EMOTIONAL FORGIVENESS

As we endeavor to heal emotionally through various techniques and better understanding our pain and emotional state, there may come a time (or many times), when we find ourselves stuck. While sometimes we may be stuck in one of the stages of grief, as previously outlined, other times we simply become stuck because our emotional healing generates its own feelings, as well. Many times, focusing on hurt, guilt, anger, and shame can catch us off guard. We may not even be aware that we are feeling this way, but may find it to be the case when we have difficulty proceeding through the emotional healing process.

It is common to find ourselves facing a certain level of guilt or shame for any number of reasons during our healing process. Sometimes, we are forced to examine things we have done, and words we have spoken, that may have hurt those around us. To a certain degree, part of the healing process is to take responsibility for the things we have done that have caused emotional damage to others. We again have to visit the primary purpose of guilt - it should make us reflect and make better decisions in the future, but not arrest our emotional or psychological development or healing. As we take responsibility for the roles we have played in our own emotional trauma and in that of others, we can start to not only heal ourselves, but to also help those we love and have hurt.