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Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Where Do I Begin?
'ask dorothy'
The WISDOM podcast Season 2 Episode 57
Your answers are waiting for you.
💜
Where Do I Begin?
This is a natural response to the idea of beginning therapy for those who have never had the experience.
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Where you begin is with: self-honesty and the willingness to see yourself accurately as you are.
Sometimes in my work with clients this becomes a focus over several sessions when someone has been living a life that is skewed - a reality that has allowed them to continue in unhealthy and dishonest habits and certainly unhealthy relationships.
Be willing to look at your dark side - the parts of you that keep you from living as your best self.
Moments when you are inauthentic, dishonest, unkind, hurtful to yourself or others - and to what ongoing narratives keep you feeling stuck, sad, lonely, afraid and anxious and ultimately suffering.
Where do you begin?
Begin with something that you want to effectively change - to make better, to overcome.
Begin with addressing a part of yourself that is causing your suffering - a part of the past that is yet unresolved - or a current state of being in which you feel hurt, sad, unwanted, unloved.
Therapy is to give you the right tools so that you can live a happier existence - to live wholly honest and truthful and to guide your life in a way that feels most meaningful, complete, full and rewarding.
Sending you great 💜 love...
Namaste 💗
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A generous 'thank you' to Audio Engineer, P. Kirpikau radioplato
Podcast Theme Music: 'Aura' from the Album, Illuvia by Eternellwww.eternell.net/album/illuvia
Accompanying Music: Eternell: Album - Autumn Sky 'Elevation' & Album - Weightless 'High Clouds'
Sunday Feb 02, 2020
Sunday Feb 02, 2020
The Five Best '5-Minute' Mindfulness and Meditation Life Hacks
The WISDOM podcast Season 1 Episode 15
with Dorothy Ratusny
TIMESTAMPS:
Podcast Intro: 0-2:10 | The Science of Meditation and Mindfulness: 2:11 | Meditation is... 4:52 | Meditation is... not: 5:22 | One Benefit of Meditation: 6:21 | The Satipatthana Sutta... 9:22 | The 1st Best Life Hack for Your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice: 11:56 | The Science and Rationale for Life Hack #1: 13:35 | My Client Laura's 5-Minute 'door closed' Mindfulness Break: 14:32 | Your 5-Minute sessions of Mindfulness and Meditation will Bring You Calm: 15:31 | The 2nd Best Life Hack for Your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice: 17:13 | The Science and Rationale for Life Hack #2: 17:55 | The 3rd Best Life Hack for Your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice: 18:56 | The Science and Rationale for Life Hack #3: 20:44 | The 4th Best Life Hack for Your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice: 21:30 | The Science and Rationale for Life Hack #4: 23:25 | The 5th Best Life Hack for Your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice: 24:28 | The Science and Rationale for Life Hack #5: 25:02 | Meditation and Mindfulness Resources (my gifts to you): 26:27 | Next Week's Episode Sneak Preview! 27:58 | Podcast Outro: 29:35
The science of Meditation and Mindfulness reveal how effective a short 5-minute practice can be for controlling anxiety and reducing one’s perception of what is stressful, for feeling relief and comfort, for reclaiming presence, for focusing the mind and lengthening attention span, for positive emotional health and enhanced self-awareness; and for gaining a different or more accurate perspective. Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons why people practice meditation and mindfulness.
TRUTH SERUM: Mindfulness allows you to appreciate life for its singular moments and for the act of being in the present. Meditation is the act of focusing your attention - your awareness - onto a single object (or a process such as your breathing) in this moment as both an experience and a process of being mindful. These two practices are interchangeable; and they become a new way of experiencing life as you live it - in each moment.
A-HA MOMENTS: Every moment is precious. What is most important is what you choose because this is reflected in how you feel and what you do. The real purpose of mindfulness and meditation is to have a practice and a way of life - in which you experience the present moment - fully.
