You might ask, what is forgiveness’s role in recovery? How you feel and what you think about sets you up for stress or ease every day. The physical response of anxiety, holding onto anger, or hurt, keeps you in tension and blocks your healing progress. One of my elements for optimal recovery is to meet life from a spiritual perspective. Forgiveness is an essential tool to stay connected to spirit and present in your world.
For many people, Lyme smacks them upside the head. What I mean by that is the onset and severity of illness is a complete shocker. It was for me, but I had been ignoring my health for years before. I was so angry about ignoring my symptoms. Lyme made my level of failing health impossible to ignore. I worked with my health care team and systematic self-care to forge my best recovery.
In the years before my diagnosis with Lyme disease, I carried lots of trauma and anger. I was peripherally aware of it; it is my nature to hold on to things without even realizing I am. I did not grant absolution or move on easily. What I didn’t understand was the burden that lack of forgiveness added or the harm holding onto hurt caused. This pain was doing physical harm and shaping my thinking and behavior. Shifting my perspective, meeting life from a spiritual perspective was critical.
Forgiveness A Step Towards Recovery
Misunderstanding and trauma happen; it is how we recover or don’t that is just or maybe more important in shaping our lives. The Buddha said that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. I believe that. Lack of forgiveness opens the door for additional suffering by holding you in the past with the associated trauma. The practice of letting go of attachments is naturally detoxifying. So do a daily detox or at least a seasonal one using forgiveness as a tool to dispense with old emotions and mental clutter that don’t serve you anymore.
Forgive For You
Forgiveness is a feeling and an energetic state. The thing about mercy is that it benefits you and the whole. The object of mercy is to help you, not the person who hurt you. Your aggressor may not even understand that they hurt you, and often have moved on in their lives.
If the pain, anger, fear, or hurt is sticking to you, keeping you stuck, then you are the one impacted. No one can control what other people do say or feel. You only get to decide those things for yourself. Forgiveness is a practice to free you and enable joy and growth. Every time you forgive, release anger and pain, you help yourself and the whole.
Are You Carrying Hurt, Anger, & Stress?
Develop a forgiveness practice. Each night review any sticky moments that may contain pain or anger. Do some self-inquiry. Meditate, then ask yourself what still bothers you. Identify anywhere you are holding on to anger, stress. Be sure to start with yourself. Have some compassion and release any anger or disappointment you are holding before you go to sleep to help your body heal.
Here is an example of a prayer to support self-forgiveness. In your mind’s eye, immerse yourself in gold light. Feel the love for your life; appreciate your opportunities in this life. Then say the following
My Forgiveness Prayer
“I release lapses errors and anger. I let go of my need for (pain, anger, addictive behavior, self-sabotage) in my life. More and more consistently, I ask for and trust the guidance from the universe to help me carve a new path to engage with life healthily. I forgive myself. I forgive myself. I forgive myself.” – Mary Sullivan
Other affirmations and prayers help build the habit of self-forgiveness.
Once you consistently forgive yourself and treat yourself with love and compassion. Look for other people you want to forgive. Forgiving others can be challenging, but this action heals your own heart.
Forgiveness is an essential attitude that heals the heart center and sustains love’s flow in the midst of adversity – Ellen Tadd
The Wisdom of The Chakra
Ellen gave us a visualization to support forgiving, severing negative emotional ties, and wishing people I need to forgive well during a meditation workshop.
Do some self-examination. Identify opportunities to forgive and release negative feelings. In your mind’s eye, place the person into a balloon basket. Float the balloon basket and the person upwards. Visualize the energetic cord between you. Cut the cord, watch the basket drift away into the light, and say, I forgive you, I release you, I forgive you, I wish you happiness joy and peace.
The purpose of this website and its contents is to share and educate on Lyme disease recovery strategies. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment, or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.