"Forgive the World" -- What Does it Mean?

Forgiving the world...it seems like a daunting task.  There's a lot of pain out there.  In fact, there's a lot of suffering close-by.  Where do we even start?

When it comes to forgiving the world, we need to look at how forgiving plays out in both our immediate world and the greater world at large.

Forgiving in Our Own Backyard   In our immediate world, we can forgive the things that come up on an every day basis.  Whenever we feel frustrated, angry or hurt by the people or events that surround us, we need to do a little forgiveness work.  This can be done right on the spot, or it can be saved for a quiet moment later.  I like to review my day each night in bed and forgive anything disturbing that happened.

Global Forgiveness   Forgiving the world at large is a different kind of forgiveness.  It means releasing attachment.  It means that we watch what is happening in Israel, in the Ukraine, in Syria or wherever, from arms length, yet with an understanding that suffering  is occurring.  As we observe, we do not allow our thoughts to mentally sink down with fear and angst for the events that we see.

Just as we forgive the bullies in our immediate world, we also need to forgive the bullies of the world at large. And this we can add to our nightly forgiveness work.

Mind Work   However, when we think about the victims, we must not become upset and focused on the unfairness of it all.  Thoughts are creative and this kind of thinking holds the victims down.  If we want their lives to improve, we need to see them in their strength and truth.  We must hold the mental high ground with images of their higher source and true potential.  (Of course, this doesn't mean that we refrain from providing the help needed.  If there is something we can do, whatever it is, we can feel free to contribute.)

Remember that forgiveness happens on the mental plane.   We must hold a vision that helps the victims and sufferers to rise up.  It is our job to find the vision for peace.  It is our job to forgive and to see love as a real possibility.

World Peace Starts at Home, Inside   Of course, our biggest contribution to the healing of the world is the work we do on our very own minds.  We must release our habits of judging others.  If we want to heal the world, we must heal our own thinking first.  When our minds become a place of peace, the world will reflect that.  When we stop the attack thoughts that frequent our minds, when our minds become gentle, the world will too.

Remember that all minds are joined.  We can lift others up.  By filling our minds with love, we are showing others the pathway to peace.   And loving thoughts have so much more power than fearful thoughts.  It starts right here, right now, with us.  Each of us has the opportunity to contribute to the forgiving and healing of the world.