‘I visualized him like a child’: Carlos Santana reveals how he forgave man who sexually abused him during childhood

Carlos Santana has revealed that he has forgiven a man who sexually abused him when he was a child. Several years after he suffered the alleged abuse, the 75-year-old renowned guitarist has opened up about how he made peace with the ordeal.

“My son and I were talking about this yesterday, how acceptance and forgiveness are really spiritual,” Carlos said, according to the news outlet PEOPLE. “I learned to look at everyone who ever went out of their way to hurt me, demean me or make me feel like less, like they’re 5 or 6 years old, and I’m able to look at them with understanding and compassion.”

The star’s experiences will be documented in the upcoming documentary – ‘Carlos’. It is set to premiere on June 17 at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Carlos previously revealed that he had been abused “almost every day” between the ages of 10 and 12. His alleged abuser was a man who would cross the border into Mexico. The man, an American tourist who made friends with Carlos’ parents, would bring gifts for him.

Carlos has now said that looking at the entire situation from a different perspective, he is able to grant the man grace. “For example, this person who abused me sexually, instead of sending him to hell forever, I visualized him like a child, and behind him there was a lot of light,” he said. “So I can send him to the light or send him to hell knowing that if I send him to hell, I’m going to go with him. But if I send him to the light, then I’m going to go with him also.”

“There’s this saying, ‘Hurt people hurt people.’ It’s my pain. It did happen to me. But if you open your hands, and you let it go, then you don’t feel that anymore,” he added.

In the interview, Carlos also revealed how he enjoys the success he has earned. “Now everything’s a fun time because there’s still a 7-year-old Carlos in me that looks at life like, ‘What are we going to get into today?'” he said. “I’m just starting, and everything has prepared me for this.”

Carlos revealed what he believes in; something he learned as a child: “Offer a heartfelt tug to the listener and validate their existence.”

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