Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonement
Beyond Forgivenessshows how acts of atonement—making amends, providing restitution, restoring balance—can relieve us of the pain of the past and give us a hopeful future. The book contains fifteen thoughtful contributions from high-profile thinkers and activists including, among others, Huston Smith, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Jacob Needleman, Arun Gandhi, Diane Hennacy Powell, Azim Noordin Khamisa, Rabbi Michael Lerner, James O'Dea, Reverend Heng Sure, Kate Dahlstedt, and Edward Tick."If we harbor thoughts of violence or hatred, or seek revenge or retribution, we are contributing to the wounding of the world; if we transform those thoughts into forgiveness and compassion, and then make amends or restitution, we are contributing to the healing of the world. This timely, powerful, and compassionate book helps show us the way."—Deepak Chopra, author ofThe Book of SecretsandThe Path to Love"Nothing will help us survive the present age more than breaking the tragic cycles of violence and revenge. To do so, we must honor our soul's desire for deeper forms of reconciliation, a process that Phil Cousineau reveals here as the ritual act of atonement. His book is a profoundly important contribution to the healing of the world. I give it my blessing."—Robert A. Johnson, author ofTransformation, Inner Work, and Owning Your Own Shadow"Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonementis an inspiring, practical, and compelling book, relevant for our times. Cousineau provides a profound and provocative book that has us ponder where we might need to forgive ourselves and others and to look at atonement and what it ignites in the human spirit."—Angeles Arrien, Ph.D., author ofThe Second Half of Life