PRACTICAL WISDOM: Meditation may be formal or informal. Informal meditation is mindfulness. There are different practices of formal meditation based on different philosophies and customary rituals; the common element of which is sitting or lying in a comfortable posture while attending to one's awareness; and to focus the mind typically onto a single point or object; returning the mind to this point each time that it may wander. Meditation becomes a practice of observing the present moment and training the mind to focus where you choose to place attention.
Especially if you are new to these practices or if you are wishing to develop a habit of mindfulness and meditation as a regular part of your life; these 5-minute life hacks will enrich your present moment experiences, offer insight, enhanced awareness - and build the habit of holding presence - in each moment that you choose this.
Every moment is precious. What is most important is what you choose because this is reflected in how you feel and what you do. The real purpose of mindfulness and meditation is to have a practice and a way of life - in which you experience the present moment - fully. Remember that each conscious breath that you attend to fully - is a mindful moment. Mindfulness allows for a greater appreciation of 'what is'; of awareness and attention to life's abundance and simple pleasures; to being discerning of aspects of yourself such as your breath, your mood state, and the thoughts that you hold; your posture and other self care practices that nourish the self.
Further, when you experience several mindful moments linked together; for example, your attention focused on an object of your choosing (a candle flame, a cloud formation in the sky, gently moving) or an experience of conscious breathing – these become a source of brief meditation – “The conscious deliberate act of holding attention onto a particular point of focus.” When you notice when your mind wanders from where you have placed your focus and as you are able to return your attention at will, this 5-minute mindfulness practice becomes an example of formal, artful meditation.
Meditation is not the absolute holding of attention without disruption but rather the practice of focused attention and awareness by choice. You choose a point of deliberate focus in which to hold attention onto, but you also recognize that your mind will move from this focus. This is the habit of the mind; to attend to new thoughts and to be distracted onto thinking of the past and future. Your awareness of this becomes your cue for resuming your focus; for placing your attention onto something new. The idea of meditation is that you direct your mind deliberately where you wish to hold attention and to simply observe what you notice in doing so.
One benefit of meditation is to develop the practice of focusing your mind; to improve your ability to hold attention where you have chosen and for as long as you choose. Meditation reminds you that you choose what you think about and how you direct your mind to think. This is also from where we explore the idea of being rather than doing.
Mindfulness allows you to appreciate life for its singular moments and for the act of being in the present. Meditation is the act of focusing your attention - your awareness - onto a single object (or a process such as your breathing) in this moment as both an experience and a process of being mindful. These two practices are interchangeable; and they become a new way of experiencing life as you live it - in each moment.
Two questions that you may wish to ask yourself to assist in your experience of both mindfulness and meditation: Am I being mindful? and What can I choose to meditate upon? When you ask these questions of yourself daily, it will make the difference between living far more of your life, aware and awake.
Just before we dive in to this list, I'd like to reiterate what mindfulness and meditation is. Mindfulness is: present moment awareness. It is bringing an attitude of curiosity and observation to what you notice. Mindfulness is what allows you to experience the present moment, and to live each moment fully in the experience of it; as it is - and not preoccupied or distracted by the thoughts in your mind. This allows you to enjoy life even more. The benefit to living more of your life with mindfulness and present moment awareness is a richer experience; presence in observing what 'is' - being an active participant in your life, and being privy and aware of more because you are fully attentive.
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In the Satipatthana Sutta which is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism, acting as the foundation for contemporary vipassana meditational practice, the Buddha's use of the word sati means 'attention' in exactly the way that a modern cognitive therapist would describe the word. Sati is the conscious perception and evaluation of something; such as discriminating right from wrong. In the Sutta, sati is linked to the word atapi which means 'strong intention'; and which implies purpose and goal-directed behaviour. So when we think about modern day mindfulness, and if we want to consider its true roots and meaning; mindfulness is the ability to hold attention purposefully, to help us make right decisions and to be attentive and aware in our lives.
