Forgiveness - A Gift for your Mind..!!

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned - Buddha"

If you would like to give a gift to your mind, then you must fogive the people whom you hate (or) angry with. In some cases, you might be hating yourself, in this case you need to forgive yourself also. 

A beautiful Zen story explains the importance of forgiveness. One day, a Zen master asked his disciples, whether they hate someone ? Almsot everyone noded "Yes". 

He requested them to take a small bag and fill it with the potatoes. If they hate a person, then they should put a single potato in the bag. If they hate two persons, two potates need to be put in the small bag. Inaddition to that he has informed them to carry this bag wherever they go. 

Disciples thought this as an simple task and agreed for it. Disciples have carried the potatoes wherever they go.  After some days the potato started to rotten and it stated giving bad odour. 

Disciples find it very difficult to carry with them anymore. Disciples who have more potatoes are the persons who have affected a lot. So they went to the Zen master and requested them to stop this practise. 

Zen master laughed loudly and informed, this is what it happens in the mind when you fill it with hatred. He informed them that "If you promise me to remove the hatred from your mind then you can throw your potatoes away". Everyone agreed and throw the potatoes away. 

This simple story explains us about the importance of removing the hatred from our mind. 

Our mind is the software which controls the physical body. Once your mind is filled with hatred and anger it will start releasing the negative hormones which increases the blood pressure, depression, indigestion, heart attack, etc. 

It is for the same reason all our ancient scriptures has stressed the importance of forgiveness. If you want to be happy and healthy, you need to cultivate the habit for fogiveness. From nowonwards, lets take a oath that we will forgive everyone including ourself. 

Affirm loudly the following statements throughout the day as much as possible. 

• "I forgive everyone including myself"  
• " I Love everyone including myself" 
• "I am calm and relaxed in every situation"