Forgiveness on Yom Kipur (atonement day)
Tomorrow, September 19th, 2018 is The Atonement day in the Jewish calendar. Many people will commemorate this sacred day by fasting, praying and self-reflecting. One of the main pillars of this day is the decree from God upon every man, woman, and child, to forgive anyone who has hurt them during the preceding year.
Credit: wmscogs
The notion of forgiveness has been widely discussed over the ages. Here I would like to raise a fundamental question and I welcome each and every one of you – Jewish or not – to contemplate it during this coming day. My question to you is comprised of two parts:
Who has been hurt?
Really?
Who has been hurt?
This goes directly to the question – who are you. Are you the little human that is constantly swept by drama, influenced by other people's actions, experiences emotional ebbs and flows? Or, are you the indestructible consciousness that is confident in its eternal existence, peaceful with whatever experience that comes upon it. For when you really know yourself you also know that you have a part in the creation of any event that happened to you. Hence, no one could hurt you without your consent; no one could take something from you. Therefore, no one can hurt the real you.
Really?
What your limited mind and heart grasp as hurt is only the way your magnificent Self shakes you out from limitations that were bestowed upon you since you were born and much before that. For why would you want to change something if all was all right in your life? Why would you want to break free from the chains of your mind if everything worked perfectly for you?
When you understand that no real self has ever been hurt, that no real part of You has ever been damaged and that no damage has ever occurred, you also realize that there is no one to forgive and nothing to forgive about. For those who still ask for your forgiveness, you can grant it, knowing that like you, they will one day wake up. For those who demand that you ask their forgiveness you better do it, for they are still prisoners of the illusion.
Forgiveness is so powerful . it requires compassion which essentially stems from understanding that we are all the same full stop and therefore we can empathize with each other's experiences full stop and I think you're right it involves considering what exactly has been done to you and whether it is only your thoughts that is making whatever it is unforgivable. We should all have a version of Yom Kippur... in every day of our lives.
Forgiveness is a very profound aspect in the journey of life and freedom. We have to live it everyday of our lives. No body on this earth does not get hurt or hurt some one at some point. Such a day "Yom Kipur" is a very fundamental one in making people reminded of what they ought to keep doing "forgiving others who have hurt them."
God through the bible instructs us to forgive others as he through Jesus Christ forgave us. Unforgiveness is such a huge burden that no human can manage to carry because its such a heavy one that robs the victim of peace and freedom.
Indeed.
And you know, the most difficult for a human is to forgive themselves. To allow this forgiveness from god (using your terms).
I don't think I've quite grasped this, I can think it, and say to my self that i forgive my self, but there are still things lingering. Im very much a feeling kind of person, and i know that when i have tried to forgive my self i do not get the same feeling as when i genuinely forgive another person, that rush of excitement and emotional high, it's absent. And that is something that i cannot fake, I can fake the words, I can construct the thoughts. It's a bit strange, but, I am slowly learning to be kinder to my self, and appreciate my self more, so hopefully as i develop a more positive relationship with my self, i will be able to genuinely forgive my self in the near future.
It's not a coincidence. The human cannot forgive itself. No matter how much you try and in which way, you will fail. In order to truly be forgiven you, the human, need to allow a forgiveness from a higher order, that is your soul. How? You don't think about it, you don't process it, you don't speak to your soul. You just allow. Breath and Allow the forgiveness from you soul.
That's even more complex to wrap my head around. So essentially........just stop thinking about it, and trust that your soul will forgive you? It kinda makes sense, why wouldn't it. I don't think that's the hardest part, probably the 'stop' action to the thoughts is the tricky bit. But i can try it, if my mind starts to spiral just intercept the spiral with- no point going over this, i know my soul will forgive me.
Or is that a no go?
Exactly.
You stop thinking about it and you know that you are forgiven.
Now, stopping the mind chatter is binary. 1 or 0. There's no in between, there's no "I'll give it a try and see the results".
You make a choice to stop and you stop. 😊
I think if it was as simple as that i'd have succeeded a long time ago. If you want an example of the crazy chatter that runs through my mind have a read of my most recent blog.
That said, ive not tried it with the idea in mind that i am already forgiven, i think for me i will start integrating this idea into meditations, planting it in the subconscious :)
I have read 80% of your recent post. You are thinking too much, my dear, hence feeding the demons. There are practises how to focus the awareness in the now moment. I for one use breathing. Deep breathing. Try it and you will realize that you can't think and breathe (consciously) at the same time. Bingo 💥
I do think WAAAAAAYYYYYY too much, i have always been this way since i was tiny! Thanks for the advice! I am working on several things to assist. Hopefully some readers will read the comments too. :)
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Forgiveness will give you freedom, hence this will give you peace of mind!❤