Tara Brach, a clinical psychologist and meditation teacher, leads this guided meditation on a forgiving heart. Forgiving, here, is the act of the heart that frees it from aversive blame and hatred.
In this guided meditation, we are invited to tune into the heart space, becoming more deeply aware of its present state. As we move into this area of the body, we are called to explore forgiveness, offering the heart a chance to let go of any anger, blame, or resentment that does not serve us.
What is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is not the same as condoning hurtful behaviour or excusing others for their actions. Forgiveness is simply a movement towards releasing the heart of knots that challenging past experiences may have left behind. It is less about freeing another person from their actions and more about freeing ourselves. This guided meditation simply invites us into a gentle opening of the heart as we explore where it is possible for us to forgive ourselves and others.
How to Move Towards Forgiveness
It is not always easy to grant forgiveness; sometimes it takes time. With that said, we can move towards granting forgiveness to either ourselves or to another by practicing loving kindness and self-compassion meditations. We can also practice exploring our emotions, beginning to heighten our awareness of the various feelings and sensations that move through us. As we do this, we develop a new relationship to some of life’s most challenging experiences, including anger and sorrow.
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