Forgiveness is an important requisite to enjoy true peace in life. But the emotions that rule our life like hatred, anger, resentment are some of the greatest impediments to our forgiving and our ego does the honours when it comes to our reluctance to ask for forgiveness. Equipping ourselves with tools to cross these hurdles to happiness is a crucial need of the day.<\/p>\n
On 7th<\/sup> June 2018, Lotus Healing Seva Group\u2019s Founder Member Monica Gokaldas,<\/strong> assisted by Cooky Vora<\/strong> LHSG member, held a workshop on forgiveness called Ho\u2019oponopono, a Hawaiian method of Forgiveness introduced to the west by Morrneh Simeona<\/strong>, for cancer patients, their care givers, and therapists and volunteers of Faraja Cancer Support Trust <\/strong>in Nairobi, Kenya. We have been carrying out this work annually at the Centre, with the kind support of the directors of Faraja.<\/strong><\/p>\n Please read on for her account and do watch the slide show.<\/p>\n Thank you!<\/p>\n Kamal Tolia<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n LHSG Founder Member<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<\/p>\n On the cold morning of Thursday, June 14, 2018 Cooky<\/strong> and I reached at Faraja<\/strong> Cancer<\/strong> Care<\/strong>, Kenya on Shivachi Road and excitedly set up the room where we were to conduct the workshop. This was the fifth year consecutive that we were doing this workshop at this venue for Cancer patients, their care givers, therapists and volunteers at Faraja.<\/p>\n Despite a slight technical hitch with the projector we began the session by around 9.15am as people were still pouring in. I started off with introduction of the topic, explaining the WHYs, WHATs and HOWs about the significance of Ho\u2019oponopono \u2013 the Hawaiian technique of forgiveness. We had 22 people who attended this workshop including a few members from the LHSG<\/strong> as well. It was encouraging to see the attendees interacting and expressing their views and experiences as that gave me a better confidence at conducting it. Although I had co conducted this workshop earlier with Kamal<\/strong> Tolia<\/strong> in the past \u2013 this was my third solo one to date.<\/p>\n The forgiveness exercises were quite exciting as they all looked forward to going through the session after a refreshments break. Some of them even cried out and felt much lighter having practiced the forgiveness. My challenge was to explain to someone who had recently lost someone very close due to a third person\u2019s fault in an accident and she wasn\u2019t willing to forgive the third person. However, she gradually understood the need to forgive the person to release herself from the grief and guilt of witnessing the accident as she forgave herself first.<\/p>\n Teaching at Faraja has always been a pleasant experience as I feel a connection with the place and patients whom we often meet during the Wednesday Healing Sessions. Arwa<\/strong> Kapacee<\/strong> has been very helpful in organizing the event and in her absence the preparation was well handled by Neha<\/strong> Choudhary<\/strong> as well. I express my gratitude to the Faraja team for their efforts at the same.<\/p>\n Monica Gokaldas<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n LHSG Founder Member<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<\/p>\n Slide Show<\/p>\n