Jack Kornfield Archives - Mindful Happiness

December 9, 2015 By Admin

Forgiveness Meditation Adapted from Jack Kornfield’s Work

Forgiveness Meditation Practice – Mindful Happiness – Dr Anthony Quintiliani

Sit comfortably in a meditation posture. Allow your breath to remain natural without any intentional modification. Allow your body to relax, and allow your mind to be open to and to expect forgiveness. Focus attention on your heart area deep within your soul, and allow yourself to feel the soothing rhythms of forgiveness bathe you in calmness. Now gently slow and deepen your breathing. You are now ready for forgiveness work.
From all the people I may have harmed or hurt in the past, whether knowingly or not, I ASK for their forgiveness. Please forgive me for whatever I did to cause your emotions to become unpleasant. I can see your suffering face in my mind’s eye. I am so sorry! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!
From my own deep higher self, I ASK for forgiveness. For the many ways I have harmed or hurt myself, whether knowingly or not, I ASK for self-forgiveness now. Causes and conditions allowed negative afflictions to harm me by my own emotional reactions. I can feel my face, heart, soul, and mind-body experience my own painful emotions. For this I ASK forgiveness. I forgive myself! I forgive myself! I forgive myself!
From people who I know have harmed or hurt me, whether knowingly or not, I ASK myself to forgive them now. I may or may not be ready for complete forgiveness; I will go with what comes from inside myself. Whatever level of forgiveness appears – or if only a slight intention to forgive – I am ready to act on it. If I am ready to forgive you, I can see your face in my mind’s eye; I realize you also suffered and harmed me in the process. I offer my deep intention to forgive you as a person. I experience compassion for your suffering. If I am ready I say deep inside myself: I forgive you! I forgive you! I forgive you!
If you are having trouble moving yourself through this forgiveness meditation process, you may want to follow Windmind’s advice on how to forgive. A) For the sake of self-care, give up your anger, resentment and hate. B) Use your supports and spiritual strengths to forgive the person if not their actions. C) Work very hard on letting go of the past – holding on to past pain and suffering simply makes it longer-lasting. D) Allow your intention and forgiving actions to liberate you from the chains of continued pain and suffering. Empower yourself to let go and feel true liberation from past causes and conditions – thoughts, words and actions – causing your pain and suffering.
Now concentrate your meditative powers on liberation from your heart-held suffering and pain. Forgiving yourself and others allows the letting go of your pain and suffering. NO need to hold on to past pain and suffering; the longer you hold on to it emotionally, the longer you suffer. Be with your deep true see; feel this in your mind-body-heart-soul – FORGIVE!!!! BE the “forgiver.”

For more information on Jack Kornfield’s forgiveness practices refer to www.jackkornfield.com/meditations/forgivenessMeditation.php

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

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