- [Narrator] The mercy of forgiveness must also avail
for the opportunity of atonement.
The word atonement means,
"at-one-ment, it is the act that will bring us unity
and represents our oneness.
Atonement is strongly represented across faith
and spiritual practices.
It is seeking the condition of being one.
The message of atonement is that change is possible.
Phil Cousineau knew in the book
"Beyond Forgiveness", explains how atonement works.
Atonement, refers to an act that rights a wrong,
makes amends, repairs harm, offers restitution,
attempts compensation, clears the conscience
of the offender, relieves the anger of the victim,
and serves justice with a sacrifice commensurate
with the harm that has been done.
Atonement must involve a sacrifice of some kind.
If it does not include an act of sacrifice,
it is not a real atonement.
Through atonement, there is the making of peace.
In contemporary times, there have been many acts of violence
and wrongdoing, through which communities have had to work
through their anger, find peace, and make amends.
Consider the leadership of Gandhi,
in transforming attitudes from violence to peace.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
led by Nelson Mandela and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
granted amnesty in exchange for truth and healing.
This is a justice that works to heal the victim
and the perpetrator, seeking to restore the offender
to the community.
Restorative justice seeks to heal and restore unity.
The American penal system is characterized as one sided,
focused on punishment and misses opportunities to educate,
grow, learn, and heal for the individuals impacted
and the greater society.
The practice of atonement and peacemaking is evident
among the first people tribal communities in North America.
In the book, "Beyond Forgiveness", a story from an attorney,
James Botsford, who worked with the
Tribal Judges Association in Wisconsin,
demonstrates the power of restorative justice
through acts of forgiveness and atonement.
In this story, an incorrigible youth,
deliberately broke an old woman's window
and spray painted her house.
A peacemaking session was held in which each had their say.
It was learned that the youth had an abusive,
alcoholic father who beat them.
The grandparents were summoned.
It was decided that the father must apologize to the mother
and children.
The boy was not sent to juvenile detention.
He was told to apologize to the old woman,
repair her house, and fetch her groceries for six months.
It was learned the youth liked woodworking
and he was assigned a mentor to work with him
to develop his skills.
As you can see, there was forgiveness.
There were acts of atonement.
The kindness of this community worked with this youth
and family to help them move forward
with their lives instead of imprisoning them
and locking them into the suffering from their past.
The story embodies these words
by George Ivanovich Gurdijeff,
that described the hope that springs from forgiveness
and atonement,
"Use the present to repair the past,
and prepare the future."
The Tariq Khamisa Foundation was formed
by his family following his murder
while delivering pizza in San Diego.
Tariq's killer was a 14 year old gang member recruit,
named, Tony Hicks, who had been estranged
from his mother and was being raised by his grandfather.
The foundation teaches these six key messages
for atonement as restorative justice.
One, violence is real and hurts everyone.
Two, actions have consequences.
Three, we can all make good and non-violent choices.
Four, choose forgiveness instead of revenge.
Five, everyone including you deserves to be treated well.
Six, from conflict you can create love and unity.
In the Buddhist tradition,
atonement is the insight that the self,
the doer of actions is a fiction.
The concept itself is merely a pervasive way
of viewing the body and mind.
The one thing that will survive each when we die
will be the result of our deeds.
Reverend Heng Sure teaches us,
"One is responsible for one's deeds;
"nobody can transfer mistakes to another,
"and nobody can escape the results of behavior.
"There is one exception to this rule.
"Repentance can erase negative consequences -
"that is the ultimate repentance that reveals
"the true nature of the self."
The Buddhist method teaches us to find the willingness
to do something to atone for mistakes.
Begin by taking the time to address the relationship,
to own our part in the negativity
and admit that we are not here to struggle endlessly
with another.
Through practice and meditation,
it is possible to find in the heart,
a wish for the other to be well,
a desire to do no further harm
and a wish for peace and happiness.
The Dalai Lama speaks of a wrongdoing
as an opportunity for practicing tolerance and patience
that should be treated with gratitude.
Be inspired to be forgiving.
In the words of Phillip Moffitt,
"Trust yourself to open to forgiveness.
"Believe that you can redeem horrible acts
"by your own vulnerability.
"Let go of anything that separates you
"from other human beings.
"In doing so, you honor all those lost.
"Your act of forgiveness holds their story
"in its highest possible glory.
"And you honor life itself;
"There could be no greater legacy."
Angeles Arrien, in her book,
"Living in Gratitude", invites us to sustain hope
and trust in life through practices of gratitude and mercy.
As you can see from this discussion,
forgiveness and atonement are demonstrations of mercy
at the highest level of humanity,
bringing empathy and a hope for a better future
through the release of suffering.
It is very difficult work.
Your gratitude for life, your survivorship
and the opportunity to open your heart
to others will provide the trust and strength
to find peace and acceptance.
Let us take time to consider the teachings
within this lesson on gratitude, what it is and is not.
You are invited to revisit the concept of gratitude
through reflection and practice.
As you open yourself to manifestations of gratitude,
consider how you may apply these mindfulness principles
to support you in your experience.
Explore your feelings of gratitude and in gratitude
with non-judgmental awareness.
Know what you are aware of.
Notice gratitude in your experience.
Create an opening to your gratitude
without trying to fix it.
Open your heart to a sense of care and appreciation.
Hone or deepen your appreciation in the moment.
There are many forms of contemplative practice
that you may apply in your exploration of gratitude.
This image of the tree of contemplative practice comes from,
The Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education,
A-C-M-H-E.
It is a multidisciplinary academic association
with an international membership of educators,
administrators, staff, students, researchers,
and other professionals committed to the transformation
of higher education through the recovery
and development of the contemplative dimensions
of teaching, learning, and knowing.
This is one of many resources you may visit
as you learn about gratitude.
Whether your gratitude is for something, someone,
a blessing or an occurrence now or in the past,
your appreciation is an opportunity to remember, image,
and feel grateful.
This is the time to refer to the download
to support you in your reflection and practice.
As you process the messages, exercises, thoughts,
and feelings that surface, consider how gratitude
moves through the portals of your existence
in your daily life.
How does gratitude exist in your relationships
to self and others, your health and wellbeing,
your work and service to others,
and your sense of finance and generosity and abundance?
As you explore where gratitude is present in your life,
you may find changes to your character,
and develop an awareness of yourself, growing spiritually.
What are the blessings, learnings, mercies,
and protections through which gratitude is bestowed
and appreciated in your life?
What comes to you as you explore
that for which you feel appreciation?
Where does gratitude appear?
How does forgiveness enter your experience of gratitude?
As you apply your gratitude practice,
take these steps to focus your attention.
Begin by reviewing your thoughts and notes
that came to you throughout the lesson.
Pause to review the reflection questions.
These questions may support your meditation, journaling
or drawing practices.
Find practice exercises that speak to you for personal
and shared exploration.
Share your thoughts and questions
through our Facebook forum.
Commit to affirmations as you apply gratitude
to your daily life.
I offer one additional thought
as we leave the lesson that comes to us from Desmond Tutu.
"Forgiveness says you are given another chance
for making a new beginning."
Isn't that what we can all use in life, another chance?