Ever since human beings could speak
to one another, they have been making promises and keeping them or not
keeping them. Those who keep their promises are regarded as people of
integrity, while those who don't keep their promises are regarded as
people who at best can't be taken seriously and at worst can't be
trusted. Sometimes we forget how powerful our words are, and we use them
haphazardly or unconsciously, creating expectations that are never
fulfilled, leaving disappointment and distrust in our wake.
On an even deeper level, there are promises we may have made to
ourselves that we don't remember because they have slipped into our
unconscious. An early heartache may have been followed by a promise
never to trust love again. Without realizing it, we may be fulfilling
that promise and wondering why our love life looks so grim. At an even
deeper level, many people who recall past lives become aware that they
made a promise lifetimes ago that they are still keeping. For example, a
vow of poverty taken in a lifetime as a monk may be holding someone
back from fulfilling his earning potential now. Upon realizing that we
have made a promise we no longer wish to be beholden to, we can perform a
ritual of requesting release from that bond. In doing so, we clear
ourselves of outmoded connections and patterns, returning ourselves to a
clean slate. Then we can resolve to remember that our word is sacred
and to be very conscious of any promises we make to ourselves or to
others.
We may ask to be released from any promises made to ourselves or others
in our present, past, or future lives, consciously or unconsciously,
that are holding us back from fulfilling our greatest good. We may ask
that love, light, and healing be sent to any souls who have suffered
from our inability to be true to our word, including ourselves. We can
ask for the wisdom to do our best and from this point forward to be true
to our word, promising only what we truly intend to deliver. The
resulting clear conscience and liberated energy will illustrate this
truth: We are only as good as our word.(Daily Om)