This morning I ran across Monte Farber’s Instagram post on his bedtime ritual for better sleep. (<—a teensy tiny insta-read and totally worth it.)

This is pretty much the exact same bedtime ritual that I’ve been using lately, basically a form of meditation that cultivates the practice of benevolence, known as “metta” or “compassion meditation”. This is well known practice within Buddhism  and Buddhist canon actually says that a person who practices compassion meditation “sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams.”

The idea of forgiveness, and maybe especially self-forgiveness, has been coming up for me a lot lately. I’ve been coaching clients around some tough forgiveness issues, and I’ve been practicing forgiveness in a deeper way myself.

In a world where there is so much polarity, so much mudslinging, so many grudges, gripes, and grievances – it isn’t a wonder that insomnia is so prevalent.

Forgiveness is not always easy. Our ego tries to convince us that in forgiving we are condoning bad behavior, but that’s just not true. In forgiveness we are just recognizing that everyone is doing the best they can at any given time. We are recognizing that we can let go of the past and move forward even stronger than before, wiser than before, more experienced than before. Forgiveness takes us out of Victimland and gives us back our power.

When we choose to forgive we are setting our self free. Holding a grudge only holds US down. Grudges bind us to the painful event in consciousness, and why on earth would we want to do that to our selves? I’ve heard it said that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die – the idea being that we are only hurting our self when we have unforgiveness. I agree that we are hurting our self when we hold a grudge, and we also hurt the whole of humanity because after all, we are all one.

Recently I wrote a Huffington Post article that mentioned the idea of “sacred contracts” – another perspective that may support you in forgiving. I’ve written a blog post on why self-forgiveness is essential. I have an interest in forgiveness because when we forgive we free our selves and others from judgment and guilt and the punishment that comes along with it, and in doing this we open up new pathways of abundance, for our selves, and for the planet.

And, the benefit of better sleeping, better waking, and no evil dreaming is pretty nice too.

Love & Magic,

P.S. Finding forgiveness for yourself and others is something I can help you with. Have you checked out my Summer Magic Jumpstart private coaching program? Have questions about working with me? I’m happy to hop on the phone with you and answer any questions you may have, just send me a message and let me know you’d like to have a conversation!