“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” — Nelson Mandala

In this exercise, you will invite the Divine to help heal negative experiences from your past. These experiences create blockages that lower your vibration and prevent the peace and abundance of the universe from fully flowing into your life.

Exercise

To begin this exercise, find a place where you won’t be disturbed. My favorite place is on my bed with the door closed. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.

Now set the intention to let one of your negative experiences come to the forefront of your mind, such as when you were harassed at school or work or your significant other cheated on you, or the after-effects of an abusive parent, loss of a loved one, a careless remark, etc. You may have to forgive others. You may have to forgive yourself.

When the first negative experience comes to your attention, try to remain emotionally neutral. You do not want to empower it. Observe it briefly to identify what needs to be let go, and then say to the Divine, “I release this negative experience to you. I do not want it. Please take it and heal it. Thank you.” Envision the negative experience floating away from you as the Divine heals it, releasing it from your mind, heart and karma.

Then wait for the next experience to present itself.

If your mind drifts, come back to the present moment and reset your intention to allow a negative experience from your past to come into your awareness for healing.

There is no set time for performing this exercise, but it usually takes much longer the first time. 

Occasionally, when you repeat this exercise, you will notice the same negative experience reappearing, which implies that you didn’t completely forgive it initially. This is another opportunity for healing. The effort is always worth it, even if it takes multiple attempts, because eventually, you will be able to let go of it.

In addition to healing the past, you can use this exercise when you experience difficulties in the present moment. Whether it’s someone cutting you off in traffic or dealing with a difficult situation, you can ask the Divine to heal the situation and your negative thoughts and emotions, as well as guide you so you can take the best course of action.

You don’t have to find a private space to do this. You can silently say a prayer in the midst of the conflict and allow divine guidance to enter your mind, offering loving suggestions. You might be prompted to leave the situation or discover a level of patience you didn’t realize you possessed.

If you forget to ask for healing and/or guidance while the situation is occurring, ask as soon as possible. The sooner you ask, the sooner you’ll feel better.