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SIMS Annual Forgiveness and Welcoming Ceremony

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Teacher: Tuere Sala
Date: 2018-08-28
Venue: Seattle Insight Meditation Center

Description

Tuere Sala and Tim Geil, SIMS Guiding Teachers, personally invited the whole Sangha to attend the third annual Welcoming/Forgiveness Ceremony. We set aside time to appreciate SIMS for the refuge it has provided us over the years, to welcome anyone new to SIMS and re-unite with anyone who has felt distant from SIMS for any reason. Both Tuere and Tim offer reflections on forgiveness and a simple ceremony. Patterned after the forgiveness ceremony at the end of residential retreats, this evening acknowledges we may intentionally or unintentionally cause harm by our actions, and ask for forgiveness. This intentional release of accumulated hurts helps us step into each moment with a fresh beginning.

Homework

Forgiveness for oneself:
There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed myself.
I have betrayed myself, knowingly and unknowingly, in thoughts, words, and deeds.
For the many ways my fear, pain, anger and confusion has caused me harm,
I now extend a full and heartfelt forgiveness.  I forgive myself.

Forgiveness from others:
Just as I have caused harm to myself, there are many ways that I have hurt and harmed others.
I may have, knowingly and unknowingly caused them harm by my thoughts, words, and deeds.
If out of my fear, pain, anger and confusion, I have caused you any harm,
To the extent that you're ready, I ask for your forgiveness.  Please forgive me.

Forgiveness for those who have hurt or harmed you:
There are also many ways that I have been hurt and harmed by others.
I may have been harmed, knowingly and unknowingly, by another's thought, words, and deeds.
I remember the ways others, out of their fear, pain, anger and confusion, have harmed me.
I believe I have carried this pain in my heart long enough. To the extent that I am ready,
I offer my heartfelt forgiveness to all those who have caused me harm.  I forgive you.

Bowing Practice: Namo Kuan Shr Yin Pu Sa
(Homage to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva Who Listens to the Sounds of the World)

Video

Link to view on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/287946636

TalkID=989

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