Finding Forgiveness: A Seven Step Program in Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

"It is my sincere hope and prayer that the fundamental theme of this book, the importance of forgiveness, may be seen as effective not only in individual’s private lives, but equally in the arena of public and even international relations." ... The Dalai Lama

Throughout our lives we are put into situations where forgiveness is called for. We hear and read about abuse of all kinds reaching epidemic proportions. We know people have affairs and deal with many kinds of betrayals. In all these situations people need to draw on their spiritual and emotional resources. How we choose to do this will affect the quality of our lives and the pain or joy we experience. We can choose to hold on to the anger and bitterness and remain a victim to our circumstances or choose another path, that of forgiveness, which will bring a release of our pain and inner peace. This is what Finding Forgiveness: A 7-Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness is about.

Finding Forgiveness takes the reader through a step by step forgiveness program to learn how to forgive and heal their emotional pain. Finding Forgiveness lays out the framework which underlies our thinking that inhibits us from being able to forgive. Then it shows the reader how to transform one’s thinking to not only be able to forgive but to be more compassionate and loving human beings.

Finding Forgiveness clarifies the misperceptions people have of forgiveness, what forgiveness really means, what it is and what it is not. It will also tell you that it’s ok not to forgive, and that wanting revenge is normal. It will help you understand that forgiveness is about something which is so penetrating that if properly understood can lead to an inner transformation and societal change. Forgiveness has the awesome power to break the cycles of violence and heal the hatred so prevalent in the world today.

Included in this book are stories of incredible individuals from the person who could be your next door neighbor to one of the holiest men in the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Each of the story tellers shares their struggles and eventual triumphs in being able to forgive. These are very moving and inspiring stories showing how different individuals struggled with a forgiveness process, how they succeeded and how as a result of being able to forgive they where able to transform their lives. Interspersed between the stories are chapters which give further explanation of what the psychological and spiritual landscape of what forgiveness is about and how it applies to the stories just read.

Finding Forgiveness grapples with the harder issues that societies and the world at large needs to think about if we want to survive as a human race. It asks us difficult questions such as can we forgive something as horrific as 9/11 and other terrorist attacks? Is it possible to use forgiveness as a process for global societal change? Can forgiveness unite us and heal our wounds so as one humanity we can move forward together in peace and prosperity? Most importantly can forgiveness as a process be used as a new paradigm for the way we think? This book addresses all these issues.

Anyone who picks up this book will be touched by the people they meet who have shared their stories on forgiveness. Readers will finally understand the true meaning of forgiveness and what a gift anyone who offers it is giving to this world. When properly understood the readers will understand that forgiveness is their salvation for those who can forgive. And in a very compelling way, readers will recognize that for those who can forgive, they have given themselves a most precious gift and one that could possibly save the world.