Hi John

I do agree that the deeper mechanism/concept of forgiveness is self love. But I also understand that there are many things that get buried in the subconscious mind that need to be brought out into the light of day before one can start on the road to self love. And especially if as a child the person has been beaten, bullied or molested etc..... its much harder for those people who have suffered deeply in childhood.

To quote from Enoch Tan's site:

[quote]The law of attraction says that what you focus on with your consciousness wíll be caused to manifest in your experience of reality. Therefore whether you focus on what you desire or do not desire, you wíll experience more of those things you focus on. But at the same time, the things we focus on happen at a time when we are not focusing on them, and sometimes they do not happen at all. Such a paradox can be explained by how the law of attraction works with the law of free wíll. The law of free wíll says that choice is based on awareness. A choice can only be made if consciousness is aware of it.
http://www.dreammanifesto.com/your-emot ... ks-it.html

A person would have to be aware of their choices first before they can break free and forgive.

I haven't thought about it for a long time, but I agree that compassion is the key to unlock the dysfunctíon....but I also know that its not easy for a person to feel compassion when they are in internal (emotional) pain. Its something they would have to strive for to overcóme the pain they do feel. Years ago I was awoken during the night by my son when he was a young boy.... as I became conscious I found myself sitting at the feet of a Buddhist monk in orange robes in a hut somewhere and the monk was teaching me about compassion. So I realised it was important, and over the years every time I felt compassion it wiped away the anger and pain.

I truly enjoy reading your insights John and you help me to put things together that I have experienced and forgotten about. I go right back in my mind and piece things together and get a better perspective of what they meant.

Pen

John wrote:
Hi Pen,

The powér of forgivness is best applied towards the self. It is central to the concept of "self love".

I suspect that this practice is not easily done until forgivness has been applied towards others. I never understood why people carry bitterness around with them. It is without question a very self destructive energy.

What I notice is that some of us are locked into that perspective where their life is at the mercy of others. Once we are living in that reality then being unforgiving can becóme a way of life.

I conclude that the first thing to appreciate is that we create the life we have. Until a person can actually grasp this perspective they are truly the victom of their beliefs.

Now the energy of compassion itself can unlock that cycle of dysfunctíon. I strive to encourage compassion whenever I can because it is a powérful healing energy. Whenever a peson becómes compasionate, they break the grip that fear has on them.

These are my thoughts on this subject.

John