As I’m preparing for this week’s classes in Living A Course in Miracles – the topic is Forgiveness & Relationships – I’m contemplating the nature of forgiveness daily. I have come to think of forgiveness in three primary aspects:
1 – Forgiveness is Love
2 – Forgiveness is non-judgment
3 – Forgiveness is medicine
In our class on Friday, I was sharing that my understanding is, if I do not judge, then there is nothing to forgive. Forgiveness implies that there’s been a judgment made. It is big medicine for all beings when we make a commitment to live a nonjudgmental life.
This practice of non judgment isn’t easy, but neither is suffering. The less you judge, the less you suffer. And the less you suffer the greater the chances are that you will share your gifts and talents with the world rather than your suffering. Big medicine indeed!
Affirmation:
My walk is a medicine walk! I release all judgments and choose Love instead!
Hi Jennifer, Thank you so very much for today’s daily prayer & the Living ACIM tele-class – I can literally feel my mind expanding into more awareness & freedom! I indeed shared lessons & your webpage with family & friends.
Question for you: I totally can see and love the framework, “If I do not judge, there is nothing to forgive”. It works very well for me, especially because I find that I judge myself, even more than anyone else. However, I am still trying to reconcile two pre-existing notions or better yet, questions:
(1) What does it really mean to judge? How do I know when I am judging – either myself or others? What’s the line btw judging and being in awareness of a mis-take (love that too!) I have made?
(2) Based on, “if I do not judge, there is no need for forgiveness”. Does it mean it is not okay to ask for forgiveness, when you think you may have offended or when others indicate that you have? If I am asking for forgiveness in these scenarios, does that mean I am juding myself – and is that not the goal?
I am someone who can easily say, “I’m sorry”. I say it so much that my significant other tells me I say it to much and alerts me it could be a sign of weakness. I understand his sentiments, but my goal is to move out of the anger or suffering as fast as possible. So, I try my best to see the lesson, see the love, see the opportunity to do both as fast as I can. So, the “I’m sorry. I made a mis-take” flows easily. I will say that I am still working on making sure I free myself once I’ve made it – at times, self-judgment or judgment that the other person did not say it (which I am working on asking w/o expecting to receive it) in return. Still growing… Would love your thoughts.
I ask these questions here because I am only am able to listen to the replays & so cannot post live comments, but I am so looking forward to this last class and I send the warmest energy to you for a successful teaching! Happy for you that your throat has healed 🙂