Forgiveness as a Spiritual Practice

Anger, fear, grief, and pain hinder us from feeling connected with the Spirit and our own healing energies. Through the windows and doors of forgiveness we can open ourselves to a more peaceful way of being. This is especially important in times of uncertainty. Workshop focuses on tools and techniques for doing forgiveness work, not…

Workshop Description

Anger, fear, grief, and pain hinder us from feeling connected with the Spirit and our own healing energies. Through the windows and doors of forgiveness we can open ourselves to a more peaceful way of being. This is especially important in times of uncertainty. Workshop focuses on tools and techniques for doing forgiveness work, not on therapy.

Expectations and objectives for the week:

1. to introduce participants to a way of looking at forgiveness that can increase spiritual and emotional healing.
2. to develop a list of tools and techniques for engaging in forgiveness work.
3. to practice/experience as many tools and techniques as possible.
4. to create a safe “community” for all, in which group members can move as fast or as slowly as they choose in practicing forgiveness.

Specific areas or tools that I expect to cover:
definition of forgiveness and an analogy for working with it; what it takes to successfully forgive; things I give myself permission to not forgive; family teachings about forgiveness; self-forgiveness; impact on one’s health of not forgiving; boundary setting; role of apology; next steps in the forgiveness practice/work.

Rough description of the format:
Each session will begin with worship and a reading, be interspersed with small periods of worship as needed, and end with worship. Some lecture/presentation, particularly during the first session, small group or pair work, individual meditation and/or writing time, guided meditation, and shared discussion will be the mode. There will be time each day for questions and/or reflections about the work.

No advanced reading necessary. Bring writing material/paper.

Leader Experience

Sue Regen has been attending the FGC Gathering since 1999 and leading workshops on the topic of forgiveness as a spiritual practice since 2004. Forgiveness is a deep topic that often people take this workshop a second or third time. Sue begans with a series of short Quaker dialogues on the topic of forgiveness.

Sue has led five workshops on forgiveness within people incarcerated in the Attica Prison. In total, she has led over 95 workshops at: FGC Gathering, Friends Conference on Religion and Psychology, Pendle Hill, Woolman Center, Powell House Retreat Center, and numerous monthly meetings around the country, including her home Meeting of Rochester, Austin Friends, Pima, Charlotte, NC, Patapsco, QVIC by zoom. Others include: SEYM (May 2023) FGC Gatherings 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 by zoom, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 by zoom.

The ministry of forgiveness is a passion of Sue, who mentions that she is always grateful for the opportunity to walk the path of forgiveness with others.