Cultivating Forgiveness
Softens Our Life

“Cultivating forgiveness daily softens our life. It holds the possibility of freedom from the ancient incarcerations of the judging mind. Forgiveness allows anger to float in a merciful awareness. It makes room for life. It is the nature of the unobstructed heart which dissolves separation and allows mercy and awareness to go beyond the conditioned. It is a cultivation in the mind of the spaciousness of the heart.” 

The chapters on Forgiveness and Grief, from Healing into Life and Death, are probably among the most profound things I've ever read. 

Lack of forgiveness and grief affect so many things - not just about 'death', but also the multitude of 'mini-deaths'. Those are the losses that we tell ourselves we have recovered from, but in their minutiae, often create great burdens in our minds, disconnect from our hearts, and tons of self criticism to 'get over it, already'.

The book contains meditations that are simple but transforming. Levine points out, healing doesn't necessarily mean curing. Many healed people die of their illnesses, but depart peacefully because they learned to forgive themselves and others, and they learned to let go of their grief.