Happy Global Forgiveness Day!

Forgiveness, the quintessential human quality, is sometimes undervalued in our lives. Different dictionaries define the term in their own ways. Psychologists define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance towards a person or a group. All religions around the world preach the importance of the role that forgiveness plays in one’s spiritual development. And also, a special day has been dedicated in the name of the Global Forgiveness Day. This day reminds us to set all our differences aside and work on forgiving the hurts and conflicts that have happened in our life, so that we can start living with oneness between each other.

As per Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an enlightened being, “Life is not meant for hurting anyone. If you hurt the person, you will surely have to amend the situation.” Amending the situation means to forgive and avoid ruminating on thoughts of being hurt by others. Initially, it might not seem easy to forgive someone who has wronged us, but ultimately it is we who suffer in such a situation, because the sorrow is intensified when we keep the hurt alive. And if we continue to hold onto it for long, these toxic and destructive emotions have the potential to cause several physical and mental dis-eases to us.

So the next obvious question might be, how do we forgive someone when they continue to hurt us again and again? Param Pujya Dadashri gives us practical ways to immune ourselves from the hurt and suffering caused by others.

Param Pujya Dadashri says, “Try as best as you can to explain to him in a gentle manner. There is no other way because you do not have any control over the matter. You have no choice other than to forgive him. If you do not forgive, you will end up forgiving after more suffering.”

Isn’t this an easy way out?

This was about when someone hurts us by his thoughts, words or actions, but what if people are hurt because of our thoughts, words or actions? In that case, of course, asking for forgiveness is the only way out. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan has given us the tool of PRATIKRAMAN for it.

So what is Pratikraman?

Pratikraman means to ask for forgiveness for any negative feelings that are harbored by us for the other person. Atikraman means to walk on the wrong path and Pratikraman means to retrace our footsteps.

How to do pratikraman?

It is very easy. Think of the person whom you have hurt and pray to his inner pure Soul by saying, “Dear Soul, I apologize for having hurt this person. I seek forgiveness for this hurt that I have caused. And I strongly resolve to not repeat this mistake ever again.”

Anger, resentment, seeing faults of others, etc. keep us stuck in the past as we keep replaying the incident of the hurt of suffering, again and again. If we want a happier life, it is important to let go of the toxic emotions, forgive the perpetrator, and ask for forgiveness for the hurt caused to us and/or by us.

So come, on this occasion of Global Forgiveness Day, let us resolve to free ourselves from the past by forgiving all and seeking forgiveness from all those whom we have hurt by our mind, speech and body, and thus create a miracle in our life by living in the present moment!