Meditation may be formal or informal. Informal meditation is mindfulness. There are different practices of formal meditation based on different philosophies and customary rituals; the common element of which is sitting or lying in a comfortable posture while attending to one's awareness; and to focus the mind typically onto a single point or object; returning the mind to this point each time that it may wander. Meditation becomes a practice of observing the present moment and training the mind to focus where you choose to place attention.
As we go through this list, perhaps it will inspire for you the simplicity of these practices and for how each offers much in revealing how life can be a series of moments; many of which are sacred and special because of your awareness of them.
Let’s look at the list:
Here Are The Five Best Life Hacks for Having a 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation Practice.
1. The 1st Best life hack is to create space in your day for 5 minutes of Mindfulness and Meditation and commit yourself to this.
When does it feel most helpful to take some deep conscious breaths or to close your eyes for 5 minutes and practice formal meditation? When would you most benefit from a mindful presence - of being deliberately attentive to what you notice and are aware of. When would be the best time for meditation - in which you sit or lie comfortably for 5 minutes or longer holding awareness and attention onto a point of focus; or being guided through a meditation practice?
At first you may wish to set reminders in your phone that guide and direct you to this. When your alarm indicates it is time for a 5-minute practice perhaps this will be something that you look forward to as a healthy reprieve and a means of bringing your focus into the present.
Here is the science and the strategy for this life hack: Making mindfulness and meditation a habit happens when you deliberately build it into your daily routine. It's most helpful if you can schedule: (1) the optimal time(s) of day for these practices and (2) Your 5 minutes of mindfulness and meditation act as helpful impromptu strategies often when you need it most - to decompress, to feel calm and centred in your body in the present, or to relieve an unpleasant feeling or mood state; and to improve cognitive focus. Just remember that all you need is 5 minutes and without expectations. Rather, allow yourself to take in the full experience and whatever it offers you.
One of my clients - a busy family lawyer - closes her office door at the same time each day. At first, Laura hung a sign on her door to let her associates and support staff know that she was meditating. After a time, her colleagues came to expect that her door would be closed at 3 pm each day. Laura began to receive positive feedback, as others noticed that she was calmer and seemed happier after her daily meditation session each afternoon. Laura noticed that her focus was better when she resumed her work after brief sessions of mindfulness meditation (Current research also supports this). And it wasn’t long before her 5-minute practice became a 15-minute ritual that was her self-ascribed daily dose of calm and perspective that she has found most enjoyable.
Your 5-minute (and sometimes longer) sessions of mindfulness and meditation will bring you calm and relief. It will help re-frame you perspective - especially if you live a busy and often 'stress-filled' life. If you want to experience the greatest benefits of mindfulness and meditation, commit to a 5-minute regular practice that you carve out time for each day. Set a daily reminder in your phone so that you can pause whatever you are doing for this practice. Like Laura, who managed on most days to commit to her 3 pm alarm when it sounded - it became something she looked forward to and it did wonders for her mental and emotional well-being.
Scheduling a 5-minute practice at different times throughout your day offers you a simple reprieve; a chance to focus inward; and to take in your surroundings with greater awareness. There is nothing that you need to do further. Mindfulness and meditation are not tasks that you can accomplish, but rather they are ways of being; of having awareness and presence of living fully of this moment.
Your 5-minute meditation and mindfulness practice becomes a regular part of each day (and your life) when you make the commitment to yourself for this.
2. The 2nd Best 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation life hack is this: When you feel anxious, stop and breathe. See if you can pull yourself out of whatever you are doing for 5 minutes and be attentive to your breath, to soothing yourself with your breathing. This becomes a habit more easily as you remind yourself that a 5-minute mindfulness or informal meditation practice is a way to reset; to gain perspective; and to have a reprieve from what thoughts were the source of your stress.
The science and rationale behind this strategy is this: In your 5-minute practice of mindfulness or meditation, the idea is to be aware and attentive in this moment. The purpose of meditation and mindfulness is not to halt your thoughts or keep your mind strictly focused. Rather, it's about holding presence to your experience. Holding attention unto your breath is quite likely the simplest way to bring your attention fully into the present moment; as you breathe holding your focus onto your breath and observe what sensations you witness as you experience yourself breathing. It will serve you well to have more than one 5-minute mindfulness break each day; and to stop for a moment and be mindful whenever you feel overwhelmed or any other challenging emotion.
