What I cannot understand is that why should we seek forgiveness and grant forgiveness only on special days. In reality, my dear ones we should be practicing this three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. Forgiveness means different things to different people. It involves an intentional decision to become free of resentment and anger. It also means ridding oneself of hurts and offences.

The concept in Hindu Dharma is being compassionate, letting go of the hurt or harm caused by someone. In the Bhagwad Gita (16.03) it is written that forgiveness characterizes the godly. It also adds that our mind soon finds some other wrong for which to get even. And this sequence of finding wrongs and getting even goes on all our lives, and in the other ongoing lives. The way out of this Jaal (net) is forgiveness.

Mahatma Gandhi said that the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

How does one become strong? What is the definition of strong? We are referring to being spiritually strong. It is when one is seeking a deeper meaning in life and when one has greater understanding about one’s beliefs and daily interactions.

Start with breath awareness

The Yogic method guides one to becoming spiritually aware and strong. It is daily sadhana. The sadhana starts with breath awareness. Breath Awareness is when one is aware of one’s inhalations and exhalations. Next step is one closes one’s eyes and counts one’s breath backwards. Like this, 27 I am breathing out, 27 I am breathing out until the end. No errors are to be made, because then one has to start again. Then one becomes aware of the process of respiration. We ignore this process, take it for granted.

Respiration is the key for learning how to forgive. When inhaling, one visualizes the breath with prana going to the lungs. While exhaling one visualizes the carbon dioxide and toxins being expelled through the lungs. This is referred to as external respiration. Practice 27 times, feel the cool air going in through the nostrils and the warm air being expelled through the nostrils. Now one visualizes the breath with prana going through the nostrils during inhalation, then there is a pause. It is automatic.

During this pause the pranic oxygen works on one’s digestion and assimilation. It goes to each and every cell nourishing it. During exhalation the cells expel the toxic thoughts, toxins, and carbon dioxide from each and every cell. There is an automatic pause again and our psychic nadis are nourished. This is called internal respiration. Respiration comprises external and internal respiration. It is done without our awareness. Now we have become conscious of the complicated process of respiration and how it affects us.

Samvrit Sadhana is our last step

We close our eyes, inhale to the count of 5, visualize our breath with prana going to the lungs, pause to the count of 5, visualize the pranic oxygen going to each and every cell in our system, exhale to the count of 5 and visualize our toxic thoughts and toxins being expelled through the cells to the lungs and out through the nostrils. Again, we pause to the count of 5. And start again. 27 rounds, counting backwards. With regular practice, we can introduce the mantra So Ham and ujjayi pranayama. So (Inhalation) Ham (Exhalation) means merging of the individual consciousness with supreme consciousness, and ujjayi pranayama means to gain victory over one’s breath. Ujjayi is performed by inhaling, contracting one’s throat while pausing and then exhaling and releasing the contraction. The sound that emerges is like a baby’s or a puppy’s snore.

What happens now? We are able to ignore our thoughts, let them go and this leads to forgiveness. Since we are not gnawing on the poisonous internal chatter, we become free and do not hold grudges. You will be surprised how light you will feel because you are in harmony with the universe and yourself. You will look upon others with compassion and love. You are on the path of becoming spiritually strong. You are learning to give and seek forgiveness.

Aim Hrim Klim

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