Resolving Guilt

Resolving Past Shame

All of us have some skeletons in our closet because we’ve all done things we may not be proud of; after all, it’s only human to err. While time does manage to blur the memory of our past, for most of us it isn’t easy to get over the guilt of our past actions. It could be something as small as lying to someone you love to cheating or hurting someone knowingly or unknowingly.

While guilt keeps our conscience alive, it isn’t an easy feeling to live with. The purpose of guilt is to make us realize that our actions were wrong so that we do not repeat those mistakes again. Once guilt has achieved this, there is no reason to hang on to it; admittedly, however, getting over one’s guilt is easier said than done.

Often memories of our past actions become so deeply entrenched in our subconscious that it becomes difficult to let go of the associated guilt. The more shame we feel for our actions, the more difficult it is to get over the guilt. Clinical hypnosis-based therapies that deal with re-programming the subconscious mind can, however, help in releasing shameful memories.

How Does Clinical Hypnosis Work?

The subconscious mind understands the language of visuals. Clinical hypnosis involves breathing exercises that calm our conscious mind and visualization exercises that help in sending the message across to our subconscious mind.

Generally, to get over the guilt of actions where we have knowingly hurt or harmed someone, the help of a trained therapist may be needed. In other cases where the guilt is relatively less, the following self-hypnosis exercise may help you in releasing past memories and the associated guilt.

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
• Close your eyes.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Pay close attention to every in-breath and out-breath.
• Feel every in breath go right down to the pit of your stomach and feel your body relax with every out breath.
• Imagine that you are breathing in white light and positive energy with every in breath and exhaling all your stress and anxiety with every out-breath.
• Now visualize a beam of white light entering your body through the top of your head.
• Allow the light to travel to every part of your body.
• Focus on each part of the body that the light travels to.
• Allow the light to relax every muscle, cell, and fiber of your body.
• Let the light leave your body from the soles of your feet.
• Now visualize yourself standing on a beach.
• Feel the refreshing sea breeze caress you face.
• Feel the wet sand relax the soles of your feet.
• Take your time to admire the vastness of the sea.
• Look as far as your vision goes.
• Look toward the horizon and admire the gorgeous illusion of the earth meeting the sky.
• Now look at your feet and you’ll see a wooden stick lying close by.
• Pick it up and write the names of all those people you have hurt/abused or seek forgiveness from on the sand.
• Now imagine that a wave clears away all the names you have written.
• Send a silent prayer requesting the universe and everyone you have hurt for forgiveness, and let the sea of life wash away the shameful memories of your past.
• Take your time and say what you want to everyone you wish to seek forgiveness from.
• Relax.
• Slowly open your eyes.

Repeating this exercise frequently will help you resolve your past shame. This, however, does not mean you will be able to condone your actions or release the karmic baggage associated with your actions. But the exercise will help you leave the past behind so you can give yourself a second chance to become a better person.

Until next time, embrace your inner wisdom.

Namaste,
Karen