breath like a gentle breeze--soft and easy. No control. Just breathing in and breathing out. If the mind should wander, or if you hear a sound outside, just take it in and return to the awareness of your breath, this present moment.

Simply allow memories and images and emotions to float freely in your mind.

Asking for forgiveness, if I have hurt or harmed anyone in thought, word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly, and I have done so, in the ways that I have, I allow those instances, those persons or person to come into my mind and into my heart. I have hurt others. I have caused pain to another. Be with that person or persons, that memory.

Allow yourself to move into the body of that person you've hurt, and allow yourself to feel their experience. How did it feel for them? How did they react? What was their pain? How did they close their heart in order to protect themselves?

Now come back into your body, in that same situation. What was this experience like for you. What lead up to this harmful act or harmful words? At this moment rise above your body and look back down upon yourself. Now, remember we only act unskillfully for two reasons: out of our pain and out of our fear, we then get confused. We then hurt others out of this confusion. So look back down upon yourself, see the pain and the fear that created that confusion - harmful act. In your mind's eye imagine that they too, at this very moment, see your pain and your fear.

Asking for forgiveness. May I be forgiven. May I be forgiven from those that I have hurt or harmed. May I be forgiven. Let your heart open to love and compassion. Feel the grace all around and let it penetrate to the deepest level of your being, letting it radiate through you. Allow your heart to open and radiate caring to that other person or persons. Allow their heart to open and receive your love and desire for forgiveness.

Speaking form your heart, may I be forgiven. May I be forgiven by those I have hurt, may I be forgiven.

Imagine this message has been received and affirm the feeling of healing between you and that other. Let the images melt into space.

Return to your breath. Breathing in light. Breathing out love and compassion. Now return to your body and into this room, and when your are ready gently open your eyes.

Rachel Kaufma - Deva Foundation