September 23, 2010 | 1:29 pm

How to Forgive? Create a Change of Heart

Posted by Misha Henckel

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When you get right down to the nitty gritty of actually forgiving someone, what you’re really doing amounts to a change of heart.

That’s right! Forgiveness means changing the condition of your heart.

When we judge someone, or we hold a grudge, when we are bitter or resentful, we carry those feelings in our heart. Our hearts are affected by the feelings we carry in them. They become hardened, walled up, cold.

Imagine that! The most important organ in our body, the center of our inner strength, the portal of our soul – shut down by anger, bitterness or resentment.

That’s just no way to live!

Our hearts are meant to be radiant and powerful, filled with love, and with the light of our souls pouring out. Our hearts are meant to be used to make our lives and the lives of those around us joyful… wonderful.

Of course, there will always be people who hurt us, in big and small ways. That’s just part of the human journey. But then it’s for us to do the work to release that person from their act of hurt, to free ourselves from the entrapment of bitterness, to get right down to our hearts and open them up again to life.

That’s the real work for us humans – to forgive, to transform the pain, to change our hearts, to let love flow. Everyday of the year!

Misha Henckel leads workshops and advises business leaders and world changers. Follow her on Twitter @mishahenckel. Email mis.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)