It may seem to readers that have been following this blog for the past couple of days that the theme seems to be about healing and therefore about self care or self love. That is true. However, there are so many aspects to the harm that we do to ourselves that we need many ways of undoing the harm, and many ways to promote healing. One of the most common destructive emotions I see in clients is resentment.
I like this exercise on releasing resentment. It appears in many books and articles. The exercise write up comes from the blog http://indigointentions.com/a-quick-exercise-to-dissolve-resentment.htm.
Dissolving Resentment
Dissolving resentment can be simple, not easy but simple. One of the best exercises I have used in my own life and offered to my clients is an exercise that Louise Hay shares in her book, “You Can Heal Your Life” and she point out that this is an old Emmet Fox exercise that helps to dissolve resentment. Since it helps to dissolve the resentment, it will also help you in forgiving others and in forgiving yourself.
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and when you feel relaxed, imagine yourself in a special place. This special place can be anywhere that your imagination takes you, perhaps somewhere in nature or to a special forgiveness room that you can return to again and again when doing forgiveness work.
- In the spirit of forgiving others, think of someone who you resent in some way or someone who has upset, hurt or offended you. See this person sitting in front of you, at a distance that feels comfortable to you. If for any reason it is not comfortable for you to invite this person into the sacred space that you have created with your imagination envision them behind a wall of glass or in a room across from yours or see them on the TV screen, be creative and do what feels comfortable.
- When you see this person clearly, visualize good things happening to this person – things that would be meaningful to him. See him or her smiling and happy. Hold the image for a few minutes and then let it fade away.
- Now take a moment to do the same for yourself. Once the image of the other person fades, see good things happening to you. See yourself smiling and happy. Feel how good this feels. Close your session with gratitude.
Remember, the information in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider for a medical condition.
Have a beautiful day!
Judy
I tried this and it did not work for me. I am still resentful. What do you say to that?
ReplyDeleteHello Anonymous. Thank you for taking time to comment and to share your experience. Sometimes it takes many, many times of doing this exercise to clear the resentment to one person or to a group of people. This process does not whisk all resentment away as if it were a magic broom. Resentment is a build of feelings of being wronged over a period of time. My experience is that in trying to clear resentment with one person, I had to do it ten times to cover the ten actions that I was resentful about. I ask that you try this exercise again, several times, to see if you feel something shift. Many blessings and peace - Judy
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