3. A 3rd Best life hack for developing a regular 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation practice is to choose an activity that you do regularly; such as eating, exercise, walking, taking public transportation or as you commute to work - and practice mindfulness of this specific activity for 5 minutes each day for a week. In fact, if you wanted to ensure that your mindfulness practice becomes a life long habit, you can continue in the practice of mindfulness of a particular activity and to observe what is noticed for a minimum of 2 months (actually 66 days to be exact) because that is what the research has suggested that this is the amount of time that is needed to develop a longstanding habit. Practising mindfulness of the everyday experiences and activities of life will help you to apply this practice as a way of being.
You may choose a different activity each day to be mindful of, in order to contemplate what it means to have greater awareness. Notice how your mindfulness practice of this activity makes it richer, more intensely beautiful, and how you may feel as you are fully engaged in what you are doing, thinking, and experiencing. For example, if you bring awareness - mindfulness - to your workout at the gym, are you more deliberate and focused in what you are doing? Do you notice your muscles working and how this feels? Are you less distracted in those 5 minutes of mindfulness?
The science and rationale of this strategy: Your present moment awareness of an activity allows you to notice and learn more; it means that you are more attentive to yourself and your surroundings which allows for heightened feedback about this experience. Notice how your mindfulness practice of an activity allows for a more enjoyable experience of it; and with purposeful results. You may find yourself choosing to be mindful in more ways throughout your day. Notice as you do so what happens.
4. A 4th Best life hack for your 5-Minute Mindfulness and Meditation practice is to train yourself to live mindfully by asking questions that will raise your consciousness. Ask yourself the questions: "What do I need in this moment?" and "What would allow me to feel happiness now?" and then just pause, sitting in the space of silence as your answers come from within you, rising up to the surface to meet your question. Your answers lend to a mindfulness practice that directs your attention inward; to assess your needs and allow you to make informed choices in the moment so that you may best provide yourself with what you need. You may feel depleted in your inner resources if you are always giving to others; but also if you focus on productivity and achievement at the expense of replenishing your self. Practice asking questions to become mindful and to formally meditate upon, as a way of introducing calm and relaxation, self-care and greater well-being. Discover what simple and often nourishing solutions you can give yourself because of your mindful awareness and in being reflective upon what is needed. I’ll leave a link here to a pdf that you can download for a set of questions that you can post where you can remind yourself of how specific questions can stir your awareness and open you to being awake and aware and in the present moment.
The science and rationale behind this strategy: When you ask yourself: "What do I need in this moment?" or "What would allow me to feel happiness now?" These questions unto themselves become the focus for your formal 5-minute meditation. This will allow answers to surface that come from a deeper source within you and which reveal what is right and best for you in this moment. The asking of your highest self can become a practice that you engage in often - particularly when you wish to solve a problem, for changing how you feel, for feeling comfort and support, and nourishing your being.
5. Finally, a 5th Best way to Enjoy Your 5-Minute daily practice of Mindfulness and Meditation is to listen to a mindfulness led practice or guided formal meditation. Whether you are new to mindfulness and meditation or an experienced guru, listening to others guide you in your practice will be helpful to engage your attention; as you focus on their words and instructions and as it is a helpful way to learn new ideas for your practice.
The science and rationale behind this strategy: Allowing yourself to be guided through a 5-minute (or longer) meditation or mindfulness practice keeps things new and creative; it also gives you more experience; and you will always be learning more.
Many of the meditation apps offer free trial memberships, and unlocked free content. Purchasing a subscription is a great way to take advantage of all of the content that they offer. Having guidance in your practice helps you to feel encouraged in what you are learning and it is helpful to be exposed to different kinds of meditations and mindfulness practices which grow your confidence and ability. Some of the most popular meditation and mindfulness apps are: Insight Timer, Aura, Calm, and Headspace; and of course there is an unlimited library of meditation and mindfulness practices free on YouTube. You may also find free mindfulness and meditation content on my website by visiting the Wisdom Archives.
