In this chapter, Murphy talks about the importance of forgiveness and the connection it has to our subconscious mind. I am sure that everyone out there has been wronged at some point in their life. Maybe someone hurt you or treated you unfairly. In turn, it is also likely that you were the culprit of unfair actions towards others as well. Maybe you are carrying around guilt or can't let go of the painful memories left over from a specific incident. Murphy discusses that we must release these distressing moments in order to create a wonderful, happy, and prosperous life for ourselves.
I especially like the way Murphy begins this chapter when he says, "Life plays no favorites. God is Life, and this Life and this Life Principle is flowing through you this moment. God loves to express Himself as harmony, peace, beauty, joy and abundance through you. This is called the will of God or the tendency of life."
Many times people blame God or life for their problems. They insist that they are merely unlucky, born into the wrong family, or struck with a horrible disease or short coming. Haven't you heard that saying, "life isn't fair"? If you truly believe this then you have just shackled your own chains and tied yourself to a life of despair. You have, as Murphy puts it, set up a "mental resistance to the flow of Life by accusing and reproaching God for the sin, sickness, and suffering of mankind."
When you buy into this idea you are punishing yourself and preventing amazing blessings from entering your life.
The next paragraph of this chapter is intriguing. It is titled, "Life Always Forgives You." Have you ever thought about life forgiving you before? Murphy uses the example of when you cut your finger. What happens to it? Well, the cells regenerate and it heals. You are not condemned to have a bleeding sore on your hand for the rest of your life. Even if you knew better to chop carrots when you were distracted, or you knew that you should've put gloves on.. your finger still heals. Your subconscious is working for you to preserve your life and maintain your health. "Life holds no grudges against you and it is always forgiving you."
Guilt is a terrible emotion that many people suffer with today. Murphy discusses two specific examples of people that were dealing with guilt so heavy it greatly burdened their lives. In the first example, a man had ill feelings towards his brother who passed away. He was never given the opportunity to amend their relationship so he now punished himself internally and was working himself to a place of physical harm. Murphy responds to this gentleman by explaining an essential component to the workings of our lives. "If you misuse the laws of life, you will suffer accordingly." He continues to explain, "The forces of nature are not evil; it is your use of them that determines whether they have a good or evil effect. Electricity is not evil; it depends how you use it, whether to burn down a structure or light up a home. The only sin is ignorance of the law, and the only punishment is the automatic reaction of man's misuse of the law."
I think specifically of the law of attraction in this instance. Whatever you put out into the universe will come back to you. How are you choosing to use this law? Are you filling yourself with negative thoughts of despair, lack, and fear? Or, are you going to use it to benefit you, use it for good, and find yourself successful, happy, and receiving abundant blessings? When you are using these laws for the purpose that they are not intended for, you will find consequences. Do not put shackles on yourself and walk down the miserable road of a mental prison.
One of the ways that Murphy was able to help the gentlemen release the burden of guilt is to remind him that he is no longer the person he was when he did the wrong doing. The man had obviously changed his ways, was making better choices, and was trying to live a life filled with integrity. Murphy pointed out that every 11 months our every cell of our body changes. Therefore he explained to the man that physically and mentally he was actually not the same person. By receiving this information he was able to release his guilt.
In the next paragraph, Murphy talks about something that can cause emotional discomfort to many of us on a daily basis. Criticism. When we receive criticism from a colleague, family member, or friend, many times our reaction is not favorable. However, it is important to take a moment and decipher if the criticism came from a place of love and truth. If so, these critiques are merely to help us grow and we should thank the person for their findings. On the other hand, if these comments come from a place of competition or prejudice, we can only control our own emotional reactions. Murphy says that when this happens, "to understand this fact is to be compassionate. The next logical step would be to pray for the other person's peace, harmony, and understanding. You cannot be hurt when you know that you are master of your thoughts, reactions, and emotions. Emotions follow thoughts, and you have the power to reject all thoughts, which may disturb or upset you."
Something that Murphy doesn't mention, but that I think is just as important, is to make sure you are not criticizing others unfairly as well. Yes, we need to learn how to deal with the comments of others, but what words are we providing to those around us. As I discussed in other posts many times it is too easy to become jealous or competitive with people that seem to be experiencing success. We may then choose to focus on their negative qualities or pick on every short coming that they have in order to make ourselves feel better. When we do this, according the to the law of Attraction, we will then draw this time of criticism right back to ourselves.
Next, Murphy discusses a wedding he was asked to officiate. Two hours past the time the wedding was supposed to begin, it was discovered that the groom had left the bride at the altar. He notes her reaction as it showed complete faith in God. The bride stated that she prayed for divine action and that to get married to this man must not have been the right action because her prayer was for right action for both of them.
