Samskara

Old hurts die hard. We cling to our grievances even as we know they bring us pain. We play them over in our minds until a grove similar to record albums is built - we're programed. In Vedic philosophy this is called Samskara and is a mental and karmic pattern built through repetition of thought. This is why mindfulness is so important for forgiveness to happen. It is easier to offer forgiveness and it's easy to believe that we sincerely wish for peace yet the mental patterns hold and we find ourselves trapped once more. To break free from Samskara we need to built a new pattern based on love, kindness and compassion - the foundation of forgiveness. Don't fight free from the trap of negative Samskara as the fight itself will only strengthen it's hold. Recognize the minds powerful pull towards these thought trends. Be aware. Be mindful. Simply watched their power fades. As the old patterns lose their hold we build our new lives around thoughts that empower and embody the wisdom we wish to share. It takes time. And we have the rest of our lives to practice.

Peace,
Eric