Insight Meditation 22

As long as we do not forgive our self or others, we will be living a life conditioned by our relationship to the past. 

By putting down our pain through forgiveness, the pains of the past come to an end and awareness more easily dwells within the present experience creating the conditions for wisdom to arise. 

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Practice daily for 1 week or until the feel that you have forgiven your past. Then practice weekly or as needed to no longer create any past pain. Learn to forgive from that point as soon as the event occurs to prevent painful memories from being stored. 

Observe that when something is known, it has already occurred, and that you are already viewing a memory of the past, rather than a pure present experience.

NOTE: Once deconditioning and forgiveness are complete it will be as if you have no past, the feeling of past falls away. You will still have all your past memories but the sorting of memories in terms of pleasant and unpleasant vedana will have been stripped away. This means that present suffering is no longer conditioned by past memories.

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Step 1: Ask Yourself for Forgiveness

Sit down, close your eyes and bring yourself to mind. Forgive yourself for all the things you have done to bring harm to yourself:

• “(your name here), if I have done anything to hurt you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me.”

• Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture yourself gently saying back: “I forgive you.”

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Step 2: Ask Another for Forgiveness

Now think of someone that you have hurt in some way. Ask for their forgiveness to allow healing by silently saying to them:

• “(their name here), if I have done anything to hurt you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me.”
   
• Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture them gently saying back to you: “I forgive you.”

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Step 3: Offer Forgiveness to Another

Now think of someone that has hurt you in some way. Offer them your forgiveness to allow healing by silently saying to them:

• “(their name here), for any hurt that you have caused me, in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, I forgive you.”
   
• Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture them gently saying back to you: “thank you.”

You are ready to progress to Insight 23: Condition Gratitude when:

• Your mind no longer holds any longings or regrets regarding the past and finds joy in abiding in your present experiences. 
• Your mind no longer stores memories of present painful experiences because of the combined strength of forgiveness and letting go.

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