Letting Go of Guilt
The past is so rich with history and drama. Especially our personal dramas of the times when things went well and particularly those moments when we were the victim. And for many, the negative recollections far outweigh the positive ones.
But does the past serve us? We might argue that all our learnings from the past enable us to function today. All of our abilities like walking and talking are things we learned in the past.
But outside of skill development necessary for functioning in the world, what value is there in clinging to the past – especially those moments where we suffered?
Oftentimes our past is heavy baggage we carry with us wherever we go. It weighs us down in the daily slog we call life. But imagine how nice it would feel to set that burden down.
We can do that by letting go of guilt. A Course in Miracles teaches, “You can hold on to the past only through guilt.” Feelings of unworthiness and all other forms of self-judgment staple us to the past.
By honestly recognizing “I am not that” frees us from all forms of attack. Relinquishing our tight grip on guilt, we become aware of our perfection, united with everyone else. In so doing, we “walk with lightened steps along the road that suddenly seems easy.”
—