Unconditional Forgiveness is a self explanatory, to offer forgiveness with no conditions attached. It means to forgive someone knowing they might not accept it. It means forgiving someone even if it doesn’t bring you some sort of fulfillment. Unconditional forgiveness is not easy, but it does give you the opportunity to let go of any negative emotions you might be harboring towards that person. Sometimes the person that you are forgiving has done something that has hurt you so deep, forgiveness doesn't feel like it helps. Or maybe there is a reason that it is unsafe to forgive that person to their face.
Unconditional Forgiveness does not require words to be spoken for forgiveness to be given. It comes from inside yourself. Simply by saying to yourself that you forgive someone, you begin the process. You can develop this skill further by taking time to try and understand why the person that hurt you behaved in that way. By practicing Unconditional Forgiveness you are able to gradually let go of the negative emotions you might be holding on to, which inturn frees yourself to better service others. It will not be immediate gratification, but it will start the process.
So here is a challenge to help you develop your practice. Forgive someone you have never met. Think of someone who has wronged you that you don't know personally. A stranger who honked at you, a politician, someone from the news that made you upset. Take a few moments and try to forgive them. You can start with something as simple as saying ”I forgive you for ______”. It is that simple. The next time that person crosses your mind, take another moment, try just for a few seconds to think of why they might have done that wrong and repeat ”I forgive you for ______”.
Developing the ability to unconditionally forgive someone, is an important part of your quest to be more empathetic. By freeing yourself of negative emotions you are able to allow yourself to better understand others’ emotions.
