Releasing Regret

I heard a pair of pine warblers in the trees at the back of my property line. They were calling to each other, but it sounded like neither of them was moving toward the other. Maybe one will seek the call of the other; maybe both will and they’ll meet in the middle.

Today (Friday, 5 June 2020) the moon reached fullness at 15:12 EDT. Among its names are The Strawberry Moon and The Rose Moon. For me, it’s time for another full moon ritual for releasing what does not serve me so I can make room to manifest an enriched future.

Regret. We all have experienced the heaviness of regret in varying degrees. Sometimes the feeling weighs less than other times, and it’s easier to learn the lesson and let go. With the heavier and wider- or deeper-reaching regret, we may need more time to loosen our grip on the anchor to the past. Sometimes we need to dig more and remove other blocks to get to where we can release our regrets.

Regret may impact our present attitudes and behaviors, which allows regret to be part of the future. Making peace with regret, letting go of it, and leaving it in the past allows us to create a brighter future for ourselves and the people in our lives.

“Regret. I know that I cannot change the past.”

– James Van Praagh, The Soul’s Journey Lesson Cards

In The Soul’s Journey Lesson Cards Guidebook, James Van Praagh emphasizes we hold the power to accept the past and change the future. We can reflect on the past without judging or classifying a regretful experience as good or bad. With a neutral perspective, we can learn from our past and use the lesson to shape a brighter future.

Some of the questions that have helped me to release regrets:

• Am I regretting something that belongs to me or someone else? Was it in my control or out of my control?
• Am I caught up in how I’m feeling and giving my power to someone else by letting their past and current behavior direct my future?
• Am I putting my ego aside and seeing from other perspectives?
• Am I needing to forgive someone even if they’ve never apologized? Am I needing to ask forgiveness from someone else? Am I needing to forgive myself?
• Am I giving my power to someone else by waiting for their apology or action before I release regret?
• Am I using regret as a distraction from facing something else?
• What do I need to say or do for myself in order to let go of this regret?
• What do I need to do now and in the future to continue to benefit from the lesson learned?
• How can I convert the my view of the past from the low vibration of regret to a higher vibration, such as acceptance, gratitude, love, or success?
• Do I believe I deserve peace now and an enriched future?

We cannot change the past nor can we rely on someone else to change their attitude or behavior in order to make the choice to release regret.

We can change our future by using our own power and choosing to let go of regret, releasing it and making room to receive better things, which includes the future.

Whether or not you celebrate the energy of the full moon, please take the opportunity to release anything that has been weighing heavy on your heart/soul/spirit. Whether you’re able to go outside and enjoy the moonlight or just find a quiet spot indoor or do this just before going to sleep:

• Allow yourself to breathe a few rounds of 4-7-8 relaxation breathing (inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, and exhaling slowly for 8 seconds).
• Allow yourself to experience your power in creating this peaceful moment for yourself.
• If you feel ready, allow yourself to release anything that no longer serves you and has been weighing heavy. Allow yourself to visualize it/them as an anchor that you’ve disconnected and now you are sailing away to a brighter horizon.

Change doesn’t happen overnight even if it’s under a full moon; however, letting go allows you to move towards the future without keeping a foot in the past.

For tonight, simply enjoy your peace.

A song came to mind while writing this post. The Avett Brothers, The Weight of Lies. I haven’t given any thought to its tie to this post, so maybe that connection is for you to make for yourself from your own experiences.

Luceat lux vestra.