Why the World Feels Like a Psycho Planet — and How Forgiveness Frees

What’s Going On Here?

This place is nuts. 

Psycho Planet

Photo by 愚木混株 Yumu on Unsplash

I used to think I was relatively happy, but as I began to study A Course in Miracles (ACIM), it dawned on me just how much true tragedy and difficulty we all accept as normal every single day. We accept rejection. We accept disappointments. We accept frustration, refusals, and the constant “No” that seems to be part of life at every turn. We accept lack—or only some instead of all. 

Life’s Challenges Have Always Been Crazy 

We rarely even blink at the craziest things. We might shake our heads a little, but mostly, we accept that this is just “the way of things” on earth. Why are things set up so that only a few win while so many lose? Only one becomes the head cheerleader, the captain of the football team or the class valedictorian. 

You didn’t get the job. You didn’t get the partner you wanted. Your body isn’t healthy, and you suffer real pain. You don’t feel utterly and completely loved and accepted anywhere. Your favorite pets pass away. Your children face rejection and disappointment. 

In the past, all of these usual trials—illness, loss, frustration—already made life feel like living on a psycho planet. But now, everything has amped up. Extreme political strife, global instability, and constant scary news make it all feel so much crazier than even in the not-so-recent past. 

Seeing the Higher Perspective 

What exactly are we accepting? Are we crazy? Well…yes, ACIM would say that we are. We are accepting a crazy, ego-based interpretation of life. In fact, as egos, we actually created much of this insanity ourselves. 

Choosing Love and Forgiveness 

It’s all in the perspective we choose. Flip the switch from fear to love and focus on what’s working: the good people who help others, the truths we share in common, the beauty that surrounds us in nature, and the brilliance of humans who have created amazing music, mathematics, literature, and art. 

And beyond that, forgive everything that’s crazy. And I mean everything. These days, it’s pretty much an all-day job—but it has to be done. Every time the crazy starts to peep out at you in the world, forgive it. Let it go. And then, when it shows again—even if it’s five minutes later—take a moment to forgive again. Then return your focus to the love, the good, and the beautiful. 

Choosing this perspective is the first step toward stepping off the psycho planet and into a life rooted in love, gratitude, and forgiveness. 

Want to go deeper into forgiveness? 

Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love . My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness , offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon → 

Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy → 

Browse more forgiveness tools, art, and daily reminders in our Etsy Shop → 

Want to receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails? Sign up and get insights, tools, and inspiration to deepen your practice of forgiveness → Sign up here 

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free. — Sue Pipal

Why Some People Are Here to Test Our Forgiveness

The Challenge of Life’s Hard Moments

On a global level, it can sometimes feel as if many of us are moving backward rather than forward. War, crime, poverty, political strife, greed, and selfishness…so much of the world seems stuck in fear.

Seeing Life Through a Higher Lens

According to Colin Tipping’s teachings, some of us may actually be here to provide others with forgiveness opportunities. In fact, we may have agreed to certain “trespasses” even before we were born.

Think about that for a moment. What could be more for the higher good than sacrificing a little—or even a lot—of our personal comfort or growth in order to allow someone else the chance to learn, heal, or awaken?

Photo from Unsplash

Small and Large Scale Forgiveness

Sometimes, this happens on a small scale—with friends, family, or colleagues. But occasionally, it may appear on a grand scale: a particularly difficult or even evil person may challenge an entire community—or even the world.

Does this perspective make it easier to forgive people who make our lives difficult? Perhaps. Seeing others as unwitting teachers rather than enemies can change our hearts and free us from resentment. Forgiveness isn’t about approving of bad behavior; it’s about recognizing the higher truth that even the hardest interactions can serve a purpose in our growth.

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love.

• For more on the topic of world leaders, How to Forgive Cruel World Leaders.

• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →

• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →

• Browse more forgiveness tools, art, and daily reminders in our Etsy Shop →

• Want to receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails? Sign up and get insights, tools, and inspiration to deepen your practice of forgiveness → Sign up here

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.
— Sue Pipal

Grace Period

Sometimes, when feelings are recently raw, it's difficult to forgive right away...and that's okay.  It's okay to let a little time heal over the pain before getting down and dirty with the real forgiveness work.  Sometimes we just don't have the strength to face it right away and we know that if we even so much as try to, we'll melt down or be unable to do whatever it is we have to do to get through the day.

Raw feelings can be very painful.  It's actually a good thing to honor our feelings and sit with them a bit.  I always allow myself to experience the sadness or the anger for awhile.  Processing and working through feelings is a good thing (And, by the way, we're not going to stay in this stage for very long anyway.  In a little while, we'll be doing our usual forgiveness work.)

While we're feeling raw, however, we can help hasten the healing while we're mentally shoring up the strength to do the real work.  When we are utterly broken and wounded and obsessing about what happened, we can always practice turning all our thoughts, hurts and fears over to Spirit as often as possible.  I like to just give those thoughts over whenever they come into my mind.  Just saying the words, "Holy Spirit, I am giving this ________ over to you", is all we really have to do.  I'm pretty visual, so sometimes I like to picture a beautiful white and shining marble altar that I can lay my burdens down on.  Once I've placed my burdens on the altar they are surrounded by white light and dissolved.

I also find that simply saying the words, "I forgive you, I release you, I bless you with love" repeatedly (as one would an affirmation) helps alleviate some of the pain.  This is not my final forgiveness work, of course, but it is an easy start and helps me to ease into the forgiveness.

Once I actually start to do the real forgiveness, I find occasionally that I will do one of my forgiveness process and complete the forgiveness, only to find myself feeling utterly angry and hurt all over again a few hours later.  When this happens, I just repeat the forgiveness.  This can go on for days and weeks and sometimes, if the wound is big enough, years.  Again, that's okay.  We can only give it our best effort.  Our intention to heal is what's important here.

Also, asking Spirit to help us turn our feelings of anger, hurt and fear to love will often help us to make important progress.

There's no denying it, life can be painful at times and no-one escapes this.  However, supporting ourselves with understanding and acceptance as we go about the job of healing and forgiving is the fastest way back to peace.

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A State of Grace

When you have forgiven everything, you are in a state of Grace.  Life is happy and free.  You are at peace.  You have found the Heaven that resides within.

This is a state that happens when you live a forgiveness lifestyle.  You forgive the daily annoyances and hurts that come your way.  You stop judging others.  You go into your past memories and you release and forgive everything you are aware of.

You remain constantly on alert, looking for anything you can forgive.  Something will show up, it always does. After all, we are here to learn and grow...a new forgiveness opportunity will always show.  And when the opportunity comes to you, you set aside the time to do your forgiveness work.

When you live like this day after day, week after week,  year after year, the joy in you slowly builds.  A feeling of love floods into every aspect of your life.  Until one day, you look around and you say to yourself, "Wow, I am actually living the "happy dream".  It's here in my life now.

Then maintenance is your job, being ever vigilant to stay in that perfect state of Grace, forgiving everything that comes your way.

"Forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory, wonderful to see.  Each flower shines in light, and every bird sings of the joy of Heaven.  There is no sadness and there is no parting here, for everything is totally forgiven  And what has been forgiven must join, for nothing stands between to keep them separate and apart.  The sinless must perceive that they are one, for nothing stands between to push the other off.  And in the space that sin left vacant do they join as one, in gladness recognizing what is part of them has not been kept apart and separate."       --A Course in Miracles, Chapter 26, IV, 2

Well, what are you waiting for?  Happiness is yours for the taking.

 "This tiny spot of sin that stands between you and your brother still is holding back the happy opening of Heaven's gate.  How little is the hindrance that withholds the wealth of Heaven from you.  And how great will be the joy in Heaven when you join the mighty chorus to the Love of God!"   --A Course in Miracles, Chapter 26, IV, 6

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