The Power of Forgiveness
Oct 3, 2019
Suzanne B. O’Brien here,
In my years of experience working with end of life patients and their families, I have discovered one simple thing that makes a huge difference in people’s lives when they or someone they love is entering the final stages of life. This one thing is something we are all capable of, but we far too often overlook its importance in all of our relationships. That one thing is forgiveness.
Can unforgiveness make you sick? The answer is yes.
In fact – Unforgiveness is an actual medical diagnosis. A study of cancer patients found that 61% of them had unresolved forgiveness issues. As an End of Life Professional I have worked with over 1,000 people as they reach the end of their life’s journey. I remember as a hospice nurse I cared for a woman who was only 54 and dying of cancer. She told me that she did this to herself. I asked her to explain and she said that she had such anger towards her father that she never processed it and let it go and she believed it caused her cancer. There is now a lot of scientific data to support that.
A positive end of life experience has several key elements to it. One of the most important elements that I have witnessed is the power of forgiveness. I feel that because time is running out, people often “get to” the uncomfortable and painful parts of their life that need forgiveness. This can be multiple things such as issues of anger, resentment, guilt, shame, etc. They often will be with many different people including parents, family members, acquaintances, and strangers. When you witness someone using the power of forgiveness, their entire energy changes. It is one of the most transformative things I have ever seen.
Symptoms of Unforgiveness:
Depression
Anxiety
Physical Pain
Fatigue
Feeling Stuck
Weight Gain or Loss
Addiction and More
When I was In Thailand, I volunteered to teach at Khanpramong Temple. This is a beautiful place where critically ill and terminally ill patients would go. I witnessed the most beautiful integrative healing platform there. Many people had spontaneous healing and would also say they experienced their happiest days at the temple.
One of the main treatment plans was FORGIVENESS. Patients needed to write down everything that they wanted to receive forgiveness for and what they needed to give forgiveness for. It was amazing to see the difference it made for these patients. The weight was lifted from their shoulders after confronting their issues with forgiveness.
We should not wait. We ALL have forgiveness to give and forgiveness to receive. It is a part of life. Let us capitalize on the power of forgiveness now, while we have the rest of our lives to live!
Because Forgiveness holds the key to living a joy filled life, I have created The Forgiveness Workshop. It has taught people how to release the energy that has prevented them from everything beautiful in life!
5 Keys to Understanding Forgiveness
1) Identify that something/someone needs to be forgiven
2) Being ready to release these feelings
3) Forgiveness is for you, not the other person
4) Understand that forgiveness is not condoning or excusing behavior/action
5) Forgiveness will set you free
“Unforgiveness is holding yourself hostage to your past and denying your future.” – TD Jakes
To Register for my next Forgiveness Workshop Monday, October 7th at 7pm ET, click here:
Khanpramong Temple, Thailand
Best Regards,
The next in-person Level 1 End of Life Doula Training at the Society for Ethical Culture in NYC is October 26th at 1pm ET. To reserve a space for this event, click here:
