Wellness and The Four Steps to Forgiveness - The Global Forgiveness Initiative

The importance of Wellness has rightfully become widely recognised. Regularly spending time in practises and activities (or lack of activity) so as to promote our physical and mental health (instead of waiting till we have a problem) is increasingly seen as the path of wisdom and common sense.

Intrinsic to wellness is an understanding that the body and mind deeply effect each other. It is obvious that our physical health effects our mood even in the short term. Physical pain or discomfort makes it more difficult to work effectively and to enjoy social interactions. Longer term physical ailments can be a precursor to depression or cause anxiety around a person’s ability to be earn an income and be gainfully employed. In turn anxiety attacks, or depression can cause a person to be less effective in all aspects of their life which will have additional negative effects on their physical wellbeing. If a person goes into a psychologogical “slump” they may not take care of themselves properly and get into bad eating habits, addictive behaviours and so own, which ultimately effect their physical health.

Many scientific studies have cited forgiveness as something which has a very beneficial effect in both psychological and physical health. Therefore forgiveness can play a major role in wellness and can be a very effective add-on to a the offerings of a wellness centre. However, there are some major challenges facing a wellness provider and wellness practitioners wanting to include forgiveness as a healing protocol they offer. Namely, how can a Wellness Centre offer the practise of forgiveness to their clients, without potentially offending the clients’ religious, or cultural sensibilities? A wellness centre is not privy to a client’s religious perspective, or even to whether the client has such a perspective at all, and it would obviously be loath to introduce anything which might cause offence to the client. Yet, wellbeing clients who are religiously active may be very averse to any practise of method which comes from another religion; where other clients may be offended by anything which has any kind of “religious” overtones.

Another challenge with offering a forgiveness modality is that many people have a belief that forgiveness is “hard” or “very difficult”. I often get a startled reaction when I tell them that the main reason that they are not as forgiving as they would like to be is simply becuse nobody has showed the HOW to forgive. They may have been told that they “should” forgive, but that is not the same at all of showing people “how” to forgive

Thankfully a solution is at hand. The Four Steps to Forgiveness is not derived from any religion; it is a secular method of forgiveness which does not give offence on religious or cultural grounds. Indeed it has proven itself to be highly popular in virtually every country in the world.

Though we within the Global Forgiveness Initiated have not to-date proferred The Four Steps to Forgiveness as being relevant to the Wellness industry; it undoubtedly is exaltly that. It is a well-proven method, that is quick and easy to learn. It would be fairly easy for wellness practitioners to use with their clients and perhaps even encourage some clients to use it themselves.

An integrated approach to wellness often includes a wide range of modalities, some of which might be regarded as “spiritual” such a meditation, yoga – and now – Forgiveness. However, The Four Steps to Forgiveness could just as easily be offered in a “psychological” or “counselling” context if a “spiritual’ context would be off-putting to clients.

if If you are a wellness provider, or wellness centre, and are interested in exploring the profound benefits which Forgiveness work can offer your clients please contact us using the form below.