FORGIVENESS RITUAL

Forgiveness is never an easy thing to do. But sometimes the hardest things are the ones we will most benefit from.

Forgiveness is never for the other person.

Carrying around anger and resentment is entirely yours to carry. And the forgiveness and freedom it provides is also entirely yours.

If you are ready for a lighter you, free from the weight of anger, then this ritual is for you.

Do you remember going to the beach as a child and marveling over the size and vastness of the wide ocean? We are going to use that power for this ritual, because if anything can take away your hurt, if there's one thing that can handle it, it's the ocean. It's bigger, stronger and far more powerful than you or I, it can handle your anger, and it wants it.

If you can get to the beach, perfect, if not you can meditate and take yourself there in your mind. Either will work.

What You Need:

A beach, or a quiet room where you can perhaps put on some ocean sounds to help with your meditation.

Insence or candles if you're home - something fresh

To Preform the Ritual

Take yourself to the beach, alone, and not at a time of day where there are loads of families there as a distraction. You want it to feel like you're alone with the ocean.

If you're at home, set up your quiet space with incense or candles.

Take your shoes off. Sit comfortably in the sand, near the crashing waves, and close your eyes.

Take in a few deep breaths; in and out. Listen to the waves wash to the shore, comforting, caressing you. The ocean is with you and here for you. It wants to help you. You're safe.

Now envision the root of your anger, the person you're angry with, or if it's yourself, the reasons for these feelings. They are growing deep within you, burning, hurting, invading every part of you, and you no longer want it in your life. You want to be free of it's hold on you, and you can be.

I want you to stand and walk to the edge of the water until you can feel the comfort of the water around your ankles. Place your arms at your sides, palms facing the ocean.

You don't have to speak aloud, but it can be more powerful to say the words out loud that you're needing to say. It might simply be "I forgive you", while you visualise the person or thing you're forgiving. You may have more to say, that's totally up to you.

Now I want you to breath in deeply, and for every slow outward breath, I want you to feel all the anger and resentment that's been inside of you, slowly leave through the soles of your feet, into the sand, and out into the ocean. Breathe in, and when you breath out nice and slowly, feel the ocean come and take away of all that's been weighing you down. Let it take it far, far away. Do this for as long as you need.

When you're ready, step back out of the water and thank the ocean for taking away the burden, and thank yourself for being brave enough to let it go.

Speak some affirmations, words of comfort you may be needing to hear.

"I am worthy of all the kindness and compassion in the world."

"The past is done. I now live in the present."

Once you feel peace settle over you and the kind reminder that the ocean has taken care of you, gently open your eyes and feel the power and weighlessness of the new you.