My Spanish guru suggested me this spiritual exercise in an effort to help me release some burdens and unsolved matters with very specific people from my past.
Take a piece of paper and write down the names of the people that have wronged or hurt you in the past. Is it only one? Does the list go on and on and on? Doesn’t matter. This exercise is for you.
Once you are done with the list, add phrases like “I forgive you”. “I thank you”. “I wish you well”.
Fold the paper and turn it into a boat. Release it in a river or a creek. Keep saying goodbye to it until you can’t see it anymore. Mine was starting to drown as it got wet, and at some point, it mimicked the sunlight reflections on the water. I decided to close my eyes and count to 46: the number of years I have been on this Earth. Each count was followed by a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes, the boat was gone, but most importantly, the SADNESS was GONE.
I couldn’t believe such a simple action would bring me such enormous peace of mind. I truly felt RELIEVED and happy for the first time in days.
Sure, it was not about the actual paper boat, it was about WHAT THIS EXERCISE MEANT, ITS PURPOSE AND THE POWER I GAVE TO IT.
And that is the lesson right there: we decide what we give power to, we decide what weaken us, empower us, consume us or destroy us.
Forgiveness is the route to true and total freedom. Do not allow resentment to steal the joy in your life.