chereeguitar's Journal, 25 December 2013

I've always been on the fence with the 'forgive and forget' - never seem to be able to do both. I wonder if it's because I am trying to protect myself from being hurt again in that 'fool me once, shame on you' scenario or what. I don't think it's possible to be truly forgiving if I don't forget. But how do you get thru life without constantly being the patsy? 

The key is to ask yourself: Is this feeling related to the past, present, or future? Try to maintain the level of present-ness. The forgetting part is about leaving the past behind, and moving forward. You must convince yourself that THE PAST IS OVER, so why waste energy re-playing the scenarios in your mind? Or if you feel you MUST deal with the PAST, then take the situation and let it play out in your imagination while creating a new and better conclusion. The more forgiveness you give, the more you will receive. The more LOVE you give, the more love you will draw toward you. The past is filled with 'good' and 'bad' things... remember fondly and relish in the 'good' things, and LEARN THE APPROPRIATE LESSONS from the 'bad'. There are no FAILURES. Only opportunities to learn. You must stand firm on the foundation of your self-love, and that will stop the 'patsy' situation. You are not here to put yourself BELOW others, but to lift others up [to be even with you], and that will be returned to you tenfold. Help others AND yourself by staying in the present, and going with the flow. Resistance echoes bliss. The challenges in our lives are occurring to provide us an opportunity to learn. If we miss the lesson, the pattern repeats itself. Namaste. 

It is time to begin within. We must lovingly embrace the alienated aspects of ourselves, let our emotional content rise to the surface, and face and embrace it. Don’t judge. Dig deep within and fully accept whatever you find - your anger, your sorrow, your pain, and all your perceived missteps. The Divine loves unconditionally and without limits. Then, when you’ve accepted yourself, make a commitment to accept and connect to others, no matter their situation, in the same way. Embrace all of humanity [without judgment] and it will bring you closer to the ultimate experience.