It seems that no matter where I look or what I do, I see what I feel are injustices in the world. People are being denied the right to vote. Nature has destroyed it's own beauty during storms. Children are going to bed hungry and sick every day. People are being hurt emotionally, physically and spiritually and are fighting each other for what they feel is a just cause not seeing that they are hurting themselves.
However being angry and holding a grudge against another is, energetically, like taking poison and expecting someone else to die. Anger destroys the immune system and poisons our ability to emotionally express ourselves. It does nothing to the people with whom we're angry. A perspective that's been helpful in diffusing my anger came when I realized that, while I was sitting around stewing the person with whom I was angry was entirely oblivious to my pain! The fact that I hated what they had done or their behavior in a way that caused my stomach to hurt and inhibited my ability to effectively carry on the business of my own heart, didn't impact their lives in the least. They continued to enjoy their relationships and activities without giving a single thought to my feelings. That realization made it clear to me that my grudge of anger was only harming me and gave me the motivation to deal with it.
ANTIDOTE
The antidote to anger is forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean that it's now okay with me that someone else's behavior/choices caused me pain. Forgiveness doesn't mean that I think I deserved what happened. Forgiveness doesn't mean that I absolve the person who caused me pain from responsibility for their actions. That is a pardon...not forgiveness. Nor does forgiveness mean that my viewpoint has changed and I've decided that what was done was fair or equitable, or correct action. Forgiveness simply means that I give up any hope that the past could be different. Forgiveness is the way I can cut the cord that binds me to the people who caused me pain, allowing the consequences of their actions to be between them and their higher power, where it belongs and releasing me from the task of acting as judge and jury, which isn't my job, anyway. I am not here to judge. Besides I feel Karma does exist and that everyone's lessons are their own. I cannot take on your lessons any more then you can take on mine. Letting go of the energy ties of anger that bind me to any perpetrator has been an act of empowerment on my part -- reclaiming control of my feelings and no longer allowing that other person's past actions to taint my enjoyment of life in the present. I try to live in the NOW moment.
DECISIONS
In my path of spiritual development, I had to make hard choices and set priorities. I asked myself, "Is it important for me to hold this grudge of anger because I'm afraid that if I work through it and forgive, that the same thing might happen again and cause me even more pain that I might not be able to deal with?" Is it more important for "me to be right...or at peace?" I also learned to not just "listen" to what I said, but also to "watch" what I did, and to work out any needed adjustments in integrity. I try to always be "in alignment" at all times.
MY KARMA
I have realized that for me to become a happy and well-adjusted human, it's necessary to learn to trust my own judgment and value my own opinions over those of others. It's good to take the sound viewpoints of people who have proven trustworthy into consideration when making decisions, but at the end of the day, I am the one who has to live with my choices, as well as the way I choose to react to the actions of others. My life...My lessons...My Karma. I believe God has heard my prayers. I also remember that sometimes his answer is no. All that I perceive in life has a purpose. Things do happen for a reason although we may not know why at the time. I believe that we are here to be Lightworkers and to hold the light for those that currently feel that they are in the dark. I believe that we are all one in the Love of God.
Peace, Love, Joy and Abundance in all good things to you my friend. Together we will work to shift the perception of lack and fear to abundance and Love.
