Metaphysical, Spiritual traditions relaying the teachings of the Ancient Wisdom do not judge evolving humanity as sinners stained by past behaviors. There is only One spiritual error. It is not a sin; it is an error or mistake based on learned hatred or prejudice or fear justifying whatever we feel when we feel someone has something we need/want/ feel deprived of or we feel someone else doesn’t deserve what they have/has received it unfairly. It is the error of Separation from which all harmful beliefs and behaviors derive whether we harm ourselves or others.

When we separate ourselves from our own higher self, see ourselves as separate from God/Soul/Divinity we are not seeing our true nature, therefore, we do not live or act from our true nature. It is always from this false identity of separation that we harm ourselves which harms the whole of humanity of which we are an integral part.

In the pain of harming ourselves with shame, blame, inferiority, insecurity, harsh self-judgment, we externalize and project harm onto others. The other becomes the source of our pain leading to the delusion that hurting, dismissing, judging and seeking to rid ourselves of the now demonized other will relieve us of our pain, will save us. It never has and it never will.

At a Soul level we are all part of Life, we are all part of Humanity, therefore, we are only harming ourselves when we harm others.

When we begin to find the LOVE in our hearts to love ourselves, to forgive ourselves, we naturally begin to forgive others; when we see and cherish our own full human potential, we can see and cherish the full human potential of others/of all.

Is there punishment for harming others? Does this fundamental spiritual truth teach that past behavior that harmed us or others, whether we were the aggressor or others were, is acceptable, is without consequence? No, the consequences of realizing our own projections as a reaction to our own pain allows us not only to forgive ourselves and others but also evokes the desire to remedy/take responsibility/change ourselves/give to and help others.

Awareness naturally arises. In the Bible we are advised after being healed/forgiven to go forth and sin no more. Making amends, changing our behavior, taking action to be the person who is changed by embracing our true, loving, creative, joyful nature is the path to salvation/to redemption. Redeeming our soulful self, the self that values itself also values others with ease. This is the first essential step to living, loving and contributing positively to all relationships.

The work of recovering our true self is hard especially when we have experienced pain, trauma, and suffering from others/from society. The choice to begin this recovery/healing is a profound act of courage, of compassion for ourselves. When we can truly feel the pain others have caused us, we know that we must release that pain in order to be whole.

Forgiveness is the true path to release/relief.

When we can truly feel the pain, we have caused others either purposely or unintentionally, it hurts knowing that our pain has caused pain. Amends, when possible, heals our pain, too. When amends to those we have hurt aren’t available, prayer is always possible. Amends can also be extending kindness to anyone who we can assist now. When there is no separation in our hearts, there is no resistance to self or others.

Then we are free.