Yoga and the art of forgiveness

It seems to me that life has its ups and downs and it is how we choose to handle them that really counts. I have many friends and they all have their positive and negative sides. I actually feel honoured and lucky to see both sides of these people and feel that my yoga practice and studies have enabled me to see these people as my true friends and not to judge their tricky bits.

We are all human beings and all of us slip up from time to time. It is these slip ups that test a friendship or relationship I am beginning to understand. It is all very well to be sunning yourself on the golden sands on holiday with your husband and family and feeling so truly happy and at peace. We should feel that there, on holiday, phone not ringing, no school drops offs at the correct time, yes, it is blissful and we feel the love from the inside out.

But what about when we don’t make the drop off in time, the kids spread their (made with love) lunch all over the back seat and we find ourselves getting snappy and short tempered with the people we do really and truly love. Well to me, that is when my yoga practice is beginning to step in and help me find some much needed and quite frankly, appreciated compassion and therefore forgiveness.

Human beings are vastly different and it is these differences that can be celebrated rather than berated when they become obvious. My daughter is just learning to control and handle her excitement at various experiences. I can help her with this and she will feel secure and loved from this place of security. This way, she will understand that her mum is on her side and a few slip ups along the path of life are not the end of the story. Try and try again and find that forgiveness.

To allow anyone to feel as though they can mess up a little bit and not be persecuted for that crime is very freeing and it is amazing what can come from this place of security.

My yoga practice is helping me to become less judgemental of people. I am able to witness their short comings and their wonderful aspects but not judge them to something that I do not do. Practice is a part of yoga, practice, practice and all is coming..... Shri K Patabhi Jois of Mysore, India states this. If we continue the practice of yoga, all will be revealed and all will become calm and light filled. This is the same for life.

Forgiving someone will ultimately leave you feeling good, if you allow it to. My business partner recently forgot to order the main component of our business. When we came to production day we were very short and the whole day was not as successful as it could have been. Rather annoying actually but would it help me to remind and remind her that she had made a mistake, I don’t think so. She was all to aware of what she had done. Allowing her the space to take responsibility and move forward was the answer and she welcomed this and was grateful. She is my business partner and obviously wants our product to be good and sell well. I believe next time she will order on time and not forget.

Forgiveness is something we can work on and cultivate for the entirety of our lifetime. It does become easier and is always so well received. Yoga is an awakening of our consciousness and compassion and forgiveness are so beautiful. Work on this, open your heart and your friends and family will thank you for it so much.

Om shanti