And why neuroscience completely agrees
Forgiveness may be one of the hardest things we ever do.
But it may also be one of the most powerful.
Of all the practices I teach in Moonology, forgiveness work is the one I come back to again and again.
Not because it’s easy. Usually, it’s anything but.
But because, in my experience, it can completely change how you feel… and therefore how you live.
What happens when we don’t forgive
When we hold on to resentment, whether it’s towards another person, a situation, or even ourselves, the body doesn’t just “move on” because we tell it to.
The nervous system can continue to treat that pain as an ongoing threat.
The amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, stays quietly activated.
Stress hormones such as cortisol keep circulating.
Sleep can become shallower.
The immune system can be affected.
We can end up living in a low-grade state of tension and stress for years… sometimes decades… without fully realising it.
We think we’ve moved on.
But some part of us is still carrying it.
What forgiveness really is (and isn’t)
Forgiveness isn’t about saying what happened was OK.
It isn’t about pretending you weren’t hurt.
And it certainly isn’t about making excuses for bad behaviour.
Forgiveness is about setting yourself free from carrying it.
Free from the emotional weight.
Free from the mental loop.
Free from the physical stress response that just keeps going.
Why this is so central to Moonology
This is exactly why forgiveness work is woven so deeply into Moonology.
Especially in the waning cycle and around the Full Moon.
As the Moon releases her light… we release what we’ve been holding on to.
It’s not just symbolic.
It’s a moment when your body and mind are actually more ready to let go.
The science of forgiveness
There is now a growing body of research showing that forgiveness has measurable effects on the brain and body.
Studies suggest that forgiveness can:
- Reduce activity in the amygdala (the threat-response centre)
- Increase activity in the prefrontal cortex (calm, clear thinking)
- Lower stress and anxiety
- Reduce rumination
- Improve sleep
- Support better emotional regulation
People often say they feel lighter after doing forgiveness work.
And the truth is… they are.
Not just spiritually.
Physically. Neurologically. Emotionally.
Here’s the part that really matters
Forgiveness isn’t a one-off moment.
It’s not something you either “can” or “can’t” do.
It’s a practice.
A skill.
Something you can learn.
Something you can come back to, layer by layer, Moon cycle by Moon cycle.
Which is exactly why I created this workshop
If you’ve been feeling stuck, heavy, hurt, angry, or just aware there’s something in you that’s ready to be released…
This weekend is for you.
Moonology & Forgiveness
A weekend of release, healing, and lunar wisdom
Dates: May 29 to 31, 2025
Location: Omega Institute
Where: Rhinebeck, New York
This is my only big US workshop of the year.
Click here for info and tickets.
And I’ve chosen forgiveness as the theme for a reason.
We’ll work together gently but powerfully with release, reflection, and healing.
Using the Moon as our guide.
And the science of transformation to support the process.
There will be ritual.
There will be insight.
There will be practical tools.
And, I hope, a real shift in how you feel.
If this is calling you
The Omega Institute is one of the most beautiful retreat settings in the world, set in the lush Hudson Valley.
So if you’ve been waiting for a sign…
This could be it.
Places are limited, as they always are at Omega.
If you feel the nudge, don’t wait too long.
I would love to spend this weekend with you, helping you put down what you’ve been carrying…
And move into the rest of 2025 feeling lighter, freer, and more open than you might even think is possible right now.
With so much love and moonlight,
Yasmin
