n my work listening to the plight of suffering in others, the central theme of forgiveness looms large. When we do not forgive ourselves or others for past mistakes, then the energy of anger sits within our bodies, and distorts our ability to live lightly and peacefully. And ultimately to die with grace.

I often suggest to people who are feeling remorse for deeds they knew hurt others, to write a letter to the past. To let it go by a confessional. To liberate what is held like a deep thorn in soft flesh. And then ceremoniously burn the letter.

My own story of forgiveness as a lived experience, happened on my first pilgrimage. Somebody from my childhood had wounded me badly. I wanted to forgive this person, and asked for that to happen as I started my walk from the Pyrenees. A week into my journey, blisters appeared under both the nails of my big toes. I had to rest and burst the blisters, which led to both toenails falling off. I bandaged my toes with sheep’s wool and walked on. I met a man who told me that losing the nails of your big toes on pilgrimage is a sign of forgiveness. That act within me, sent out a ripple of healing far and wide. So I know personally that it works, and that it works deeply and profoundly.

Our current world appears to be thriving on the blame game. Judging others and no forgiveness in sight. We only have control over ourselves, so can start with daily acts of forgiveness in what ever way is possible.

Write that letter. Remind yourself of The Serenity Prayer. Don’t harbour a grudge, or it will weigh you down like an anchor, and prevent your innate joy from dancing a jig.

𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳

𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦; 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦; 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘴 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴; 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵; 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭;

𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵.

𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘕.

Julia - a pilgrim in Portugal.