Santana says he learnt to forgive man who sexually abused him as a child

After his childhood was stolen from him by two years of sexual abuse, Carlos Santana eventually found forgiveness.

The legendary guitarist, 75, recently opened up about the ways in which he was able to make peace with his situation, years down the line, reports People magazine.

“My son and I were talking about this yesterday, how acceptance and forgiveness are really spiritual,” he said. “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.”

As per People, Santana, whose experiences will be chronicled in the upcoming documentary ‘Carlos’, which will premiere on June 17 at the Tribeca Film Festival, first went public with his abuse during an interview with ‘Rolling Stone’ in 2000.

He said that he was abused “almost every day” between the ages of 10 and 12 by a man who’d cross the border into Mexico and bring him toys and gifts; he told ‘The Guardian’ in 2014 the man was an American tourist who’d befriended his parents.

Now, the musician says he’s able to see the situation from a new perspective, one that allows him grant his abuser grace.

“For example, this person who abused me sexually, instead of sending him to hell forever, I visualised 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.”