Forgiveness Meditation

Provided by Eric Kolvig during the October 2009 meditation retreat.

This is traditionally a preliminary practice, before doing loving-kindness or compassion meditation.

Forgiveness should never be forced. Do this practice only within your comfort zone. It is fine not to do it at all.

Get into a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Bring your attention to the heart energy center in the middle of your chest, behind the breastbone or sternum. Feel whatever is there without judgment. Breathe through the heart center. Try to say the words of the forgiveness meditation through your heart.

Think of ways in which you have harmed yourself and harmed others. It is better to begin with minor things, not the big acts of harming. As far as you are able to do so, extend forgiveness to yourself for this harming by saying these phrases to yourself:

I allow myself to be imperfect.
I allow myself to make mistakes.
I allow myself to be a learner, still learning life's lessons.
I forgive myself.
If I cannot forgive myself now, may I forgive myself sometime in the future.

Think of ways in which others have harmed you -- again, beginning with minor harms. As far as you are able to do so, extend forgiveness to them.

Just as I allow myself to be imperfect, so I allow you to be imperfect.
I allow you also to make mistakes.
I allow you to be learners, still learning life's lessons.
I forgive you.
If I cannot forgive you now, may I forgive you sometime in the future.

Ask forgiveness from others for the harm that you have done to them.

Please allow me to be imperfect.
Please allow me to make mistakes.
Please allow me to be a learner, still learning life's lessons.
Please forgive me.
If you cannot forgive me now, please try to forgive me sometime in the future.

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