Last week Shreyasi attended the Edmonton date for the Oprah Winfrey Presents: Your Path Made Clear (Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose) tour. There were several moments of recognition and truth in the evening. Through honest revelation of her experience, Oprah shared how she discovered her life purpose at various junctures in her life journey. So many of us have felt lost or at a crossroads at various times in life, and the wisdom of trusting one’s inner voice and being gentle with oneself during this discovery process were just two of the themes of the night.
In the next several weeks, we will share ideas that inspired and revitalized us, and which we think apply to the discussions on this blog. Being wholly engaged in RIGHT NOW, i.e. living in the present, is a first step to finding one’s purpose or becoming more authentic. The first of the concepts discussed in this series is about FORGIVENESS.
“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different.”
Take a few moments to reflect on these words. How do they resonate for you? Perhaps you think of events or particular people who have been challenging to forgive or come to terms with. Perhaps this is a statement that applies to your time at the barn. Can you think of a time when you have practiced, or wished you could practice, forgiving yourself or your horse?
Forgiveness is closely related to the Mindful attitude of Compassion. When you are kind to yourself, you become forgiving of times that you or your horse aren’t “performing” as expected. When you and your horse contradict your expectations in some way, disappointment and judgment can arise. It can be hard to let go of these feelings. Yet in order to embrace the present moment in all its perfections and imperfections, one has to let go of what has already happened. One can intentionally explore the past with mindful awareness; however, there are always other aspects of RIGHT NOW that you can observe. Learning from past experience does not require you to hold on to past mistakes or to regret events that have previously occurred. Free yourself by letting go of the past. Remember; the present moment is the only moment in which you can create positive changes in yourself and in the relationship to your horse.