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Idea of the Week

What does forgiveness mean to us? Does it have anything to do with effectiveness, power, and strength?

For many of us, we grew up with a notion of forgiveness as something "sweet" to do, something "nice," something "holy."  But how many of us, when facing the grevious actions of another, feel sweet, nice, or holy?  Haven't we also been taught that forgiveness is somehow related to condoning behavior, and at the very least, becoming a doormat to its perpetrators? Why would any intelligent person want that?!

These are the questions we must face in our individual lives, that we might have clarity as to how to handle these issues collectively and powerfully. We must re-examine what it means to forgive, and why this has been encouraged throughout the ages for our own sake.

Dan Milman, author, states that the only control we have in increasing our power, is managing energy leaks. A grudge is such a leak, as it removes a portion of our attention from creative thought. A grudge is a past-focused activity, that robs us of some of our capacity to create a future. Forgiveness, in its truest form, plugs this leak, and frees us to move forward with all our personal "might."

So does forgiveness call us to be peaceful and passive?

Peaceful, yes. Passive, no.

The peace that we are talking about is inner peace: peace within our own sphere. The peace of seeing clearly what is before us; and the ability to be intelligent, compassionate, and precise in thought and action. Anger but rattles clarity, whereas peace breathes it. And in order to create a life for ourselves without the distracting rattling of anger, we must forgive. This "plugs the leak" in our power and restores 100% of the force of creation to back us.

So who do you personally need to forgive? And what will you create when you are done?

Copyright 2001 By Elizabeth Mullen. All rights reserved. May be duplicated in its entirety with contact information intact for not-for-profit purposes only. Contact: em@cornerstonecoaching.com or call toll free 1-877-532-0403.

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CORNERSTONE QUOTE OF THE WEEK: A "no" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble. - Gandhi

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