Sharon LeShane is an Intuitive Healer, Transformative Coach, Spiritual Mentor, Reiki Master, Sound Alchemist, Women's Circle Facilitator, Yoga Instructor and Meditation Teacher. She loves, guides and empowers others to shine, embody and share their inner light.
Is there anything from your past that you would benefit from releasing? Do you hold grudges? Are you skeptical that forgiveness would be helpful? Explore the value of forgiveness and learn how Sharon discovered its power and why she is motivated to share its healing potential.
What is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is letting go. It is a conscious decision to release and surrender anger, blame and resentment. Forgiveness does not come naturally. We are not programmed to forgive. Most of us automatically think and talk about our troubles. Our default is to focus on our problems rather than possible solutions. This keeps us stuck reliving our negative experiences and worries leading to emotional blockages.
What about grudges?
Grudges are feelings of anger and resentment towards someone who mistreated us in the past. The truth is that holding grudges only hurts the person harboring them, not the individual against whom the grudge is held. Resentment leads to higher levels of stress and anxiety which is damaging to our health.
To quote Buddha "Anger is the punishment we give ourselves for someone else's mistake." This realization is powerful. We have a choice. If we choose to change and decide to release grudges, we don't have to do it all at once. We only need to take that first step.
Does forgiving mean it was acceptable?
Forgiveness does not mean we approve actions that hurt us. It also does not mean we pretend that they never happened. It is about acknowledging, feeling and accepting the pain. We then make a conscious decision to let it go. This is a gradual process and not an overnight fix. It's important to note that we do not need to have a relationship with the person(s) we are forgiving. Forgiveness is for us and our inner peace.
Afraid to forgive?
Sometimes, we are afraid to forgive. We may not know who we are without the pain, especially when we have been carrying it for a long time. If we have allowed an experience to define us and take over our lives, it can be challenging to imagine our life without it. We tend to fear change, even if on some level we know it's for our highest good.
Forgiveness of self can be the most fearful. It's often easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves. Although forgiveness can be very challenging, especially when the wounds are deep, it is valuable for our healing. A decision to prioritize peace of mind and well-being over the need for revenge or justice is empowering. This allows us to live in the present and focus on building a fulfilling and joyful life. We all deserve that.
The impact of forgiveness on my life
I will share the trauma I experienced and how my life was affected. I will also discuss the healing and transformative shifts that led to forgiveness.
Trauma
Just a few weeks after I graduated from high school, my younger sister and her friend were in a fatal car accident. It was July 14, 1984, when my sister Darlene Doyle and her friend Karen lost their lives at the ages of 11 and 12. I was in shock! It was unbelievable. I felt it could not be, that the doctors could surely do something. But there was nothing they could do.
I remember feeling helpless at first then the anger brewed. I was grieving the loss of my sister and felt lonely. That fall I moved to attend university. My parents did try to convince me to stay home and postpone but I left anyway. I recall the pain of visiting home even though I loved visiting my parents and my two younger brothers. It felt painful and lonely because I didn’t acknowledge or share my true feelings.
Looking back, I was filled with grief and anger. This was amplified when I found out the driver was impaired. I remember feeling enraged and wanting revenge. To say I held a grudge was an understatement.
It was a long road to healing since back in those days we did not have the support available now. I remember well-meaning family and friends telling me to "be strong for my parents". Unfortunately, I took their advice and did not grieve or show my true feelings especially not in the presence of my parents. I later realized I had suppressed my grief for many years.
Whenever we suppress our feelings, it creates an energetic imbalance. It manifested as an inability to trust and being emotionally distant. I was either indifferent toward others or projected anger toward them because I was triggered. I realized later that the suppressed grief had created those responses as a means of protection.
Ignoring our emotions is detrimental to our health and happiness. Suppressed emotions will fester, grow, and lead to stress and strain on our relationships. Including our relationship with ourselves. It creates an emotional block that prevents us from fully connecting and trusting and negatively affects self-confidence. It was years later before I realized that my energy would be better spent on nurturing my personal growth and fostering healthy relationships.
Healing
In 2015, I began to feel increasingly called to spend time in nature. My husband, son, and I spent that summer camping. We had an amazing unobstructed ocean view alongside a beautiful brook. Spending time in nature, I reconnected with my inner child which began my journey of healing. I was not aware of its significance until years later.
In 2018 I joined a meditation group and experienced my first energy healing session. Since then, I have worked with spiritual mentors, coaches, reiki masters, yogis and so many beautiful souls that I find impossible to label the space they hold and the healing they offer. I have had many deep experiences during my journey of awakening. Some of these happened during transcendental meditations and others during energy sessions. I am grateful for all the love and guidance I received along the way.
Shifts
Two profound shifts in my life were transformational. Both are related to the unexpected and tragic death of my sister Darlene.
After our beautiful son was born in 2001, my husband was pleasantly surprised to hear me singing lullabies. He commented that he loved my voice, and asked why in our nine years together he never heard me sing. That comment prompted my reflection, and I realized that when Darlene passed my singing voice was silenced.
