To advance in spritiual life the heart must become soft. Fault finding, holding grudges, being jealous of others, etc. makes the heart hard.
In the Vedas it is said that a person advanced in spiritual consciousness has a heart soft like gold and such a soft heart can easily melt in love of God.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Your Story
A baby lion was raised by a family of sheep. When he grew older they sent him away because he was different. A man found him lamenting because he was faced with a life alone. The man asked why are you so depressed and the lion told him of his plight. The man said you are not a sheep, you are a lion. When the lion finally realized who he was, he became happy. As long as he thought he was a weird kind of sheep, he remained unhappy.
So he had the wrong story about who he was. Similarly, many of us have stories about who we are or what happened to us. It's not really what happens to us that upsets us, but it's the story we tell ourselves about what happened to us that upsets us. If we change the story, then we can go from resentment to forgiveness. So what actually happened to you that is causing you to remain resentful. What story are you telling yourself?
So he had the wrong story about who he was. Similarly, many of us have stories about who we are or what happened to us. It's not really what happens to us that upsets us, but it's the story we tell ourselves about what happened to us that upsets us. If we change the story, then we can go from resentment to forgiveness. So what actually happened to you that is causing you to remain resentful. What story are you telling yourself?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Need for Forgiveness in the World
The more I do the workshops, the more I see how needed and beneficial forgiveness is for ourselves, for relationships, for minimizing conflict at home and in the workplace, and for dealing with all the bigotry, hatred and prejudice in the world. Ours is a culture of “If I am wronged, I get back.” Most people’s accounts of all the injustices and hurts that were done to them is overflowing and they use these accounts to justify blame and anger. They build up these accounts and carefully save them. Anytime someone performs some horrible act, you can know for sure their victim account is overflowing.
Our culture loves retaliation. Movies are full of it. The hero is wronged and the whole movie is about him taking “justifiable” revenge. So our kids grow up thinking, “If someone hurts me, I must take revenge.Forgiveness is a sign of weakness."
People guard their victimhood. It is a story upon which they can justify their failures. If they lose that story, how can they justify their blame and anger? Anger makes them feel powerful. Ask them to forgive and they fear they will lose their power. But all anger and blame does is hide their pain, pain they don’t want to face. Forgiveness is the only door out of the prison of this pain.
Because forgiveness is so much needed in our world, and because practicing forgiveness brings people to a higher level of God consciousness, my intention is to expand forgiveness workshops around the world.
If you know anyone who might be interested in organizing a workshop please direct them to the site www.yogaofforgiveness.com. Or consider contacting someone at your school, office, community center, yoga studio, temple, church, etc. to discuss the benefit of having such a workshop.
Our culture loves retaliation. Movies are full of it. The hero is wronged and the whole movie is about him taking “justifiable” revenge. So our kids grow up thinking, “If someone hurts me, I must take revenge.Forgiveness is a sign of weakness."
People guard their victimhood. It is a story upon which they can justify their failures. If they lose that story, how can they justify their blame and anger? Anger makes them feel powerful. Ask them to forgive and they fear they will lose their power. But all anger and blame does is hide their pain, pain they don’t want to face. Forgiveness is the only door out of the prison of this pain.
Because forgiveness is so much needed in our world, and because practicing forgiveness brings people to a higher level of God consciousness, my intention is to expand forgiveness workshops around the world.
If you know anyone who might be interested in organizing a workshop please direct them to the site www.yogaofforgiveness.com. Or consider contacting someone at your school, office, community center, yoga studio, temple, church, etc. to discuss the benefit of having such a workshop.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Forgiveness and the Heart
In my forgiveness seminars, one thing consistently stands out: when a person's heart opens, they forgive. When the heart is softened one does not want to cause pain to another. Since resentment is about getting back at someone for the wrongs they have done, a softened heart is the antidote to resentment.
Through pranayama, chanting, prayer, and heart opening yoga, participants in my seminars can more easily let go of the need to be right, the need to punish, the need to keep a record of the wrongs, and the need to cling to their story. This happens through the power of the intelligence of the heart, an intelligence that knows what is right.
Through pranayama, chanting, prayer, and heart opening yoga, participants in my seminars can more easily let go of the need to be right, the need to punish, the need to keep a record of the wrongs, and the need to cling to their story. This happens through the power of the intelligence of the heart, an intelligence that knows what is right.
Forgiveness is Illogical
Many people tell me they are trying to forgive but can't. This often means they are looking for logical reasons to forgive. Forgiveness is often illogical and unnatural because you are confronted with forgiving an unforgiveable act.
Forgiveness happens when you elevate your consciousness above hate, anger, resentment and blame. If you remain on these lower levels of consciousness and try to forgive, you are fighting fire with fire.
