the essence of forgiveness: looking with the Holy Spirit’s or Jesus’ nonjudgmental gentleness and patience at our ego thought system; since it is guilt that prevents us from looking at our specialness, thus sustaining the ego and keeping its true nature hidden, it is looking without judgment at our attack thoughts that undoes the ego: thus, looking at the ego without guilt and fear is the essence of the Atonement.
(see: bringing darkness (illusions) to the light (truth))