forgive (6)

2515198961?profile=RESIZE_710x

Question: Spiritual wisdom-traditions often glorify forgiveness as a virtue, but isn’t it impractical and foolish to forgive someone who repeatedly hurts us?

Answer:

1.jpg

When someone hurts us, forgiving that person is our best response. But often our indignant emotions make us overlook the subtle but vital line that differentiates forgiving a person from trusting a person: forgiveness is for the past; trust is for the future. We are urged to immediately forgive, but not immediately trust, the wron

Read more…

Choosing To Forgive By Mahatma Das

Some time ago I forgave four devotees who were responsible for causing great pain and frustration in my life. Actually I didn’t forgive them of my own accord. I was asked to forgive them – for my own benefit. First I focused on the ways these people hurt me. Then I was asked to look at them in a different light; to consider that they were just doing the best they could in the particular situation they were in. Next, I was asked if I would be willing to forgive them, not with the hope that they

Read more…

Forgive by Bhaktimarga Swami

10158096289?profile=RESIZE_584x

From the Gita, 11.42, “Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You ‘O Krishna,’ ‘O Yadava,’ O my friend,’ not knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love. I have dishonoured You many times, jesting as we relaxed, lay on the same bed, or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends. O infallible one, please excuse me for all those offenses.”

Before I went off on my evening trek today, the Gita Chat group on Thur

Read more…

3814155920?profile=RESIZE_710x

By helping us see that we are meant to become like our Lord because we are his parts. Just as he has forgiven us, we should forgive others.

Bhakti wisdom is also to understand that we are eternally the part of Krishna, mamaivansho jeeva loke. Just as we are parts of God, we are meant to be godly. If we look at our own lives we have committed so many misdeeds in this life and previous lives. There are so many reactions that we could have got for those misdeeds. One reaction to past misdeeds is t

Read more…

3835669549?profile=RESIZE_710x

Have You Forgiven?

Below is a checklist to help you determine whether or not you are practicing a life of forgiveness, and thus what you may still need to work on. Go over this checklist as many times as needed for any person you have issues with.

On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest level of unforgiveness, rate your forgiveness practice (0 is a perfect practice).

You need your offender to apologize.

You need your offender to admit they were wrong.

You need your offender to receive

Read more…
5194088064?profile=RESIZE_400x
I was asked to speak on the topic, “The Art of Forgiveness” on one of those zoom calls for Sunday so while on my walk today to deliver a small packet of what we call mahaprasadam, some blessed sweets, to Subuddhi on her 85th birthday, I thought about the subject of forgiveness.  In a way I was preparing myself for some thoughts I could convey on the broadcast.

What did come to mind was a song that came on the radio, a tear-jerker, from when I was 8—a song by Brenda Lee, “I’m sorry!”—a love son
Read more…