It’s Not One Thing. . . It’s The Other

It’s Not One Thing. . . It’s The Other

I attended a short lecture a few weeks ago.  The topic was one thing, but what I walked away with was something completely different.  Well, different from what I was expecting.  I truly love when I come away with something unexpected.  So, in keeping with this theme, I sat down to write about one thing, but I’m leaning in a different direction – the direction to which I was prodded in my surprise “aha” lecture.

In your mind, visualize freedom.  The idea of freedom.  The concept, the nuances, the aspects of what you see as freedom.  I’m going to venture a guess that your ideal freedom probably isn’t attached to a person, or a thing, or a job.  Probably, it is the opposite.  It is non-attachment.  And being free of attachment applies not to just physical things.  It’s emotional – we are attached to our feelings and our experiences because in our minds they keep us safe.  We are often attached to our fears and our angers and our insecurities because the defenses we put up have also somehow worked to keep us fueled thus far.  But in being so safe, and so attached we often aren’t free.  What we cling to binds and restricts us.

I’ve wrestled with the concept of forgiveness for a while now.  It’s a tough one. The definitions were uncomfortable.  Did I have to condone to forgive?  Why should I forgive when I did nothing wrong? How could I forgive something I had no control over?  It all seemed counterintuitive.   But here is what I got from that lecture – Forgiveness is a radical shift in how we see and perceive. It is a profound change in perspective, in point of view.

Jack Kornfield (https://jackkornfield.com/)says that forgiveness is giving up any hope of having had a different past. Mind blown.  THAT made sense to me.  Holding on to a grudge or a slight or an anger is futile.  Nothing will change. The past will remain. The only thing that I can change is my point of view, freeing myself from the anger, resentment, and pain of something that WILL NOT and CANNOT change. I can accept responsibility for my response to what happens to me – and if I truly want to be free, I must forgive what happened, release the expectations of change, and move on with my day, my life. That’s freedom.

Chances are you can apply this in many areas of your life, your past – family, friends, work, the car who just cut you off in the passing lane. It’s very liberating.  I’m working on keeping my ideal freedom in the forefront of my mind and releasing things that don’t serve me. I’m calling it forgiving the past.

So, maybe you expected a blog about freedom, but it really turned out to be about forgiveness. Maybe you think you need to cultivate one aspect of your life when another area is ready for action. TRS Ranch Retreats will give you the quiet space you need to initiate your shift in perspective and explore what needs attention. Your freedom awaits.

Namaste,

Transform Restore your Spirit . . . Tami