Happy #ForgivingFridays everyone! Yay! This is an opportunity for you to let go and forgive. You can do your post ANY DAY this week! Anything that inspires YOU to forgive and choose love – even if you’re struggling. e.g., write a poem, share a quote or video, do an act of kindness, forgive yourself or someone else. 🙂 I look forward to see what you do!
Today’s Forgiving Fridays is an act of self-love!
I woke up yesterday with a 3-step tool that I could use with myself and clients to help us forgive.
To start, here’s a quote from Rumi that illustrates my experience doing the three steps – accompanied by an amazing photo by my partner (& blog contributor!), David:
❤
“Listen, open the heart’s window
and keep looking at the Beloved.
The task of love is to open that window
so the heart can be illuminated by His Beauty.
Gaze incessantly at the Beloved’s face.
That is your power, my friend”
❤
So this exercise is only three steps. And it’s an exercise to help you open your heart’s window and look inside to what’s there – no matter what’s going on around you.
I’m going to use my concerns about my move so you can see how it works. (As I wrote about last week, I gave notice at my place and am moving! Without having a clear destination.)
Step One:
Put the judgment into an “Acceptance Box”. This is a place where you can just be with the judgment. It is what it is.
I have a lot of worry about moving right now. My mind keeps asking questions: Where am I moving to? Will I be moving in with my partner? What do I want next in my life? And probably on a deeper level, will there be a beautiful space for me? Will my prayers be heard?
I am putting all my concerns about my move into this box. I’m doing it as an intention (it’s ok to not know exactly how to do it.) I especially put in my fear that I won’t have a beautiful space to be. It reminds me of a childhood memory where my mom would get sick and I felt there was no space that was safe or beautiful.
Step Two:
Put your hand on your heart. Center yourself in the part of you that knows all is well. That trusts in the goodness of who you are. Accept that you have judgments, that you feel upset in any way. It’s ok.
Here I am writing my blog and doing this! I am breathing into my heart and breathing out of my heart. I am relaxing into the love inside of me. I am just being inside of me. I am more than my body, my feelings, and my mind. I am the incredible presence of love and joy. There’s nothing I need to do except to relax, let go and let God.
Step Three:
Infuse the Acceptance Box with your loving. Imagine that all the judgments, concerns, upsets, etc., are being bathed by the most beautiful pure Light of love. Touch each one of them. This is what forgiveness does too. There are so many ways to forgive.
OK so I infuse all of my questions with the Light. I am pausing with myself so that each one gets my loving attention. I touch that part of me with questions with caring. I see my little girl who just wants reassurance bathed in the purple Light of loving. I am a beautiful space, and I open to the loving of what I am.
Wow, it really works!!!
One hint in this process — allow yourself to open to the love. Pause, listen, and receive. You are incredible and exquisite illumined in beauty.
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I am SO SO grateful for all of you who contribute to Forgiving Fridays. I learn so much from you! Here are contributions from this week & some from last week too – they were magnificent:
Etta of Simply Etta D. gave us incredible keys on how to take a leap of faith in your life, and how self-forgiveness can help. Go, Etta – this is wonderful!
Frank of Poetry, Short Prose and Walking wrote a poem that is like an ode to joy – the joy of compassion, of healing through forgiveness, and of the experiences that bond us in empathy. Includes sacred photos!
DeB of Roaming Urban Gypsy contributed one of her new acrylic paintings, An Acquired Taste. It’s a BEAUTIFUL depiction of how it’s ok to struggle … and take our time accepting things. Thank you, DeB!
Revived Writer contributed an insightful poem illustrating an openness to forgive, and willingness to forgive yourself for the thing you’re judging in someone else. Very wise!
Miriam of The Shower of Blessings wrote a magnificent tanka on trusting and following our heart’s calling — one step at a time. Gorgeous!
Nikki of A Kinder Way asks a simple question for us to pause and accept what’s going on inside of us when we’re upset – and to open to what really matters. What an incredible, easy tool to forgive!
Ali of Flashlight Batteries gave us a poem on Self-forgiveness, asking whether we can indeed have compassion for ourselves. Just her inquiry opened my heart to such self-beauty!
Pragalbha of Infinite Living shared a beautiful quote, photo and an inquiry on trust. Her willingness to allow, and to let go into something better, is transformative. So full of wisdom!
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Remember, you are so beautiful!!!! Whatever is going on for each of us, let’s allow ourselves to receive the blessings of our own loving today. Here’s a recent quote from the Louise Hay Desk Calendar:
I love you.
Love,
Debbie
**This is my contribution to RagTag’s challenge Salvage and Frank’s photo challenge, Wind. Frank, the photo of me and also the one my partner did are the perfect illustration of opening up the window of my heart and allowing love to illumine me. I really needed this today with some concerns about my move. Thank you so much!**
Here are the guidelines of #ForgivingFridays:
- Every day is Friday! Do a post today or anytime this week.
- Be creative – there’s LOTS of space for your expression! Write a poem, take a photo, post a quote, share your story … what opens your heart?
- Include #ForgivingFridays in your tags
- Create a pingback link to this post so I can find you.
