Healing with Forgiveness

Our cells are constantly eavesdropping on our thoughts and being changed by them. A bout of depression can wreak havoc with the immune system; falling in love can boost it. Despair and helplessness raise the risk of heart attacks and cancer, thereby shortening life. Joy and fulfillment keep us healthy and extend life. This means that the line between biology and psychology can't really be drawn with any certainty. A remembered stress, which is only a wisp of thought, releases the same flood of destructive hormones as the stress itself. --Deepak Chopra

For true healing to occur - and not merely just a shift in symptoms-, you have to be attentive to your mind, your emotions, your psychology, your environments, your relationships, and your spirit.

Practicing forgiveness can enhance your feelings of well being and improve your health. This is especially true with regards to being forgiving to those close to you. Research shows that adults who practice forgiveness experienced less anger, less stress, more optimism, and better general health.

Negative memories may induce bitterness and negative thoughts about the past. When these negative memories predominate, the emotions of contentment, satisfaction, serenity and peace are not experienced and that sense of happiness about the past is not available.

To help ensure survival, negative emotions tend to get our attention and predominate in our focus until we undo them with some positive emotion. When negative memories about the past are fostering negative emotions, the way out is to rewrite the negative memories.

Although the direct relationship between forgiveness and improved health is still not well established, holding onto bitterness, resentment and hurt from the past can seriously dampen the energy you have available for creating an upward spiral of positive energy. Forgiveness undoes the bitterness, resentment, and hurt about past transgressions that block or reduce the feelings of happiness about the past. Forgiveness is a simple (if not always easy) choice for rewriting memories of past upsetting events and opening the door to the emotions of contentment, satisfaction, serenity, and peace – and improved wellbeing.

If you are stuck in an unforgiving mode we can talk about tools, techniques and programs that can help you find your way to forgiveness and increased health and well being. You can give me a call at 434-263-4996 or email me at maryann@evenstaronline.com