The Power of Forgiveness

“Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself.” - Tony Robbins

Nick came to see me for a reiki session, complaining of constant underlying anxiety and difficulty sleeping. He mentioned that he felt ‘dull’ and had trouble finding enjoyment in things he usually loved doing. 

I noticed a block in his heart chakra and worked until I felt a gentle release. In talking afterward, Nick shared that he found himself thinking about his Dad during our session. “It’s weird”, he said. “I never think about him. I was angry for a long time, but I’m over it. I shoved those feelings away.” 

In theory, we think we shove feelings away. But we don’t. Energetically, emotions are stored in our bodies and will eventually find a way to manifest. Nagging pain, a pit in your stomach, difficulty sleeping, or underlying anxiety to name a few. 

He went on to say that he resented his dad for leaving his mom when he was young. His father moved on, started a new family, never attended his soccer games, and only called on special occasions. 

There is a Buddhist saying about anger and resentment that rang true in this moment.

“Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Nick came back for another session and reported his sleeping improved and he was tolerating work stress better. But the most profound change was that he reached out to his Dad. “I don’t know what came over me,” he said. “But it’s like I was able to let all that hatred go. I want him to see my kids grow up.”

Anger and resentment don’t hurt the ones we are frustrated with. Those emotions are stored within US, within our cells. The issues are in the tissues, sort of speak.

When Nick allowed his pent-up anger to release from his body, he was able to see his Dad in a different light. A wounded individual with problems of his own. Did he deserve to be forgiven for leaving his family? That’s not a question for me to answer. Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgiveness is not denying or minimizing the pain. But forgiveness is freeing. And when the emotion of resentment was able to be processed and released from his body, Nick’s anxiety got better. It was being stored in his heart space. Remember, anxiety is a symptom of something deeper. 

Forgiveness is the ability to take your own power back and heal the wound that turned into a scar. It does not mean that you have forgotten, it means you have accepted that it can’t be changed and chosen to move on. 

Forgiveness is the most powerful heart opener. It will help you live a more free, fulfilling life and live with more compassion and empathy. 

“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” ~Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Are you holding on to a grudge or feeling resentment towards anyone? How would you feel if you could release those emotions?