Today’s Forgiving Fridays: Self-Forgiveness and Peace

Posted on by Forgiving Connects

Hi everyone,

Happy #ForgivingFridays!

Since I’m doing Money Mondays every week, I decided to move this Forgiving Fridays series to once per month.  Feel free to contribute your own experience and stories on forgiveness and letting go. Simply tag this post & include #ForgivingFridays in your tags.

Below my post are contributions for #ForgivingFridays from this past month!

❤

I’m in NY.  I came here to check it out as a place to live.  My partner and I split up with great love.  More on that in this week’s Money Mondays….

What I want to share today is an incredible experience of growth.  I went to the United Nations yesterday to meet with a Spiritual Caucus group. It’s an open group that meets weekly to send Light and meditate on the peace intentions of the UN — I attended the meetings regularly when I lived in NY. Today, I met first with the head Sharon for tea, and then the rest met us in the Meditation Room in the lobby of the UN.

We meditated for an hour and then talked afterward.  One of the things we did was look at the quote by the door of the Meditation Room.  It’s by Dag Hammarskjöld, who did a lot to bring spirituality into the peace process at the U.N   One of the lines he wrote is:

“We all have within us a center of stillness surrounded by silence.” 

I went in yesterday with a clear intention to serve and to connect, with no preconceived thoughts of “I’m not good enough” or “I should be doing more”. (I used to want to be a U.N. Ambassador.) I ended up connecting deeply with each of the four women. We shared about their families and old stories they bought into when they were young.  We talked about the exquisite value of forgiving ourselves, and that this is a gift, not a punishment.

I started going to the Spiritual Caucus in 2015 and at the beginning, all I could think about was whether I was worthy to be in the room. I watched myself grow and change over the last 4 years, as I became more and more willing to be me.  When I moved back to LA, I kept in touch with Sharon and would schedule my visits back to NY so I could attend another meeting.  I stopped worrying about what my role at the U.N. will be and began to experience the peace in the center of stillness that Dag was talking about.

(Photo on left by www.CourtneyLindbergPhotography.com)

I don’t know exactly what’s next for me in NY or at the United Nations. What I do know is that I love myself.  And I connected heart-to-heart connections with these women, and together, we brought Light to the U.N. (And it started as I was going through security!  The guards and I said together,, “I am beautiful”, as they were checking my things – that’s a whole other story!) I let go of what I thought it would look like to bring forgiveness to the UN and just was present to how I could love in the moment.

I attribute this growth to my continual practice of Self-forgiveness.  When I was a child, I remember feeling like there was something wrong with me.  I was the daughter of a mentally ill mother, and I felt less than everyone else in family gatherings and at school. I have worked with memories from so many different ages, forgiving the judgments and updating the beliefs I bought into. One of the greatest forgivenesses I did was: I forgive myself for forgetting that I am love.

I’d like to end with a Peace Prayer from one of my spiritual mentors, John-Roger. It’s easy!

Start out by saying 9 words of peace, “I love you. God bless you. Peace, be still.”

Then let go of any againstness in your consciousness (forgiveness is a great way to do this).

Finish by imagining the planet and everyone in it wrapped in a beautiful, blessed Light of love.

One UN Flag 9 magic words

 

Thank you for being here.  Be a peacemaker to yourself today. You already are.

Love,

Debbie

ps – the blue mosaic in the background of the group of women is by Chagall. He was a friend of Dag Hammarskjöld who did a lot for peace & Spirit at the UN, In it is a young child being kissed by an angelic face.

**This post is my contribution to Dutch Goes The Photo’s Growth. Frank, you are so inspiring – your topic helped me to heal even more. Thanks.*

❤

#FORGIVINGFRIDAYS POSTS FOR THE LAST MONTH:

Etta of Simply Etta D. does a beautiful daily quote for inspiration and reflection.  Here is her invitation to be flexible and open to new expressions. Go, Etta!

DeB of Roaming Urban Gypsy contributed a beautiful sharing of her experience with letting go of the past and sharing her gifts as an artist.  And a great photo of her!!

Frank of Poetry, Short Prose and Walking gave us a beautiful compilation of creativity to illustrate forgiveness – including a story of an old couple in unconditional love – and gorgeous photo to accept what is!

Emily of Zombie Flamingo shared a stunning photo of Canada with a joke for Fandango’s One Word Challenge of “Forgive” (great topic). Humor is a huge part of letting go!!

