It is pretty clear that we all get how important forgiveness is, and that we are exploring forgiveness in the most comprehensive way. Forgiveness is the release of any negativity, sense of scarcity, or even doubt, that might get in the way of our knowing ourselves as we truly are. So one of the many threads that flows from this is that any belief, thought system or pattern of behavior, memory, or any other entity of any kind that is detracting from your glory from your essence, needs to be released.
Forgiveness is a process and each one of us will approach it and those defined barriers to Trutht and release them or heal them in our own unique way. As with most steps on the spiritual path there is no written down rule book for this one. In fact, the process might even be different, not just for each one of us, but for different beliefs, etc. we are allowing o be transformed.
Now again, as with most aspects of the spiritual path there is paradox involved here because even though the blocks to our Ascension or our true perception of ourselves seem to be varied and different, they all center around one basic element and that is, “Do you claim yourself as being worthy of unconditional love or not?”
What we would encourage you all to do today, as you walk through this lesson, is to open yourself to an inner sense of freedom. Do not even ask or question yourself about “freedom from what”, but simply tune into the truth every once in awhile that you know that you are free . You might say that out loud or to yourself, “I know I am free!”
You will notice there is a split second, a brief window in time, directly after you claim your Truth, that your spirit, your soul, your heart, acknowledges that as being true. There is this spaciousness, this openness. Now the secret here is not to cling to that because very soon after that spaciousness opens, the personality self will begin to chime in and question whether or not you are really free.
You will notice then immediately after the personality self intrudes that judgment awakens, and along with judgement guilt and shame and various other forms of self-punishment. And then we can even begin to judge ourselves for judging ourselves! It is so easy to get sucked into that swamp, and so here is another lesson along the way-- to let go or release all that I know as not being true. You don't need to know how you know, you do not even need to define what you know. You can simply know that you know, in that seemingly brief window of time, and yet once you have touched the truth of your heart, there is no way of forgetting or ignoring that Truth.
Another favorite quote of mine from Ram Dass, he says “After you have awakened (become aware of your Truth) you cannot go to sleep again. You can doze, but you will never again be in complete forgetfulness.
A little bit of a side trip here. Something that came to me a while ago--like many of you I become rather upset and befuddled when I fall into forgetfulness, when I get wrapped up in drama, anger or fear or judgment or another form of separation and I forget who I am and forget who you are as well. And sometimes those periods of forgetfulness will last for a while. And then when I wake up and recognize the truth again, how easy it is for me to fall into judgment about myself because of my lapse or because of my forgetfulness.
What I am learning along the way is when I wake up again, when I become aware again, when I become aware of the truth of who I am and who you are, to rejoice and to be grateful for being awake instead of being angry for falling asleep.
And then there is even a deeper revelation, and that is that I usually look at these periods of forgetfulness or sleep or unawareness as being an error in my on my part. Yet I wonder what it would it be like if I also looked upon those moments of forgetfulness as also being my teachers. That they were not errors, they were not mistakes, they were not something that was my fault or that was due to my my lack of spirituality. They were events created by my soul to learn the lesson of my truth even more deeply.
Years ago I came across this story and as the years have evolved it has taken on different meanings for me, but I would like to share it with you today and suggest that you don't try to think about it or figure it out. It is somewhat like a Zen koan that you open yourself to what it means to you and for you at this moment.
A sheep found a hole in the fence and crept through it. He wandered far and lost his way back.
Then he realized that he was being followed by a wolf. He ran and ran, but the wolf kept chasing him, until the shepherd came and rescued him and carried him lovingly back to the fold.
In spite of everyone's urging to the contrary, the shepherd refused to nail up the hole in the fence. Anthony de Mello
“Now, why is it you are not forgiving? Why does one not forgive? Because one is frightened of what will happen if one forgives. “I will be harmed again.” “I will be slandered.” “I will be judged.” “I will be persecuted.” “I will be used.” You have a long list, as everybody does, of reasons you must not forgive. But the ideal of forgiveness as we have expressed in previous teachings is to release the one that you hold hostage and bind yourself to. As you are willing to forgive, you may indeed be forgiven and the chapter that we would teach, on forgiveness perhaps, would come forward easily. We can only work with you as you allow yourself to be worked through. We cannot control you,
nor do we intend to. This book will be completed, we promise you this. But not before you forgive yourself and your fellows for what you believe they have done.”
The Paradox we discussed a few weeks ago is this the personality self cannot forgive for it is the one it has created the attachment in the first place, and the Divine self is already free and has no need for forgiveness.
So the image that comes to my mind is that of a loving adult and hurting child. The adult does not deny the hurt or the pain, does not pretend it's not there, does not belittle it in any way, but it also does not focus on the pain. The loving adult picks up the child, embraces him or her, surrounds the child and fills the child with love, so that in this loving space, this space of light and Truth, the child can begin to let go of its attachment to its pain, and by doing so allows itself to be healed.
One of our classmates shared this beautiful prayer/poem about forgiveness from A Course in Miracles: (it is sometimes referred to as the Course’s “Lord’s Prayer.”
“Forgive us our illusions, Father, and help us to accept our true relationship with You, in which there are no illusions, and where none can ever enter. Our holiness is Yours. What can there be in us that needs forgiveness when Yours is perfect? The sleep of forgetfulness is only the unwillingness to remember Your forgiveness and Your Love. Let us not wander into temptation, for the temptation of the Son of God is not Your Will. And let us receive only what You have given, and accept but this into the minds which You created and which You love. Amen.”
And I could not resist adding this excerpt from Lesson 122 from ACIM:
Forgiveness offers everything I want.
1. What could you want forgiveness cannot give? Do you want peace? Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that transcends the world? Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of sure protection always? Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep abiding comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset?
2. All this forgiveness offers you, and more. It sparkles on your eyes as you awake, and gives you joy with which to meet the day. It soothes your forehead while you sleep, and rests upon your eyelids so you see no dreams of fear and evil, malice and attack. And when you wake again, it offers you another day of happiness and peace. All this forgiveness offers you, and more.
3. Forgiveness lets the veil be lifted up that hides the face of Christ from those who look with unforgiving eyes upon the world. It lets you recognize the Son of God, and clears your memory of all dead thoughts so that remembrance of your Father can arise across the threshold of your mind. What would you want forgiveness cannot give? What gifts but these are worthy to be sought? What fancied value, trivial effect or transient promise, never to be kept, can hold more hope than what forgiveness brings?
4. Why would you seek an answer other than the answer that will answer everything? Here is the perfect answer, given to imperfect questions, meaningless requests, halfhearted willingness to hear, and less than halfway diligence and partial trust. Here is the answer! Seek for it no more. You will not find another one instead.
In Joy and Gratitude. Thank you for all your input, questions, and most of all you Love.
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