A Little Book of Forgiveness: Challenges and Meditations for Anyone with Something to Forgive

This little book carries a big message and that is the personal renewal you will feel from forgiveness. The perceptions covered in the book will help you to see how powerful forgiveness is, for your own well being. It's a really great book, and one to have on hand in case you ever have some forgiving to do.

I first became aware of D. Patrick Miller thanks to his book THE COMPLETE STORY OF THE COURSE, which is a beautifully written and wonderfully researched account of the history and theory of the three-volume book of spiritual psychotherapy known as A COURSE IN MIRACLES. The central teaching of the Course is that we need to forgive, that "forgiveness is your peace." So it only seemed logical to me that Mr. Miller, himself a student of the Course, would write a book called A LITTLE BOOK OF FORGIVENESS. The Course's version of forgiveness is quite different from conventional ideas about forgiveness. I won't go too far into here (for that, I recommend turning to any book by Kenneth Wapnick), but basically the Course teaches that you forgive another not for what they have done, but for what they have not done. And what they have not done is get in the way of your relationship with God -- because, as the Course says, no one and nothing in the physical universe can do that. "There is no order of difficulty in miracles." It appears to me that in A LITTLE BOOK OF FORGIVENESS D. Patrick Miller is a bit more conventional in his approach to forgiveness. While the influence of the Course is certainly felt, the content of this work seems to be more of a worldly nature than what is found in the Course. It seems to me that Mr. Miller focuses on acknowledging the wrongs that have been committed against the listener, be it a betrayal by a friend, the neglect of a parent, etc., and then encouraging the listener to let go and move on in his life. Though, at least in my opinion, this is certainly different from the form of forgiveness mentioned in the Course, it has its validity. The truth of the matter is that we all have a list of grievances that we very truly do believe have occurred in this physical universe, and it is a gift to ourselves to be able to move beyond them. It took a great deal of growth on my part to realize that all of my grievances ultimately hindered me. There are people I have been angry with for years (such as my first grade teacher who accused me of having learning disabilities and sent me to remedial reading classes; proving her wrong is actually a great motivational force behind my writing), but who most likely have not thought about me one bit. So who suffered as a result of my anger? I did, of course. What a waste of time! In A LITTLE BOOK OF FORGIVENESS D. Patrick Miller seems to be suggesting that the listener stop wasting his or her time. I think that A LITTLE BOOK OF FORGIVENESS is something of an in-between step from the conventional ideas about forgiveness and the more radical ideas of forgiveness put forth in A COURSE IN MIRACLES. I say this because there seemed to be no mention of the more esoteric and metaphysical ideas of forgiveness put forth in the Course. Actually, I don't recall hearing one direct quote from the Course, which did surprise me. But D. Patrick Miller's thoughts on forgiveness dovetail nicely with what the

We all need to forgive others for having hurt us, whether intentionally or unintentionally. But to do that we must also learn to forgive ourselves for the wrongs we have committed against God and our neighbor. Miller writes succinctly about the selfishness of not forgiving yourself and releasing yourself to do good in the world. It is arrogance to hold a grievance against yourself or others. Drawing from 'A Course in Miracles', Miller expands on the them that every thought is either a loving response or a cry for help. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone needs forgiveness. God gives us the gift of forgiveness and we should likewise extend this (seemingly undeserved) favor to everyone including our own selves. This is one of the books I give in my Christian counseling practice. I give it my highest recommendation. Everyone should read this 'little' book. Also recommended: Choosing Happiness (Veronica Ray), The Road Less Traveled (M. Scott Peck), A Course in Miracles (anonymous), The Practical Guide to Real Christianity (S. Theriault)

Forgiveness is a concept I never grasped. I always simply dismissed it as a religious process available to a particular denomination. I remained burdened due to this limited view. When I was given this book,THE LITTLE BOOK OF FORGIVENESS, many things happened. A clarity of thought came first, an acceptable course of action next, and release at last