A Meditation to Assist in Transmuting the Shame associated with Guilt

In this sacred moment, I surrender to the truth of my fragile humanity.

I take ownership for my actions, and I now honor myself by honoring the experiences and feelings of others.

I cannot go back in time to change the past or to erase the memories that were left behind.

Regardless of how others perceive me, I will be still in this moment.

I will act with courage towards a better tomorrow, for myself, and for all beings.

I am worthy of love.

I do not have to continue old patterns that no longer serve me.

I am worthy of renewal.

I do not have to relive the past and the wounds of my ancestors.

I am worthy of feeling safe, and I utilize my power in a healthy and balanced way to reflect that.

l act to make changes where and when I can, and I let go of that which I cannot control into the hands of spirit.

I accept that I am a soul that is growing and expanding in consciousness.

Thank you great spirit, for speaking through me today.

Thank you great spirit, for acting through me today.

Thank you great spirit, for working through me in every way, to find peace and closure within myself and with others.

The Harvest ( A Short Story )

In between the restless whispers of death and a prayer was a young British sailor who became lost at sea. Some folks say that the sea did not lose him but that he had lost himself. You see, he was a lonely spirit, and deep down, he felt that he deserved to be alone, but he did not know why. He traveled the world to retrieve the small fragments of his broken soul that were left behind. He searched throughout all the mysterious and colorful lands to quiet this deep yearning within himself. Each soul fragment was unique and shared with him a vision of his eternal truth. Some of the soul fragments sparkled and sang to him like lullabies of warm gold piercing through the cold and hardened Earth. Those soul fragments were easy to find because he desired so much to find them. They made him remember the beauty and perfection within himself.

The other soul fragments were much harder to find, and he did not seek them out. They slept dormant inside the land, waiting to become activated within the quiet womb of darkness. They were hidden bombs left to rot within the soil, and they could explode just by looking at them. The sailor did not acknowledge them and believed that if he did not see them, they would not exist. He avoided these soul fragments because he was wary of what they might do to him. He feared what they would reveal and if their exposure would destroy him. These fragments were not beautiful, and they did not sing to him. They screamed, and they cursed his presence, so he turned away from them.

For a long time, he sailed past these painful soul fragments, only seeking the ones that made him feel special and beautiful, until one day, there were no more of the sparkling and beautiful soul fragments to be found. The tired sailor decided that it was time to leave Earth and to search the stars to continue his quest of self-recovery. He attempted to leave Earth many times, but each time he found himself moving around in circles and unable to progress forward. After a while, he realized that he could not leave. Deep inside himself, he knew that he must go back to recover the other painful soul fragments that were left behind. He could not ignore them any longer. His soul would not let him. So, he sailed the rough and restless sea to find the lost soul fragments which had been buried deep inside the Earth. He embarked upon this harsh and dangerous journey, even though he knew that he would be facing the death of himself.

His ship took him to a small island, lush with vegetation and wildlife. The scent of the soft sweet grass merged with the bitter saltwater of the sea. It was a fruitful and abundant land, covered with hidden secrets which had grown in the company of playful wildflowers and tall plentiful sugar cane. He walked carefully upon the ground, feeling it shake and shudder with each step that he took. Under his swollen feet were the echoes of his past, which had been waiting for him to return. That which had been suffocating for years within the grips of silence was finally allowed to exhale into the cracks of his broken heart. The vibration slowly moved through his body, and he could feel the pain wanting to bleed out of him. In shock, he wanted to go back to the ship, but he had come so far that he could not turn away now.

The sadness overcame his senses, and he desperately fell to the ground allowing the terror and the anguish to move through his bones. The sweat and tears that washed over his body were made of old hollow seeds that never felt the warmth of light that would enable them to grow. He allowed his heart to become vulnerable to this experience and became a vessel for the land to speak through. Illuminated by the light of release, he found solace in the emptiness. The sailor firmly placed his trembling fingers within the rich crumbling soil and felt all of the memories which he had refused to see and experienced all of the pain that he had refused to feel. His pain aligned with the pain of the land.

By willingly experiencing these buried emotions, he could truly see and accept all aspects of himself. He was finally free to release his desire for perfection and beauty. He surrendered his fear of death and annihilation into the womb of Mother Earth. With this humble sacrifice, the Earth released all of the painful soul fragments of himself that existed within her vast body. These fragments quickly arose from the seas and all the lands to greet the watchful stars of the moonlit sky. They gently floated away into the infinite cosmic realm to be healed and renewed in the light of unconditional love.

It was not a love that was extraordinary, special, or idolized. It could not be mass produced, sold or claimed. This love was whole, quiet, and effortless. It did not need to be earned, tested, or validated. It was the embrace of the wind that one does not notice has been felt. It is the sunlight that follows and nurtures us, seeking no reward or acknowledgment. This love allows the heart to rest, even from its own beating. Indeed, the young sailor did experience the suffering of a painful death, but it was the death of his own reflection. He realized that he did not have to be perfect, special, or extraordinary in order to be loved. He simply just needed to be. With this wisdom, he gained the eternal truth of himself and understood his connection to all things in existence.

A Reflection on Shame and Guilt

Create your own meditation by completing the statements below.

True closure starts with the honoring of my heart. I am the only one that can provide the forgiveness and self acceptance that I desire. Through the practice of self love and compassion, I am better able to see my circumstances more clearly. My ancestors encourage me to honor my journey, and to realize that I am constantly evolving in consciousness. They want me to understand that atonement and closure comes from within, and that I must make peace with myself by honoring the feelings and experiences of others. I honor the feelings and experiences of others by…

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I recognize that I cannot change my past. However, through processing my emotions, and through my desire to make amends with others, I am now healing and making room to find closure with what has occurred. Because of my experiences, I have grown in wisdom and I have learned that…

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My ancestors see the innocence in me, and they want me to see myself as a child that is constantly learning and growing in my understanding. They encourage me to speak to my inner child and to express to my inner child the lessons I have learned through my experiences with others. If my inner child were here, I would teach them that…

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I cannot change my past, but I can have empathy for the people who have been affected by my actions. I cannot change my family history, but I can work towards creating a more peaceful future for my descendants. I deserve to be loved for who I truly am. It is safe for me to open my heart. Thank you ancestors, for guiding my path and giving me the courage to be an advocate for peace and unity throughout the world.