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Peace, Forgiveness &
International Forgiveness Day
by Desiree de Angelise
A Celebration for International Forgiveness Day -- isn't that an interesting concept,
or several! Prior to my connecting with a West Coast group, I didn't even know there
was an International Forgiveness Day, much less a celebration of it, or that Stanford
University had a graduate program in forgiveness. Did you? The San Francisco celebration
honored four "Heroes of Forgiveness," including two who had fought against
each other in Vietnam! I also learned that an idea with which I had been involved,
creating a Department of Peace, had actually been introduced as a House of Representives
Bill by Congressman Kucinich, with whom I later connected.
The West Coast group was involved in several offerings, giving me the opportunity
to choose attending the 5th International Forgiveness Day Celebration on August 5.
The date, in addition to being international -- our bombing of Japan -- was a personal
one. Flying to California in 2001 allowed me to celebrate my mother's birthday with
her after being in the Bay Area. Wanting to return to that space so I could dance
"Touch Through Me," an invocation to the Holy Spirit, as my own unique
way of changing energy, I found, in amazing ways, that everything contributed to
my being able to do just that. Betrayal on many levels had ended a marriage begun
with such promise, so I had wanted to offer forgiving and release old ties prior
to attending the international celebration in San Francisco.
San Francisco -- named by the Franciscan missionaries for St. Francis, site of the
charter signing creating the U.N., and where Kennedy announced his Peace Corps concept
- -seemed appropriate to host an International Forgiveness Day Celebration. And St.
Mary's, one of its cathedrals of beauty, was chosen to honor those having made awe-inspiring
choices of forgiveness.
In writing this article, I contemplated "forgiveness" as it pertained to
what I had seen and heard at the celebration, as well as that of my own. Roses and
a reminder of the importance of forgiveness recently began my exploration/class "A
Fresh Look at Jeshua/Jesus and Aramaic," as I kept hearing Jeshua's Biblical
"seventy times seven" (in answer to how many times we need to forgive).
I take a brief look into Jeshua's language and explore recently channeled books/articles,
including the "Jeshua, the Personal Christ" series coming through Judith
Coates, allowing his real message of Joy and Peace to come through. My creative,
personal thoughts connect with the material and I include a word image from Gibran's
“Jesus, Son of Man,” of Jeshua kneeling in an almond orchard, scooping up blossoms
in his arms and burying his face in them - -a picture of joy, of spring, of life.
The interweaving of all of these thoughts contributed to some new insights. The "Heroes
of Forgiveness" had had to go beyond our usual idea of forgiveness -- each had
reached unconditional love.
Unconditional love, through some awesome plan of the Universe, had been mine prior
to turning 3. My playmate's father, part of my soul family, even mirrored to this
adopted only child "joy in my very being," following through, until an
early death, with actions allowing me to feel affirmed and special. Thanks to Jay,
I mirror unconditional love to others, and, thus, my seeing differs from most. Later,
philosophy offered ideas I continue to use and share. Even without a conscious understanding
of unconditional love, seeing in print that we needed to learn to treat individuals
as persons, not objects, was powerful. Gabriel Marcel stated that when we attempt
to possess, control, manipulate, etc., we deny the essential being of the person
by treating that individual as an object. The two ideas point out that unconditional
love offers seeing the other, not as an object, but as a person, acknowledging her/his
essential being. Judging, no matter how seemingly justified by hurtful and destructive
actions, creates objects -- it objectifies not only the one being judged, but also
the one doing the judging. No wonder we have warnings about judging!!
If we are all part of ONE, then we each need to free ourselves from all old, even
ancient, vows, oaths and ties of the past. This is why so many of us are dealing
with so much at this time: We are clearing eons of misqualified or out-of-alignment
energy, not only our own, but that of the planet. We need to continue doing this
to truly reach a New Millennium requiring aligned, free-flowing energy. Our energy
needs to be free from bonds, especially bonds of guilt and shame, to be in peace
and in the Now. It seems that we have misunderstood forgiveness as having something,
even anything, to do with actions of any kind -- no matter how seemingly negative
and painful the betrayal, abuse, etc.
Negative actions, our own or anyone else's, cloud an issue totally about energy.
It is our being that is at issue here. Energy flows freely to each of us as a being.
However, if something happened to create a block or tie, especially guilt or shame,
between two or more beings, that energy is kept from flowing. Closer alignment with
Goddess/God, All That Is energy, the energy allowing us to enjoy all of the Love,
Light, Peace, Joy, etc. available, means we have to be in the flow and in the Now.
Forgiveness, especially forgiveness plus unconditional love, allows blocks and ties
to be dissolved and energy belonging to our being to once more freely flow.
The invitation to the celebration stated: "Four Heroes of Forgiveness will be
presented to individuals who have displayed the highest qualities of forgiveness,
reconciliation and peace. Please join us in what promises to be an auspicious, empowering
and memorable evening. Blessings!" Attending that evening's celebration turned
out to be be inspiring, awesome and unforgettable.
The invocation, plus the president's remarks, began the evening, followed by "The
Healing Power of Forgiveness" message from Dr. Fred Luskin Ph.D, director of
the Stanford Forgiveness Research Project. Others then shared about the lives of
the honorees. Two were being honored together, however the North Vietnamese man was
ill and unable to attend. The other, an American, had seen his friends killed and
wounded and had thought he had killed the man. A napsack kept as a war souvenir and
discovered many years later had writings and photos leading him to see differently
and attempt to connect with the man's family. The two men then connected, shared
time when the American visited, and they had become friends. In a touching moment,
a Vietnamese choir sang, honoring both men. Another man became a minister after he
had already begun to assist men and their families, men who as a teen he had witnessed
rob and murder his father. A woman's only child died from a "hit" ordered
by her son-in-law, but the daughter survived long enough to call 911 and give birth.
The grandmother, wanting her grandchild to grow up without hatred and division between
the two families, assisted in promoting peace and sharing the child. A Black Gospel
choir honored her in song. The closing included a woman singing in an angelic voice
and moving beautifully.
I even met and talked with those honored and involved in the celebration. After that,
and remembering August 5, several of us shared dinner at a Japanese restaurant, ending
a day of unique promise. A "Sound Workshop" offered by the angelic-voiced
woman allowed me to share "Touch Through Me" with those attending, and
Akasa and I continue to e-mail. When meeting Robert Plath, the founder, I thanked
him for having created this awe-inspiring idea and celebration and also offered to
dance "Touch Through Me" as my way of honoring such inspirational stories
and actions. He expressed interest, so hopefully, my offer will be accepted and,
once again, I will have the honor of attending such a celebration of the spirit.
For more information:
www.ForgivenessDay.org
www.PioneersOfForgiveness.org
Desiree de Angelise/Dee
Grover choreographs and performs sacred dance and offers dance and spiritual workshops.
Her poetry and articles are being compiled for a book, and she is also working on
a book including some of her mystical experiences. Contact her at deelightasol@yahoo.
Copyright ©
2003 Desiree de Angelise/Dee Glover
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