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Apr 20, 2007

"Many people are afraid to forgive because they feel they must remember the wrong or they will not learn from it. The opposite is true. Through forgiveness, the wrong is released from its emotional stranglehold on us so that we can learn from it. Through the power and intelligence of the heart, the release of forgiveness brings expanded intelligence to work with the situation more effectively." --David & Bruce McArthur

The Healthy Art of Forgiving

Holding grudges may be part of human nature, but recent studies show that it works to the detriment not just of spiritual well-being but of our physical health as well. Bitterness, anger, hostility, and fear are emotions that have specific physiologic consequences—such as increased blood pressure and hormonal changes—linked to cardiovascular disease, immune suppression and impaired neurological function. On the flip side, research reveals how forgiveness can work to reduce the stress of the unforgiving state. Researcher Charlotte vanOyen Witvliet, advocates that forgiveness should be incorporated into one's personality, a way of life, not merely a response to specific insults. In other words, it has to be cultivated. "It's a process, not a moment," says Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, a Harvard psychiatrist and the author of "Dare to Forgive".