Your ‘gifted’ and most special.... Meditation and Mindfulness Resources:
Why Taking A Deep Breath Feels Good: The Self-Healing Benefits of Deep Breathing
In the Present Moment ...is Your Most Beautiful Life
Sharing the wisdom and beauty of divine love with you...
Namaste!
Podcast Theme Music: 'Aura' from the Album, Illuvia by Eternell www.eternell.net/album/illuvia
Accompanying Music: Eternell, 'Isla Nocturna' 'Shrine (30min)' and 'Exaltation' from the Album - "Illuvia"
A generous 'thank you' to Audio Engineer, Pavel Kirpikau for your incredible help!
Sunday Dec 15, 2019
Sunday Dec 15, 2019
The 7 Pillars of Forgiveness & The Art of Forgiveness
The WISDOM podcast | Season 1 Episode 12
with Dorothy Zennuriye Juno
TIMESTAMPS:
Podcast Intro: 0-2:09 | How Forgiveness is Possible: 2:13 | Two Questions to Contemplate: 4:26 | The First Sacred Step to Forgiving: 5:49 | How you Know Forgiveness Has Been Completed: 11:06 | How to Use A Mantra to Be Free from the Past 13:32 | Why We Need to Forgive: 14:12 | The First Pillar: Let Go of Your Expectations Of What Others "Should be": 15:52 | The Second Pillar: Practice Compassion: 18:36 | The Third Pillar: Uphold Loving Kindness: 21:01 | The Fourth Pillar: Be Responsible for Your Happiness: 22:15 | The Fifth Pillar of Forgiveness: Practice Holding Gratitude: 24:19 | The Sixth Pillar of Forgiveness: Remind Yourself of What Is True: 26:53 | The Seventh Pillar of Forgiveness: Speak Your Truth: 29:20 | One of the Most Helpful Life Rules for Forgiveness 32:11 | The Episode 'Afterward': 33:10 | Your Free Downloadable Offering for This Episode: 38:51 | Podcast Outro: 40:32
Forgiveness is possible as you love yourself and others, unconditionally. When you choose to forgive another or yourself, it is because you wish to let go of suffering; to free yourself to live in the present; and to dream of the future because you have completed the work of 'for' 'giving', for releasing your attachment to the past. The past was never in your control. If you are forgiving another, it is so that you can have a relationship with them in the present if you so choose. In this episode, we discuss what it means to forgive; how you know that you have forgiven completely; and how you can do this so that you are no longer carrying the weight of the past with you.
TRUTH SERUM: A new way of thinking about forgiveness that transcends all world religions and is the most direct path to inner peace: Forgiveness comes from Love. To forgive, first decide to accept; to make peace with whatever has happened by acknowledging that the past is unchangeable. Then you can begin to hold compassion and love towards the person (and yourself) in the present. Your love directed towards another or unto yourself is the most powerful tool for forgiveness.
A-HA MOMENTS: Forgiveness is: (Hint: break it into two words) 'for' 'giving' yourself the freedom to let go of the past and whatever has happened including what you or others have done that is not a true portrayal of who you are. Forgiveness is 'for' 'giving' acceptance to what has already happened; and what you have no power to change, only the power to live from the present moment.
PRACTICAL WISDOM: You will know when forgiveness has been completed because you will be able to think about the other person, yourself, or the situation and no longer feel the hurt, anger, (or self-loathing) that was once present. You will instead feel an ease and lightness in your heart centre, and you will be able to identify the feeling of unconditional love and acceptance that comes about from making peace with what 'is'. "It is your actions and mindset of the present, that allow you to make peace with your past."
What do you need to forgive? (What actions, words, or thoughts?)
Who do you need to forgive? (Including yourself.)