- Have fun – you are awesome!
forgivingconnects.com 
This being first time I visited your blog only because I’ am technically challenged and stumbled by accident into your blog. Tossing and turning all night about my mistakes, money, etc judging myself big time… forgotten all I have learned about “not doing that”, thank you for sharing all this it’s been very encouraging for me and healing… I guess everyone needs a leg up, even those who “know better “. What I’m realizing at this moment is that it isn’t what you know its what you do with what you know. Love ❤️ Spirithawk aka the fairy godmother 🧚♀️
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Oh Diana, it’s so great to have you here! It sounds like it was perfect timing for your visit. 🙂 So glad that this post reminded you to forgive yourself. And I love what you wrote at the end — how it’s what we do with what we know. So true. Lots of love, Diana, and come back anytime Beloved.
Love and Light,
Debbie
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I like that accepting your upset is included in the steps. I think it’s important and lots of times hard to do.
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Hi Lacey, yes I agree with you! Acceptance is so important – and a solid foundation to be able to forgive judgments, at least in my experience. 🙂 Accepting what is….accepting that you’re judging….accepting someone else…. accepting the world…. I know it can feel hard. Keep going Lacey 🙂 🙂 Practice can be so helpful, and just being gentle with ourselves! Have a great weekend. Sending you a kiss.
Love,
Debbie
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I absolutely love and learn each time I read your posts. You are so beautiful and courageous to share your tools with how you are using them in your own experiences that can be challenging.
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Pragalbha, I’m so glad that you love and learn each time you read my blog. That is so great! ❤ I appreciate your caring compliments, thank you. And, thank you ever so much for your contributions for #ForgivingFridays. You illustrate so much truth in your creativity, and it enlightens how forgiveness works for you. Love to you, and to your blog readers, and to your children.
Blessings,
Debbie
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Many blessings of divine Light for your heartfelt next home showing up, in perfect timing and Grace. I love the wind in the window photo. It is very evocative. And the beautiful Rumi quote. He has a way of saying things so exquisitely.
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Hi Anne, thank you for your love and Light! That 3-step tool just came in when I was sleeping the other day. I found it so useful to place my judgments in an Acceptance Box and infuse them with loving. I cried with the beauty of it. And YES, what an amazing Rumi quote to go with the blog and David’s photo. He is so gifted.
Loving you, Anne. 🙂 Have a great rest of your weekend.
Love and Light,
Debbie
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Debbie, what happened with my self-judgments, waking up one morning with a dream that I was doing stand up comedy. The comedy was the ridiculousness of my self-judgments. They were cracking me up as I was sharing them. I woke up laughing. It sure put those judgments in their place! That was a few months ago. Today I have woken up crying – no doubt releasing and healing something. Tears are so cleansing. Us humans are magical creatures! Happy Sunday to you.
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Acceptance is hard as often the first place I go is tying myself in knots around trying to “fix” things, or berating myself for being worried or even just not being excited about something. I like the idea of an acceptance box as a way to put it aside.
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I so hear you, Emily! Acceptance can be simple, and I love your awareness regarding where you tend to go first. 🙂 Doing the Acceptance Box maybe can help … hope it does. Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for commenting! Love, Debbie
ps – give your kitties a hug for me, ok?
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I enjoy reading your post and as I was reading this one, I heard a whisper for you that said, all will soon become clear. Taking your upsets in stages takes the pressure off and gives clarity which makes them look less like a challenge 🙂
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So true, Etta! I love this. One step at a time, or it’s a cinch by the inch. 🙂 And what I keep remembering is that each judgment is a blessing to help us heal and love ourselves. Now, that is a gift!
Etta, I hope you’re doing well. I was just thinking of you today. 🙂 I’m seeing you connecting to your great wisdom. Sending Light and love. Blessings, Debbie
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Beautiful!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thank you, Nikki! ❤ ❤ Blessings to you. I love your contribution this week. Love, Debbie
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Amazing post, Debbie. The concept of “Acceptance Box” Sounds really great to me. I’ll definitely try it out. Thanks for all the inspiration and wisdom you spread… ❤ ❤
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Forgiving is something you come t for yourself . I t releases you from bad feelings and energy
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True …
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Shalilah, it’s great to hear from you. Yes, one of the things I experience is that forgiveness starts within – and it’s a choice we can make anytime. So freeing. Nice to see you! 🙂
Blessings,
Debbie
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Oh Maniparna, I hope you do! Let me know how it goes for you. 🙂 To me, acceptance is one of the greatest keys to forgiveness. It’s so lovely to reconnect. Sending you blessings and lots of love.
Debbie
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Another beautiful example of the healing power of love.
This is you Debbie. All love. xoxo
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Thank you, Andrea. So true that love is healing! That’s one of the greatest blessings of forgiveness I know — to touch to the places inside that hurt with great compassion, and soothing. ❤
Blessings to you. FYI – if I don't check blogs much this week, it's because I'm wrapping up a class in Consciousness, Health, and Healing, and this week is our retreat.
Love,
Debbie
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❤️❤️❤️
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Debbie, I appreciate your relentlessness in sharing what forgiveness can offer. I especially like step 3. “I infuse all of my questions with the Light.” I often have many questions/concerns that can get me spinning and I look forward to stopping, breathing and offering them up to the light.
Thank you for all that you give. Shine on my friend.
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Oh Ali, so glad that this was helpful. I know, isn’t step 3 great? It’s an incredible avenue to release concerns into the Light and offer them up to Spirit. I’d love to hear how it goes for you if you try it out.
So glad you’re here!
Sending blessings your way, Ali. You are a beautiful Light bearer.
Debbie
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