Question: How do you forgive yourself?

Think about it, how do you forgive a family, friend? You kind of don't even need to forgive sometimes, you just let it go. If you accidentally bite your lip or cut your finger whilst cutting some vegetables...do you have to forgive yourself? no....you just don't even think about it, you just let it go. It happened and that's it, you just allow it to be. You make a mistake, learn from it, let the emotion go, move on. That's it...nothing more to do!

But self-compassion is very important. Like if you're kind to others, you should also be kind to your own body, your own mind. You see, YOU can never make a mistake, you're perfect, you're the soul, you're God. It's the play of the mind and body which makes mistakes because of their limitations and imperfection - but since mind and body are also a part of us - we just have to learn to accept their limitations, their imperfections. Accept them as a part of us - and be kind to them like a mother is kind to her own children. Sometimes children make mistakes - its OK, they learn from them and continue to play in the garden of life.

The final thing is self-standards. We make standards for ourself we believe we should live up to. For example, I make a self-standard "I shall get up everyday at 4am". Ok, it's a noble cause but its a standard I put on myself. But do we ever think, 'what does God want us to do today?', or do we ever ask 'what is your will God?', or do we ever request 'If getting up early is in thy will then may it be so'. In a way, we should be willing to sacrifice for God the things that are most dear to us, even our own Sadhana. In the end, its living in God's will that matters.

Sat Naam!