The Three Directions of Forgiveness

Welcome to Sit, Walk, Work, a podcast about paying attention. In this episode, I guide you through the profound and often unspoken practice of forgiveness. Most of us aren't taught this; I certainly wasn’t. But holding onto old hurts, whether they involve others or ourselves, only binds us to the past. Today, we’ll explore how forgiveness is less about changing what happened and more about freeing up space for the future.I share a powerful framework I learned from Jack Kornfield called The Three Directions of Forgiveness. This involves three key areas: asking forgiveness from those we’ve harmed, forgiving ourselves for ways we’ve fallen short, and offering forgiveness to those who have hurt us. Each of these can be transformative in its own way, and the practice is all about starting small and meeting ourselves where we are.Through guided meditation, I’ll invite you to find a steady, comfortable position and bring your attention to your body and breath. We’ll work through contemplations on forgiveness—first toward others, then inward to ourselves, and finally outward toward those who’ve caused us harm. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s about holding space for these experiences and allowing them to unfold with patience and grace.As we close, I encourage you to carry these reflections into your daily life, cultivating more openness and compassion as you go. And if this practice resonates with you, I’d love for you to join our growing community on Substack, where we dive deeper into the art of paying attention.With Metta, may you be well. Thank you for listening.* Introduction (0:00–0:01:10) * The Three Directions of Forgiveness (0:01:11–0:02:30)* Guided Practice Preparation (0:02:31–0:04:20)* Awareness and Observation (0:04:21–0:10:30)* Forgiveness Contemplations (0:10:31–0:25:00)* Integration and Grounding (0:25:01–0:30:00)* Closing Practice and Reflections (0:30:01–0:32:47)* Outro and Community Invitation (0:32:48–End) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sitwalkwork.substack.com