I am looking for a good holistic release for self-punishment/guilt :)

[cameronwilliams]

Does anyone have a good holistic release for self-punishment/guilt?

That would be much appreciated.

Thank you!!!

[Liesbeth]

Hi cameronwilliams

please read first Hale's great article on guilt/shame. It's called 3 major myths about shame and guilt. somewhere here on this site.
that will be so revealing for you.
then see if you can decide whether you have been punished enough........

holistic:
allow yourself to feel the need to punish yourself as much as you do
can you forgive yourself for your past mistakes (eventhough there are no mistakes but that is another story)as best you can

or
allow yourself to feel guilty as much as you do
allow the love and acceptance that you already are

and remember, guilt is a trick of the mind. it just thinks by feeling guilty that
you won't make the mistake again , by punishing yourself you think that you
won't be punished by someone else (but you get addicted to it) and also
by feeling guilty you make yourself think that it was all your fault.

please read hale's article it is really mindblowing

and in the end, give yourself a little kiss


liesbeth

[cameronwilliams]

Hi Liesbeth,

Thank you so much for your response!

I have a question: does it matter if I know what the guilt is about? Often times I find myself feeling guilty, and I don't even know why. Or sort of a general feeling guilty for everything... guilty about my feelings, my desire4s, my actions, etc..

Hale's question "could I allow myself to decide that I've been punished enough" feels vague to me in a way, because I don't even really know what I feel guilty for.... any suggestions?

Cam

[cameronwilliams]

That's the thing though, seminayak... I don't even know really what the guilt is about.

I guess I'm trying to figure it out

[Annrika James]

Hi Liesbeth,

Thank you so much for your response!

I have a question: does it matter if I know what the guilt is about? Often times I find myself feeling guilty, and I don't even know why. Or sort of a general feeling guilty for everything... guilty about my feelings, my desire4s, my actions, etc..

Hale's question "could I allow myself to decide that I've been punished enough" feels vague to me in a way, because I don't even really know what I feel guilty for.... any suggestions?

Cam

Hi Cam,

Sorry it took awhile to get back to you. In answer to your question, no you do not need to know why. You do not need to remember or relive the past, this is just reinforcing the belief "that you did something wrong & need to be punished"! This is also the result of wanting to figure it out, wanting to know why, or what it means about you.

If something spontaneously arises then simply welcome it as the memory that it is. Welcome all thoughts, feelings, beliefs & judgments associated with the memory (you don't even need to know what they are specifically).

Welcome all your wanting to change, fix or figure out the memory; any wanting to control or to be controlled by the memory; as well as any wanting to be punished.

Welcome too the feeling that the memory is personal, about you and who you are. Allow it to FEEL as personal as it does.

Could you allow yourself to let the whole memory go, and everything attached to it (all the above)?

An invitation.....are you that memory or that which is aware of the memory, yet unaffected? Rest as that which is already at peace!

Enjoy
Annie