There are two plans for forgiveness available to us. Most of us have been running the wrong one for years without knowing it.
Here’s what A Course in Miracles says in Chapter 9, in The Holy Spirit’s Plan of Forgiveness: “The ego, too, has a plan of forgiveness because you are asking for one, though not of the right teacher. The ego’s plan, of course, makes no sense and will not work.”
The ego’s plan is you saying, simply, “I forgive,” without changing your mind about anything.
And then, “Look at me! I forgave! I’m so much better than them. I forgave them! They hurt me, and I forgave them!” We know that doesn’t work, because we still feel the resentment. We still feel the hurt. We still feel the wound.
If your practice of forgiveness sounds like “They’ve done me wrong, and they shouldn’t have, and I’m so hurt, but I’m going to rise above it and forgive them” then you’re in the ego’s plan for forgiveness.
That plan has a signature. It has to make the wrong real first.
You know you haven’t forgiven when you still feel upset.
If you say you’ve forgiven and you’re not at Peace, then that forgiveness is only in the intellect. It’s not in your heart. You’re still holding the judgment, and the resentment, and the regret, and you haven’t released it in your mind.
The Holy Spirit’s plan sounds completely different. It’s a relaxing of the ego-mind rather than a rising above anything. It sounds like this:
- I’m never upset for the reason I think.
- I don’t know what anything is for.
- Everything has been gently planned by One Whose only interest is my good.
- I’m releasing all the meaning I’ve made of this.
- I’m accepting the good that’s encoded in this experience.
In truth, there’s nothing to forgive because we’re experiencing an illusion. There’s nothing to judge. So there’s no judgment to energize, and none to release.
Notice the difference in your body when you read those two plans. One of them makes you tighter. One of them lets something go.
This is deep work, and I’m so glad we’re doing it together.
FREE FORGIVENESS WORKSHOP If you’d like to practice this kind of honest looking in community, my FREE Forgiveness Workshop on August 29 is a beautiful place to begin. Click here now to learn more and register.
My Finding Freedom From Fear Bootcamp is 90 days of moving out of coping and into real trust, faith and listening to the higher wisdom, together. This is my longest running program – popular because it is such a game changer. Are you up for truly moving past fear? I only offer this once per year – We start in September! Click here now to learn more now.
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NEW PODCAST EPISODE: What To Do When Someone Blames You. A family member got upset with me and told me it was my fault. I didn’t attack back. I didn’t defend myself. I didn’t need him to admit he was wrong, and I didn’t make him wrong either. What I felt toward him instead is the part I’m still grateful for. Chapter 29 of A Course in Miracles. The gap between you and your brother.
