The Power of Forgiveness as Soul Expression
"To err is human to forgive divine"
Alexander Pope
Forgiveness is to act from soul alignment using the spiritual will to overcome our limited personality view of a situation. It is to use the discriminative mind to detach from the power of the emotional desire nature and lift into greater insight and understanding. To 'stand under' and realise a greater truth that ultimately sets us free of the emotional attachment associated with a grievance we hold against another.
Let us be clear about what forgiveness is. It is letting go our attachment and identification with a particular personality perspective. Forgiveness does not condone behaviour or allow it to go unchecked, unrepented, unacknowledged or address its cause. We are all responsible for our own choices and behaviours but not those of another. We know the Universal law of Cause and Effect will address any karmic consequences. This includes any reluctance to forgive. However when we forgive we open the door that enables the potential for true repentance, healing and redemption.
The Tibetan clarifies "as you know, the word "forgiveness" is a curious and unusual one and signifies (according to the best derivative sources) simply "to give for". Forgiveness is not therefore, a synonym for pardon though the word has been distorted in the theological circles to mean this… Forgiveness is sacrifice, and the giving up of one's self, even of one's very life, for the sake of others and for the good of the whole group. This spirit of sacrifice is ever found when the Shamballa force is rightly contacted, even in the smallest degree, and the underlying impulse behind the loving will of God is sensed and understood." The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Alice Bailey p165
He goes on to say that "Manifestation is itself the Great Forgiveness….. Such is the note and theme of the entire creative process and is the basic meaning of the phrase, "God is Love", for love signifies giving and sacrifice, at least in this solar system."
Forgiveness is love in action, or love applied wisely, wisdom applied lovingly and our soul aligned with the second ray of love wisdom, the ray colouring all life in our solar system and the keynote that defines our evolutionary process. Many will find the compassion and love to forgive another but they believe they bestow forgiveness upon another, as if to stand as judge and jury. True forgiveness is a surrender of our ego through a recognition of our brotherhood and therefore a return to love and unity consciousness. In truth forgiveness is a beautiful example of soul directed right action that ultimately sets us free.
I witnessed the courage this takes in a YouTube video of a mother who hugs her son's killer and his mother in a US court as she realises that revenge will not stop the needless violence and killing, only forgiveness will.
She recognised this young man and his family were suffering and that only forgiveness would enable redemption in all their lives. This was her great sacrifice. 'to give for' and a recognition that we are all connected.
We honour the amazing work of Sir Desmond Tutu and others in healing the grievances caused by Apartheid through the Reconciliation tribunals in South Africa. We beheld the powerful ripples of change that freed a nation and was only possible when Nelson Mandela through inner reflective and meditative work was able to forgive his captors after 17 years in prison.
In forgiving we witness the situation as a soul with understanding from a higher viewpoint enabling great healing as we surrender our personality perspective and lift into our buddhic nature. We often see our part in a situation and perhaps understand with compassion why another made the choices they did.
Forgiveness is a choice crucial to the integration and coordination of the personality vehicle to enable greater soul expression. As we let go kernels of resentment, anger, guilt, and shame we release the associated trapped energies from the Manipura solar plexus chakra and transmute this energy to higher centres. We unlock courage, compassion and the expression of unconditional love from the Anahata heart chakra and express these as truth emanating from the Vissudhi throat centre. We open to the intuitive, Arjna centre understanding of the situation that reveals a higher soul perspective. We see another made the choices they did because they were suffering. We see our part in it and realise we can end the endless cycle of suffering in a moment of choice to forgive.
We are reminded: "All disease is the result of inhibited soul life, and that is true of all forms in all kingdoms". Esoteric Healing Volume IV p4 by Alice Bailey.
If unreleased the trapped energies of resentment and anger will eventually cause dis-ease. For example; depression can be caused by unexpressed anger lodged in the Manipura chakra depleting the flow of subtle life force energy in the body.
When we hold a grievance it colours our perception of the world; we see through the eyes of intolerance. Grievance, anger and resentment are all expressions of fear that come from past experiences held in our unconscious mind. Often we hold a grievance or memory believing this will ensure we don't re-experience the emotional pain again. Holding on to the low vibratory energy of fear causes us great suffering and prevents our natural growth and evolution on our spiritual path.
Furthermore the universal axiom 'energy follows thought' will simply attract further lessons to encourage us to let go these fears, forgive and return to love. Forgiveness is to shine the light of consciousness on the unredeemed aspects of our unconscious mind.
From a Course in Miracles we know that Love is connection and unity with all, fear is simply a feeling of isolation and disconnection, an absence of love. We understand that love and fear cannot coexist in any given moment so when we forgive we release fear and return to love and unity consciousness.
Forgiveness becomes an expression of unconditional love that ultimately heals and sets us free.
We no longer stand in judgement of another with our limited personality perception and incomplete understanding based on this one lifetime. Instead we trust our soul's higher wisdom and take responsibility for our right words, thoughts and deeds and relinquish responsibility for those of another.
