Forgive the Past
Do you know the feeling of reading a book and having your world turned upside down? For me, there have been a few.
The first was my introduction to literature in my early teens upon reading Crime & Punishment. How could the human condition be captured so perfectly poignant?
Another was the third time I retrieved A Course in Miracles from the garbage and actually began reading it with less ego investment – thanks to a surreal encounter with Ken Wapnick. You can read more about that on Quora.
But the one I want to highlight here is Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss, M.D. I remember exactly where I was the first time I read it. Besides having my worldview completely challenged, I was blown away by the scientific rigor of Dr. Weiss’ methodology and conclusions.
You can’t read that book and not have goosebumps tingle your spine with what transpires between he and his patient. If you haven’t read it – get the book. You will see the world – and reality – in a completely new way.
Returning to the Weiss quote leading off this article, what is the past? Can you see it? Can you touch it? Can you bottle it up?
In the insightful words of A Course in Miracles, “The past is over. It can touch me not.”
Nonetheless, we persist in carrying it with us. If only I had …. I should have said …. Why didn’t I …. Things would be so much better if such-and-such had happened.
We replay the past over-and-over in our head. And while there can be great value in learning from what occurred, we don’t need to continually carry it with us.
And it’s such a heavy burden!
In the wise words of Brian Weiss, we can “forgive the past”. We gently set it down, thank it for the lessons it has taught us, and move forward with an extra bounce in our step.
Once the past is forgiven, it is gone. And once it’s gone, it’s vice-like grip on our emotions is over.
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