Peek Inside: Ceremonies of Compassion
Ceremonies of Compassion are lovely ways of honoring yourself, your baby, your path and journey. Here is a lovely ceremony to peek at: Self-Forgiveness Ceremony: Five.
Self-Forgiveness Ceremony: Five
You cannot force, rush, or manipulate forgiveness.
Forgiving is a process, which opens and unfolds over time.
- Jill Hopkins, from Welcoming the Soul of a Child
There is purpose and intrinsic value in forgiveness. With forgiveness comes the gift of freedom, as our burdens are lessened and released. Forgiveness does not condone hurtful words or actions; rather, it is granted in spite of them. It is a gift you give to yourself, to free yourself from the weight of painful burdens. Forgiveness may take more than one session.
The Self-Forgiveness Ceremony includes Acknowledgement of the Identified Mother-Wound(s), Immersion of your hands into Soothing, Sensual Objects, speaking Words of Forgiveness, and lots of un-hurried space for yourself.
To begin, look back at your Blossoming Heart of Compassion pages. For each hurt you have identified, perform your Self-Forgiveness Ceremony.
Soothing, Sensual Objects:
You may wish to continue straight into the Words of Forgiveness, but perhaps you’d enjoy the lovely addition of soothing, sensual objects to your ceremony. The idea is that as you say your Words of Forgiveness, you dip your hands into these objects, and then let them slip through your fingers, flow out of your hands, over and over, to help bring out those feelings of release and peace. These objects are simple, and feel good to hold, and slip easily out of your hands. They can include:
* beach sand * a bowl of dried lentils
* glass beads or marbles * a bucket of clear, cold water
* buttons * flower petals
* small, smooth pebbles * dried rice mixed with lavender
Other ideas:
* Sit on the beach, and let the sand drift through your hands
* Stand hip-deep in a calm lake or a river, or sit in a bath. Dip your hands in the water, and let it spill and flow from your hands.
Words of Forgiveness:
I seek the sacred release that comes from self-forgiveness.
Do this separately for each hurt you have identified. Give yourself time. Do not rush or push yourself. Self-forgiveness is a tremendous gift, given only when the heart is truly willing, brimming with compassion. When you are ready, slowly say aloud:
I choose to forgive myself.
In this, I am free of this burden.
I am forgiven.
I cannot change the past. I welcome the sacred release that comes from the acknowledgement of my experiences, and the acceptance of the permanence of this loss.
I am released.
Repeat these words or your own version until you feel a release – an opening in your heart space. Forgive slowly, clearly, one hurt at a time. Don’t rush or force it, but let your forgiveness emerge and blossom from your innermost depths of your heart.
Draw or paint your Self-Forgiveness Ceremony. Capture the words or images that describe any feelings of release or opening that you experience. Where, in your body, did you experience those sensations?
Add the colors and images of Self-Forgiveness to these journal pages.
Close your ceremony with a spontaneous song. Don’t worry if you can sing or carry a tune – sing to yourself to close this ritual.
Excerpts from: Mending Invisible Wings, pp. 125-126. ©2009
Self-Forgiveness Ceremony: Five
You cannot force, rush, or manipulate forgiveness.
Forgiving is a process, which opens and unfolds over time.
- Jill Hopkins, from Welcoming the Soul of a Child
There is purpose and intrinsic value in forgiveness. With forgiveness comes the gift of freedom, as our burdens are lessened and released. Forgiveness does not condone hurtful words or actions; rather, it is granted in spite of them. It is a gift you give to yourself, to free yourself from the weight of painful burdens. Forgiveness may take more than one session.
The Self-Forgiveness Ceremony includes Acknowledgement of the Identified Mother-Wound(s), Immersion of your hands into Soothing, Sensual Objects, speaking Words of Forgiveness, and lots of un-hurried space for yourself.
To begin, look back at your Blossoming Heart of Compassion pages. For each hurt you have identified, perform your Self-Forgiveness Ceremony.
Soothing, Sensual Objects:
You may wish to continue straight into the Words of Forgiveness, but perhaps you’d enjoy the lovely addition of soothing, sensual objects to your ceremony. The idea is that as you say your Words of Forgiveness, you dip your hands into these objects, and then let them slip through your fingers, flow out of your hands, over and over, to help bring out those feelings of release and peace. These objects are simple, and feel good to hold, and slip easily out of your hands. They can include:
* beach sand * a bowl of dried lentils
* glass beads or marbles * a bucket of clear, cold water
* buttons * flower petals
* small, smooth pebbles * dried rice mixed with lavender
Other ideas:
* Sit on the beach, and let the sand drift through your hands
* Stand hip-deep in a calm lake or a river, or sit in a bath. Dip your hands in the water, and let it spill and flow from your hands.
Words of Forgiveness:
I seek the sacred release that comes from self-forgiveness.
Do this separately for each hurt you have identified. Give yourself time. Do not rush or push yourself. Self-forgiveness is a tremendous gift, given only when the heart is truly willing, brimming with compassion. When you are ready, slowly say aloud:
I choose to forgive myself.
In this, I am free of this burden.
I am forgiven.
I cannot change the past. I welcome the sacred release that comes from the acknowledgement of my experiences, and the acceptance of the permanence of this loss.
I am released.
Repeat these words or your own version until you feel a release – an opening in your heart space. Forgive slowly, clearly, one hurt at a time. Don’t rush or force it, but let your forgiveness emerge and blossom from your innermost depths of your heart.
Draw or paint your Self-Forgiveness Ceremony. Capture the words or images that describe any feelings of release or opening that you experience. Where, in your body, did you experience those sensations?
Add the colors and images of Self-Forgiveness to these journal pages.
Close your ceremony with a spontaneous song. Don’t worry if you can sing or carry a tune – sing to yourself to close this ritual.
Excerpts from: Mending Invisible Wings, pp. 125-126. ©2009