In 2005, I felt inspired to write my thoughts on paper which became a poem about the loss of my sister. The poem removed a dense heavy energy from my heart, and I felt lighter and free. I started singing at home then at small gatherings and eventually in public. I learned how to play guitar and became a performer joining a monthly show at the local theatre. That poem was the first major life-changing shift however, I did not fully recognize its power until much later. I named the poem "DD" and it was shared with my husband only for many years. In 2022 when my website was created, I was meant to share with my family first, then posted the poem on my website.
The second life-changing shift occurred during a profound meditation in 2019. I experienced a deep liberating meditation during which I released resentment, hate, blame, guilt and anger. I offered full forgiveness to the driver of the vehicle. I felt Darlene with me and her absolute joy when I offered unconditional love, compassion and forgiveness. The space it freed was filled with light, peace and unconditional love. I am so grateful I was able to forgive because it did set me free in so many ways.
Life purpose
The isolation in the following year due to the 2020 pandemic, provided even more time for me to work on self-development and healing. I was inspired to learn reiki and trained to become a life coach. I discovered I had a gift for empowering others and began leading meditations allowing them to flow intuitively.
I realized my life purpose was to hold space for and empower others to release their limitations and discover their authentic self. My mission was clear, to help others move from their busy mind to their beautiful hearts so they too would realize they are sovereign and free.
I created LeShane Seaside Vitality that year and offered reiki and coaching from my home in Lower Island Cove, Newfoundland. In 2022 I started sharing a studio in Carbonear and expanded my services offering in both locations. I had completed more training and continued my healing which awakened my creativity. I created a program called “Awaken Your Authentic Self”. That became module one and I am currently developing the fourth module of this program. My newest offering is “Awaken Circle For Women” which starts this fall in September 2024. LeShane Seaside Vitality continues to grow and evolve as I do.
What if I am not ready to forgive?
Forgiveness is not something that can be forced. We all have our unique journey and how it unfolds for you will be different than it is for others. Regardless of what you have experienced, it would be helpful to work towards self-love and acceptance. If you are not ready to forgive yet, accept that truth and love yourself where you are. Allow yourself to feel any emotions that surface from that realization, without judgment.
Where do I begin?
Not ready to forgive but ready to make changes? If you are holding grudges, you can begin by softening them. Set an intention to release any need for retaliation. The energy of revenge is very toxic and self-sabotaging. If forgiveness is not possible, you could take the first step toward releasing grudges or resulting plans for revenge.
If you are not already working with a coach, mentor or energy healer, I highly recommend it. Having guidance from someone who understands what you are experiencing is reassuring and uplifting. A safe non-judgemental space for you to feel safe to share facilitates and accelerates healing.
Can I heal myself?
Just setting your intention to heal is powerful. Self-help books can assist you in creating a positive mindset and developing practices to improve your quality of life. This is a great place to start. There are also meditation applications and personal development podcasts to help you along the way.
To use an analogy, assume you know how to replace the brakes on your car, but you don't have all the necessary specialty tools or the experience of a mechanic. Regardless, you decide to do it yourself. You get the brake job completed but it takes you 6 hours. Had you brought the vehicle to the garage, it would have taken only 1 hour. It would have been more effective and efficient for the mechanic. They have the tools and experience to do a quality job faster. This compares to working with a coach or mentor for your personal development, they offer you valuable tools and insight from their experiences and training to support and accelerate your healing.
Do you want to improve your life?
I am grateful for the beautiful souls I have worked with. It's an honor to hold space as they journey toward their authentic selves. I also appreciate all the amazing healers and guides that have helped me. I am so happy I invested in myself by enrolling in programs, coaching and energy sessions. Without them, I would not be where I am today. I continue to work on my healing and growth because as I evolve so do the energy and services that I offer.
If you feel it would be in alignment to work with me, module 1 of the Awaken your Authentic Self program will be offered again this fall. If you prefer a more personal customized experience, transformative coaching may be more suitable. You can set up a complimentary discovery call by emailing me here. These and other services are offered live in person and online. To learn more about my offerings please visit here.
Through the act of forgiveness, I reclaimed my sovereignty. This created space for more light and positive experiences in my life. In essence, forgiveness was a gift that I gave myself in a powerful act of self-love. I would be honored to hold sacred space for you offering love and guidance as you heal and embrace your beautiful authentic self.
Read more from Sharon Doyle LeShane
Sharon Doyle LeShane, Intuitive Reiki Healer and Transformative Coach
Sharon LeShane is a Spiritual Mentor and Intuitive Healer. LeShane Seaside Vitality ensued from her strong passion for empowering others toward a more fulfilling personal and professional life. She offers Intuitive Reiki Healing, Illuminating Sound Alchemy, Transformative Coaching, Sacred Women’s Circles, Divine Meditation Journeys and Yoga. “Awaken Your Authentic Self “and “Awaken Circle for Women” are programs she created to empower and inspire. Sharon creates sacred space for healing and offers love, guidance, and motivation to assist in connecting with one's higher self and personal power.
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