Compassion is the anti-toxin of the soul. It is through compassion that you raise your consciousness above resentment.
WWW.yogaofforgiveness.com
Forgiveness happens when you elevate your consciousness above hate, anger, resentment and blame. If you remain on these lower levels of consciousness and try to forgive, you are fighting fire with fire.
Compassion is the anti-toxin of the soul. It is through compassion that you raise your consciousness above resentment.
WWW.yogaofforgiveness.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
No One To Blame
Is it not hypocrisy to honor Lord Krsna, Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus or other great spiritual teachers for bringing us the gift of understanding that life is suffering, or to honor God for teaching us lessons through suffering, and then blame our “offender” who brings us the same gift as a life lesson? Is one a better teacher than the other? Should I worship one and blame the other? Is it possible that all things work to help us grow? Is it possible there is really no one to blame and no one to forgive?
Stories of Forgiveness 4
I found this amazing story and wanted to share it with you.
On March 23, 1995, my 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, opened the door of her father's house to a 16-year-old young man named LeVaughn whom she knew. LeVaughn came into the house and they began to argue over drugs.
LeVaughn picked up the butcher knife from the kitchen counter and stabbed Nicole to death. My only child lay dying on the floor of the living room, her eyes still open. The last sight she saw that day was the face of the young man who was killing her. This young man whom I had never met in my life, came into my life that day and changed my life forever.
I waited one year to be faced with the young man who had changed my life forever. He was hostile and angry during the trial. My greatest fear was that he would get the death penalty and that I would then have to fight to never allow that to happen. But God knew that wasn't how He wanted me to spend my time. LeVaughn was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to thirty-eight years with no probation.
God had other plans for my life. LeVaughn still looked angry when he was sentenced two weeks later. Only now, he was sitting right next to me as I stood at the podium to address the court and the judge, but I was warned not to address LeVaughn. I was told I couldn't speak to this person who had changed my life forever, and he was sitting right next to me.
I began reading what I had written and then God spoke to my heart. I needed to talk to this young man. It might be my only opportunity. I turned and looked into his face. This was the face that my daughter saw as she lay dying on the living room floor just one year ago, and now I was looking into that same face. I told LeVaughn that I was not angry with him, but that I felt very hurt. I told him that I had compassion for him and that I hoped that he could somehow find a way to turn his life around.
And lastly, I told him that I would be praying for him. The face that was so full of anger was now looking at me in disbelief, and the anger was gone.
When I walked away from the courthouse that day, I knew that God had given both of us a gift. It was the gift of forgiveness. I was able to forgive the young man who murdered my daughter. Not because he asked me too, but because it was what God wanted for both of us. God was never going to be able to use me if I was angry. Forgiveness brings peace. And with that peace comes overwhelming joy. The joy of knowing that God will forgive me just as I have forgiven.
On March 23, 1995, my 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, opened the door of her father's house to a 16-year-old young man named LeVaughn whom she knew. LeVaughn came into the house and they began to argue over drugs.
LeVaughn picked up the butcher knife from the kitchen counter and stabbed Nicole to death. My only child lay dying on the floor of the living room, her eyes still open. The last sight she saw that day was the face of the young man who was killing her. This young man whom I had never met in my life, came into my life that day and changed my life forever.
I waited one year to be faced with the young man who had changed my life forever. He was hostile and angry during the trial. My greatest fear was that he would get the death penalty and that I would then have to fight to never allow that to happen. But God knew that wasn't how He wanted me to spend my time. LeVaughn was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to thirty-eight years with no probation.
God had other plans for my life. LeVaughn still looked angry when he was sentenced two weeks later. Only now, he was sitting right next to me as I stood at the podium to address the court and the judge, but I was warned not to address LeVaughn. I was told I couldn't speak to this person who had changed my life forever, and he was sitting right next to me.
I began reading what I had written and then God spoke to my heart. I needed to talk to this young man. It might be my only opportunity. I turned and looked into his face. This was the face that my daughter saw as she lay dying on the living room floor just one year ago, and now I was looking into that same face. I told LeVaughn that I was not angry with him, but that I felt very hurt. I told him that I had compassion for him and that I hoped that he could somehow find a way to turn his life around.
And lastly, I told him that I would be praying for him. The face that was so full of anger was now looking at me in disbelief, and the anger was gone.
When I walked away from the courthouse that day, I knew that God had given both of us a gift. It was the gift of forgiveness. I was able to forgive the young man who murdered my daughter. Not because he asked me too, but because it was what God wanted for both of us. God was never going to be able to use me if I was angry. Forgiveness brings peace. And with that peace comes overwhelming joy. The joy of knowing that God will forgive me just as I have forgiven.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)