If you want to forgive, its likely because you want to free yourself from a situation in which you are harboring feelings of hurt, anger, or another form of suffering.
Forgiveness is (Hint: break it into two words) 'for' 'giving' yourself the freedom to let go of the past and whatever has happened including what you or others have done that is not a true portrayal of who you are.
Forgiveness is 'for' 'giving' acceptance to what has already happened; and what you have no power to change, only the power to live from the present moment.
Are you ready to experience the release of your hurt and suffering?
Have you been telling yourself that you have forgiven another (or yourself) because you very much want to, but in thinking about past situations, do you still feel all of these same hurts, sadness, or anger.
Do you know that you can forgive completely?
So let's begin with a new way of thinking about forgiveness that transcends all world religions and is the most direct path to inner peace.
Forgiveness Comes From Love
"Love for another, or yourself needs to come first; in place of what hurt, anger, blame, and suffering you have been holding onto. When you choose to forgive, it requires your willingness to make peace with what has happened. If you hold onto hurts and situations in which you have been wronged, it will seem impossible to forgive a person or their actions, or both. To forgive, first decide to accept; to make peace with whatever has happened by acknowledging that the past is unchangeable. Then you can begin to hold compassion and love towards the person (and yourself) in the present. Your love directed towards another or unto yourself is the most powerful tool for forgiveness." ~ Dorothy Zennuriye Juno
Forgiveness is 'giving up' the suffering that exists when you hold onto past situations and experiences and whatever is not in the present moment.
Choose forgiveness above anything else.
Let your desire for feeling peace, and for accepting what already is, be what gives you objective and the ability to be 'here and now'; your life is no longer lived in the re-experiencing of past hurts and wounds.
Forgiveness allows for the release of what causes you to suffer. This includes any of the self-inflicted hurt that you have been carrying, because of your decision (whether consciously or unconsciously) to continue re-living the unpleasant thoughts and feelings of that situation as you maintain blame directed towards another (or yourself).
It is unlikely that the other person is even aware of the extent of damage or hurt that they have caused. It is not up to another person to make you feel better.
Even with an heartfelt apology, you can still harbour negativity and hurt feelings. So it becomes a decision; your decision to release the past through acceptance and the willingness to live life in the present and to do what is going to be most helpful for you to feel happiness and whole.
Consider if you have been unable to forgive what has happened; such as a car accident, or an injury or illness, and you continue to point blame or fault for the situation.
This will inhibit your ability to physically, emotionally, and mentally heal; to recover fully; and to feel at peace.
Remember that your power lies in your ability to live of the present moment; to act and react based on your present moment experiences including what you will remind yourself of that is not within your control, nor ability to change.
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"It is your actions and mindset of the present, that allow you to make peace with your past."
Forgiveness may take months, or even years to complete; based on the depth of your hurt and how long you have carried this suffering, giving it your (unwanted) attention and energy.
Think of it as similar to layers that you shed, each layer is what you have constructed to armor you; to protect you from feeling hurt or angry even though these layers have not been needed.
Instead, you have simply needed to refrain from holding onto and reliving what is past.
You will know when forgiveness has been completed because you will be able to think about the other person, yourself, or the situation and no longer feel the hurt, anger, (or self-loathing) that was once present.
You will instead feel an ease and lightness in your heart center, and you will be able to identify the feeling of unconditional love and acceptance that comes about from making peace with what 'is'.
Complete forgiveness is.... the release of your suffering and blame, in place of holding peace; and for 'for' 'giving' thanks for your ability to do so.
Check out this video on Complete Forgiveness:
Here's why you need to forgive:
When you feel consumed by hurt, sadness, anger, or any other difficult emotion whenever you think about a situation, an exchange of words, the absence (or presence) of an action, or any other condition that did not meet your expectations, you suffer. Each time you think about the situation or the other person, you relive the same feelings - usually as intense as they were originally. Your belief that you have been wronged and that you are justified for feeling the way you do keeps you in a cycle of suffering.
You choose forgiveness because you no longer wish to relive the past.