Pragalbha of Infinite Living shared her own quote image on how choices are full of wisdom when we work with forgiveness. Thank you Pragalbha – beautiful!  

Revived Writer wrote a courageous poem on being with herself even when she’s struggling.  This is a huge key to accept what is – including ourselves exactly as we are!

Miriam of Out An’ About wrote a heartwarming post on how going to the library became an adventure of living life to the fullest and opening to her goals for the year ahead. She invites us to know that something wonderful is waiting for us. Wow!

Paul of Parallax wrote a poem on how the door opens when our heart overflows and we let go. What a beautiful expression of joy!

Lady Nimue of Prats Corner shared her experience of moving and how she used forgiveness to help her keep up hope and look for the good.  A first-time contributor – welcome!

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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!

 

Forgiving Fridays banner

 

37 thoughts on “Today’s Forgiving Fridays: Self-Forgiveness and Peace”

  2. Forgiving has to be one of the greatest steps towards peace, as individuals and as communities worldwide. We are so blessed to have awoken to the extraordinary value of forgiving – of ourselves and others.

    Peace be still. And: Be still, and know that I am God. Those two resonate deeply to the peace in me.

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    1. YES. And the Dag Hammarskjöld quote is great too:

      “We all have within us a center of stillness surrounded by silence.”

      He wrote this and a whole description of purpose that stands outside the meditation room at the U.N. In it, he talks about being a vessel and that we fill it with our stillness. So gorgeous!

      I love standing with you on this path of forgiving. God bless you, Anne.
      Love,
      Debbie

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    1. Thanks, Maniparna!! OK, here’s the story about the guards:

      I was going through security to get into the U.N. One of the guards said that he’s ugly.

      I told him that he wasn’t ugly, and the other guards agreed.

      Once I went through the detector, I said to him, You are beautiful.
      Then the other guards and I began repeating, “I am beautiful”. He said that you can’t fight reality, and one of the guards replied back, “You make your reality.”

      Cool huh? Thanks for asking.
      Money Mondays coming soon….
      Debbie

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    1. Thank you for your caring, Carole. I appreciate that. When it came, the decision was natural. We’d been thinking on it for a few months. Still, I am really being with myself and nurturing myself to experience and go through the sadness of the loss.

      Re: peace starting within, I love that! I used to be the Coordinator for a great peace organization called the Institute for Individual and World Peace (IIWP). We had four principles of peace that you may like:
      1. Peace is present.
      2. Peace is a choice, available regardless of condition.
      3. Peace is an inner process.
      4. Peace is the cessation of againstness.

      Have a wonderful week! Blessings to you Carole,
      Debbie

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    1. Thank you for sharing, Deeksha! It’s so lovely to meet you. Self-forgiveness is so key to getting free, and as you say accessing the strength of our heart. Blessings!
      Debbie

      ps – I have a particular process that I use for Self-forgiveness. You may try it to see if you experience value. You can find it on the home page of my website. 🙂

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  7. Your growth, your transformation is such inspiration to us dear Debbie! Acceptance, love, forgiveness – you truly demonstrate how to embrace and embody these qualities. May you reach new heights and spaces including the UN!

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    1. Pragalbha, I am so warmed by your comments to me. Thank you!! How beautiful that you mention acceptance and love, along with forgiveness. Acceptance is one of the first qualities that I bring to the process of coaching clients. How can we forgive if we’re not in acceptance? Also, my spiritual teacher John-Roger wrote a book called The Way Out, where he said something like “Love is the parent of peace.” 🙂

      Love to you Pragalbha! Thank you again for all your contributions to Forgiving Fridays. They are beautiful.
      Debbie

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    1. Mary, thank you! So lovely to hear from you.

      I’m exploring whether to move to NY, or to go somewhere else. Austin and Phoenix are also in the mix.
      Keep the Light coming! (Makes a huge difference.)

      Will come to your blog now. Looking forward to hearing how you’re doing!
      God bless you, Mary. ❤ I am grateful to connect and be blessed by your presence.
      ❤ ❤
      Love and Light,
      Debbie

      ps – the photo on the left is for my coaching practice. I went to a training where they included a professional photo shoot! It really captures the joy and radiance of me.

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    1. Thank you! I’m so excited to read it. Will go over to your blog now. (Love the title – “Love Creates”).

      I’ll share this for Forgiving Fridays in March – either the first or second week!

      Have a wonderful Sunday and great start to your week,
      Debbie

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