When you have complete faith, amazing things will happen and you will find yourself at ease emotionally. Murphy writes, "Tune in with the infinite intelligence within your subconscious depths, trusting the answer in the same way that you trusted your mother when she held you in her arms. This is how you can acquire poise and mental and emotional health." I love the way he uses the example of being held in your mother's arms. When you were young and your parents held you, you knew that nothing would ever do you harm. You felt safe, protected, loved and cared for. There was no appearance of fear or anxiety. How amazing would it be if we could allow ourselves to feel that way about life and everything that happens to us? I think many of us have an outlook of fear and want to protect ourselves from everyone around us. We are so quick to think that people are out to betray us and we walk around with our guards up constantly. Instead, if we can live in a constant state of faith our fear would fade away and we would open ourselves up to receive all of the blessings of the world.
Forgiveness is Necessary for Healing. In the next paragraph of the chapter, Murphy comes back to the concept of releasing emotional turmoil. He writes, "In the psychosomatic field of medicine today, it is being constantly stressed that resentment, condemnation of others, remorse, and hostility are behind a host of maladies ranging from arthritis to cardiac disease." This makes a lot of sense to me. I have heard that one of the greatest sources of illness is stress. What causes us stress? Work? The people we see on a daily basis? Deadlines? By allowing these things to cause emotional uproar in your spirit you are holding onto a wound and not allowing it to heal.
If this is something that I am experiencing and I am aware of it, my biggest question would be, "What next?"
The first thing Murphy says you need to do is forgive someone. (Whether it be another person or yourself). An important note he makes is that just because you forgive someone it does not mean that you suddenly like them. He also says that you can show love or love someone without liking them as well. It is an important fact to clarify as many of us still feel like we can't forgive someone if they continue to do wrong and we cannot become their friend. That is not what Murphy is asking to do. This is about you and your own internal emotions, not the friendship you will magically develop.
Next, Murphy says to complete the following technique: "Quiet your mind, relax, and let go. Think of God and His love for you, and then affirm, ' I fully and freely forgive (mention the name of the offender); I release him mentally and spiritually. I completely forgive everything connected with the matter in question. I am free, and he/she is free. It is a marvelous feeling. It is my day of general amnesty. I release anybody and everybody who had ever hurt me, and I wish for each and everyone health, happiness, peace, and all the blessings of life. I do this freely, joyously, and lovingly, and whenever i think of the person or persons who hurt me, I say, 'I have release you, and the blessings of life are yours.' I am free and you are free. It is wonderful!"
Once you have done this, Murphy says that you will not have to do it again. It is unnecessary to repeat the prayer. If the person or memory pops into your mind and wills you to have an emotional reaction, simply stop, and think "peace be to you."
In the next paragraph Murphy offers a sort of test that will help you determine if you have truly offered forgiveness. He says that when you hear something positive about the person who did you wrong pay attention to your emotions. If you are able to feel happy, or even if you feel nothing at all, you have fully let go. However, if you find yourself starting to "sizzle" you are still harboring resentment and ill feelings towards this person. If you find yourself experiencing the later remind yourself to have compassion and take a moment to pray for that person's good will. Pray for their health, success, and happiness. It is ok to have the memory of the incident, but it should not cause you anymore internal pain or negative reactions.
I wonder sometimes, how incidents where we were mistreated affect our future outlook on life. This goes back to what I mentioned earlier in this post, about how some people walk around guarded and full of fear. Since one person hurt us, we may be on the look out for someone else to do the same. It is almost as though trust for humanity is lost. I come back to the law of attraction in this case- what are you looking for? If your brain is on red alert all of the time, looking out for the negative or the "bad guys" I bet that is what you will inevitably find. But, if you put on the faith mindset that is looking for good in the world, the blessings, the favor, you may find something different.
When you are filled with faith your expectancy changes. You are focused on the good and the positive instead of the scary and negative. When you develop your faith so strongly so that you feel as though you are being held in your mother's arms, you have brought the law into your hands. You are free to use it.
Forgiveness can be difficult for some people to obtain. Murphy does a beautiful job outlining how we too can let go and in turn open up our hearts, minds, and spirits to all things good. Remember, that no one else is responsible for or can prevent your happiness. For as a man thinketh in his hart, so is he. PROVERBS 23:7
Other Important Notes from this Chapter:
*Your concept of God is the most important thing in your life. If you really believe in a God of love, your subconscious mind will respond in countless blessings to you. Believe in a God of love.
*Your guilt complex is a false concept of God and Life. God, or Life, does not punish or judge you. You do this to yourself by your false beliefs, negative thinking, and self condemnation.
*The forces of nature are not evil. The effect of their use depends on how you use the power within you. You can use electricity to kill someone or to light the house. You can use water to drown a child or quench his thirst. Good and evil come right back to the though and purse in man's own mind.
*If another criticizes you, and these faults are within you, rejoice, give thanks, and appreciate the comments. This gives you the opportunity to correct the particular fault.
*You cannot be hurt by criticism when you know that you are the master of your thoughts, reactions, and emotions. This gives you the opportunity to pray and bless the other, thereby blessing yourself.
*When you pray for guidance and right action, take what comes. Realize it is good and very good. Then there is no cause for self pity, criticism, or hatred.
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