Desmond Tutu said "to forgive is not just to be altruistic. It is the best form of self-interest. It is also a process that does not exclude hatred and anger. These emotions are all part of being human. You should never hate yourself for hating others that do terrible things: the depth of your love is shown by the extent of your anger"
" However, when I talk of forgiveness I mean the belief that you can come out the other side a better person. A better person than the one being consumed by anger and hatred. Remaining in that state locks you in a state of victimhood, making you almost dependent on the perpetrator".
So how does forgiveness relate to our work in triangles?
We know esoterically we are unified in consciousness. When we surrender and forgive this raises our consciousness and therefore the collective consciousness. We express divine love in action, open our altruistic heart centre and allow the healing power of love to flow through us.
Every triangle is a daily act of will that comes from a love of humanity and an aspiration to altruistic love or service. This is "to give for" an act of sacrifice and invites the healing power of love or Christ consciousness to flow through our triangle.
Christ is found at the centre of every triangle. During his earthly life he sought to expand our understanding of forgiveness as an expression of our divinity.
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" Luke 23:34
In triangles we connect daily to invite this purifying, healing energy into our energy field to integrate and uplift our personality building a rainbow bridge for greater soul expression. Through our triangle and the triangles network we invoke divine love, light and the will to good into the hearts and minds of humanity thus building the antakarana or rainbow bridge between the three centres of the great triangle of our planet; Shamballa where the will of god is known (the head centre), Hierarchy (the heart centre of divine love) and humanity (the throat centre).
In forgiving we open our heart to divine love, and invoke our will to come to understand or stand under a greater truth about a situation. The essence of the throat centre is to express or communicate truth, also to open to hear truth. Forgiveness is this divine love channelled through hierarchy and the divine will of shamballa expressing as active intelligence on the physical plane through us. Every act of forgiveness strengthens the great triangle of our planet.
When we forgive we surrender allowing 'my will be thy will' as an expression of good will or love in action and the basis for the establishment of right relations on our planet. It is the key to unlocking the power of the fourth ray of harmony through conflict and its power to redeem and lift human consciousness.
A powerful example occurred during the Middle East peace experiment initiated by Lynne McTaggart. In November 2017 people united online all over the world with the intention to send loving peaceful energy to a one day peace event involving hundreds of Israeli Jews gathered in Jerusalem. Nine cameras placed in major Arab cities were beamed into the event. Barriers were broken and profound emotional scenes of forgiveness resulted as Jews and Arabs realised their common humanity.
Recently I read two books by psychiatrist and holocaust Auschwitch survivor Edith Eger, 'The Choice' and 'The Gift' in which Edith tells a poignant story of her fifty year journey of forgiveness, including forgiving herself for surviving.
She said "all of the survivors I met had one thing in common, we had no control over the most consuming facts of our lives, but we had the power to determine how we experienced life after trauma. Survivors could continue being victims long after the oppression has ended, or they could learn to thrive. Forgiveness was the key to the choice to be free".
So how do we forgive?
To forgive no other needs to be present or involved as this is a process of self-realisation. Be aware the healing runs backward and forward through our ancestral timeline and prevents the grievance and karma embroiling families for generations.
In letting go a grievance there will be emotional pain, but nothing compared to the years of suffering in holding that resentment. Transformative light and love will flood your whole being and you will feel a burden lift.
I recommend several books on the spiritual practice of forgiving including 'The Gift of Forgiveness by Olivier Clerc based on the ancient Toltec spiritual understanding of the teachings of Don Miguel Ruiz.
The Hawaiian shamanic Ho'oponopono ritual for Self Forgiveness is particularly effective and powerful. For a truly comprehensive understanding of forgiveness, Sir Desmond and Mpho Tutu's; 'The Book of Forgiving'
All involve redemption through understanding and working in the stillness of a meditative state in touch with the Higher Self. We seek forgiveness from others, as we closed our heart to love and life. The healing flow of love allows the relinquishment of our position of superiority, self-righteousness and judgement. We forgive those we held responsible and reconnect to love and unity consciousness.
Most importantly we forgive our self and resign the judgemental aspect of our lower mind while reconnecting to the loving aspect of our divine nature. As we express gratitude for our growth and understanding and return to love we allow the light of the Christ consciousness to shine brightly through us out into the world so that we in turn may help others to forgive.
To conclude Forgiveness takes great courage and spiritual will. It is a divine act of unconditional love that recognises our connection to all and is the very real practical application of all we know from Ancient wisdom teachings. It is to 'Be love'.
Namaste
There are many books/videos on forgiveness but here are a few I would recommend:
A Course in Miracles - Experiential application of Christ consciousness
The Gift of Forgiveness by Olivier Clerc - Toltec Spiritual Understanding by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Choice and The Gift by Edith Eger - Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist
The Book of Forgiving by Desmond and Mpho Tutu
Ho'oponopono: The ancient Hawaiian practice of gratitude and forgiveness by Carole Berger
Mom comes face to face with her son's killer in court YouTube
Lynne McTaggarts The Middle East Peace Intention Experiment 2017 Live