You recognize that it is far better for you to feel at peace with a situation, yourself, or another, rather than continue to harbour damaging and unresolved feelings, because these feelings left unhealed continue to cause discomfort.
The 7 Pillars of Forgiveness describe the steps that lead you from what you feel now, into peace, acceptance and a new reality of truth that is comforting.
Each pillar is also a best practice that makes it easier for you to walk through life without forming hurts and for holding grudges.
One of the most helpful 'life rules' that you could ever live by is to accept others as they are; and without needing them to uphold your standards.
You may be attentive, and to assess what you observe in others, and yet it is helpful to do so without criticism or judgment.
You can always offer your help and guidance to another in a desire to help them improve their situation, together with healthy boundaries that reflect your understanding that it is always up to another how they will choose to be.
This is one of the most effective life practices for having healthy, loving relationships.
Afterward:
Whenever you observe others with kindness and curiosity, you learn more about who they are.
This is an effective life practice that allows us to be observers and to learn rather than critique and judge others based on their differences.
Continue to remind yourself of what you are being shown and what you are learning through your desire for forgiveness and for alleviating suffering.
If you can look at what "has happened to you" as an opportunity for learning something new about yourself and another, you are more likely to find relief in trusting the wisdom of life to reveal precisely what you need to understand and know in order to further your personal growth.
Much of the inner work of forgiveness is inspired by a deeper (and instinctual desire) that we all have for feeling inner peace, for improving connection and closeness in our relationships, for no longer relying on others for feeling happy and having self-worth, and for ultimately becoming more.
This is also known as individuation; the ability to be independent in relying on and providing for your needs, and to feel integral happiness and love for yourself.
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"To forgive allows you to heal yourself of the past; to let go of whatever hurt, anger, and sadness you may have been holding onto, that has been causing you to suffer." ~ Dorothy Zennuriye Juno
Most of all forgiveness allows you to experience the process of deliberate co-creation.
When you seek out healing from a past situation with forgiveness, you are allowing the natural rhythm of life and the need for maintaining presence in this moment.
When you allow for what 'is' in the present moment, you can experience others and yourself as you are, rather than continuing to relive situations of the past.
This allows you to make decisions based on what is important now; and for what you are in full control of.
When you judge others or yourself based on a situation of the past, you are not truly in control of 'now'.
Let go of the impulse to judge based on a situation or a time of the past, in which you have no control, and which is not an accurate portrayal of who the person (or your self) is in that moment.
Remind yourself of the need to live of the present moment; to view and make decisions based on what is important now.
This will also help you to release grudges or hurts; to accept what you have no control over and cannot change.
I believe this is a forward thinking concept which changes the way in which we think about our experiences and one that I hope you will find of much help.
Here is where mindfulness and conscious awareness become your helpful allies.
When you allow yourself to exist in the present moment; as you witness situations, others, and yourself without needing to place any labels or judgment on what you experience, you are more easily able to approach all situations in life from a neutral position.
When you hold grudges, resentment, and hurt, you are holding others responsible and as the cause for how you feel.
I hope that this episode offers much practical and spiritual wisdom for living the 7 pillars, for practicing complete forgiveness so that you may feel at peace in your life.
Please remember that forgiveness of many past hurts, and trauma occurs in stages, and as you seek to release in acceptance of all of what is in the past.
What follows are a few resources to offer additional wisdom and to open you to allow complete forgiveness into your heart.
And remember, forgiveness is 'for' 'giving' to yourself ~ for releasing your suffering first and foremost.
Episode Resources:
How To Curate Innate Happiness
Forgiveness... Begins with Your Heart Wide Open
Sharing the wisdom and beauty of divine love with you...
Namaste!
Podcast Theme Music: 'Aura' from the Album, Illuvia by Eternell www.eternell.net/album/illuvia
Accompanying Music: Eternell, 'Home' from the Album - "Self"
A generous 'thank you' to Audio Engineer, Pavel Kirpikau for your incredible help!