Forgiveness Meditation

Welcome

This meditation is an invitation to practice one of the most powerful and challenging practices of the heart: forgiveness.

Forgiveness does not condone harmful actions. It does not require reconciliation. Rather, forgiveness is an act of the heart — a movement to let go of the pain, the resentment, and the outrage you have carried as a burden.

This meditation is adapted from the work of Jack Kornfield.

For now, let yourself settle in.

Find a position that feels comfortable and supported. And gently allow your eyes to close.

Asking Forgiveness of Others

Let your breath be natural and easy.

Breathing gently into the area of your heart, let yourself feel any barriers you have erected and any emotions you have carried because you have not forgiven.

Let yourself feel the pain of keeping your heart closed.

Now bring to mind the different ways you may have hurt and harmed others — large or small, knowingly or unknowingly.

Through your actions, your words, or even your thoughts.

Recall whatever ways you may have betrayed or abandoned others, caused them suffering, knowingly or unknowingly, out of your own pain, fear, anger, and confusion.

Feel your own regret.

Sense that you can finally release this burden and ask for forgiveness.

Silently, say to those you have harmed:

I ask for your forgiveness.

Know that you can be forgiven.

Offering Forgiveness to Yourself

Now turn your attention inward.

Feel the many ways you may have hurt or harmed yourself — ways you have betrayed or abandoned yourself through thought, word, or deed, knowingly or unknowingly.

Feel the suffering you carry for not caring for yourself.

And sense that you can release these burdens.

Extend forgiveness to yourself for each act of harm.

Silently, say:

For all the ways I have hurt or harmed myself, through action or inaction, out of fear, pain, and confusion, I now extend a full and heartfelt forgiveness. I forgive myself.

Offering Forgiveness to Those Who Have Harmed You

Now bring to mind those who have hurt or harmed you.

This happens in every life.

Remember the ways — large and small — you have been wounded, abused, or abandoned by others, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word, or deed.

You have carried this pain in your heart long enough.

You do not need to carry it further.

To the extent that you are ready, you can release any burden of pain by gradually extending forgiveness.

Silently, say:

I have been carrying this pain in my heart for too long. To the extent that I am ready, I offer you forgiveness. I forgive you.

Let yourself gently repeat these phrases, allowing whatever arises — tears, resistance, relief — to simply be present.

Closing

Forgiveness cannot be forced.

It is a process.

Let the intention plant the seeds, and trust that they will ripen in their own time.

Gently return your awareness to the room around you. To the weight of your body, to the breath still moving through you.

When you are ready, let your eyes open.

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