Forgiveness Is Less About Them...

When I was driving to see my family last week, I realized that I was harboring some old resentment towards my sister, which was old and outdated...like 30 years old! Geeze, when am I going to let go of it?

I had to ask myself, "Where is this living in my body?" And then forgive myself for repeatedly injuring myself, as resentment and anger create toxicity when repeated... especially for years, decades, and even generations.

According to Chinese medicine, the spring season is associated with the Wood element, which is linked to the energy that runs the liver organ system.

Forgiveness is essential to the Wood element, as it heals anger.

The Liver is responsible for a harmonious energy flow throughout our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies. When liver chi (energy) is stagnant, it often manifests as anger and resentment. These emotions block the natural movement and growth associated with the Wood element.

Spring is when nature is bursting with new life. We witness the sprouting of plants, animals emerging, and everything expanding. Humans are part of the Wood element, which includes all animated living beings. This same upward-moving energy flows through us, too, through creating, planning, and inspiration.

But we can't fully grow and move forward when we're resentful and grudged. Forgiveness clears emotional stagnation so we can evolve and move on.

What I have recently learned about forgiveness is that it's less about what the other person did and more about forgiving myself for re-injuring myself with the same toxic narrative I'm internally repeating, which is dumping cortisol. This stress hormone creates dis-ease emotionally and negatively affects our cells.

The Wood element's smooth flowing energy helps us stay flexible, resilient, and forward-moving. Forgiveness helps release old emotional blockages, like anger and bitterness, creating space for emotional energy to flow as freely as sap through trees in the spring.

Vision and clarity are associated metaphorically with the eyes, and the liver's health is reflected in the eyes. This speaks to more than sight; it is the ability to have a clear vision for our future and direction. Letting go through forgiveness helps clear internal 'fog', so we can plan and move forward purposefully.

In Chinese medicine, forgiveness is less about morality and more about health, flow, and alignment with nature's cycles, especially spring's encouragement to renew, grow, and rise!

From my heart to yours~

Namaste,

Maggie