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Elder and Emerald Heart Teacher, Lynne Shaw, continues the Notes from the Elders series with her potent and timely words concerning Forgiveness.

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Dear Ones,

As the year is drawing to a close, it is a good time to let go of that which no longer serves. Whether this is in the physical form of stuff that we no longer need, or in the spiritual form of thoughts that no longer serve us. It is time to sweep out the old to bring in the new.  For why would you want to bring your old junk into the New Year?

I have been doing an inventory of my thoughts and my monkey mind as the darkness of the year swirls around me and reveals my stuff. Some stuff I can let go of easily and other stuff I keep getting stuck upon – forgiveness, particularly of myself.

So how is your relationship with yourself? Are you at peace and ease with yourself or do you have an internal jibber jabber of thoughts? If you are anything like me you see saw from one to the other.  I realize over time that when I allow my mind to wander it is preoccupied with events from the past. Thoughts such as “If only I’d said that or hadn’t done that” abound. These thoughts then merge with “Well if so and so hadn’t done that…etc.etc.” I measure my actions by the knowledge I have now, which is highly unfair because if I’d known better perhaps I would have done better. No wonder I’m so tired by the time I go to bed thinking through all this stuff while going about my daily business!

Does this resonate with you? Do you find yourself dwelling on the past or concerned about the future because of the experiences you have had in the past?

It is time for us all to let this go.  You don’t wear the same clothes you wore twenty or thirty years ago so why would you be wearing yourself down thinking the same thoughts?

I made a list of my resentments, those places where I would say I’ll forgive myself or so and so if… When conditions are attached you know there is still work to be done.

As the saying says, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?”

Forgiving myself seems to be more challenging because I judge myself as needing to do so much better than everyone else.  Does this ring true for you? Well it is time to stop this method of torture.  Forgive yourself for anything no matter how small or large.  It is done, it is over.  The prison sentence you have been carrying out in your mind needs to come to an end.

The Divine doesn’t judge you.  The Divine just loves you.  There is no book of misdemeanors which you are measured by which says whether you get access to heaven or not.

Heaven is here if we allow it.  Hell is here if we continue to punish ourselves everyday.  If we contract our hearts so we cannot forgive ourselves.

 It is when we forgive ourselves that the journey to forgive others can truly begin.

If we are not at peace with ourselves then we cannot give what we do not have to others. Especially those who have hurt us.

 Forgiveness is not about condoning what you or someone else has done.  It is about acknowledging what has happened and moving on.  Not reliving it in your monkey mind day in and day out.

I’d like to share something I do that has been working for me. At the end of each day (or the next morning you are too tired by the end of the day), skim over the events of the day and see if there are any places where you feel you could have done better and also consider the actions of others that may have affected you. Acknowledge these things and forgive yourself and them.

You may find it useful to work with affirmations such as:

“When I forgive myself I free myself.”

“ When I forgive you I set myself free.”

“I thank you for this experience, I have now let it go. We are released from each other.

I bless you and set you free.”

When we get into the habit of daily forgiveness, this practice allows us to constantly release current issues. It also helps us as we start to work back to those fiery places in the past that still linger, and let them go. For if we can forgive the current stuff we can build a mindset that allows us to also let go of the old stuff.

If you find that you still get stuck on the issue of forgiveness, there are tremendous tools at your fingertips.  Never underestimate the power of working with an Essence.  They are tremendous Tools for Transformation.  You may wish to work with an Emerald Heart Practitioner to excavate other issues that may be tied to forgiving yourself and others.

These are amazing ways to allow the weight of your experiences to be lifted off your shoulders.  Live in the present.  Do the best you can today.  If anything happens, learn from it, release it and set it free.

Here’s to a lighter, brighter 2014!

Much love and many blessings,

Lynne Shaw

Elder of The Emerald Heart

Carrier of The Light.

New York.