Grace is a touch of truth that lets you see the world in a new way. It is a gift that can only be felt when you are open to receive and accept it. Some people refer to it as living with an open heart, a subtle awareness of divine guidance or presence that is frequently beyond the grasp of our logical mind. It is associated with many spiritual practices and facilitates our ability to recognize the sacred and the eternal in our daily world.
Carolyn Myss, author and teacher, often asks people what they think about when they are not distracted by ordinary thoughts of daily living. She notes that most people automatically drift to some "negative harbor" in their mind where they keep fears about problems and stressors. If you watch "the news" or commercials on TV, it is apparent that the collective unconscious of our society supports this focus on what is wrong and what is lacking, so it may take some conscious effort to shift our focus to what is filled with light, to where we can practice gratitude, to what is right and beautiful in our world. And when we intentionally practice that way of seeing the world, living with grace eventually becomes our 'second nature'..... or perhaps simply fulfills our true nature.
To let more light in, consciously begin to choose thoughts that support a more open heart, actions that evidence loving kindness. Perhaps you are overly critical of people "who don't act right". What internal shift would it take for you to recognize the spark of divine light in the person who cut you off in traffic or the one who stepped on your toe? Where in your life can fit in a moment of gratitude for all that is on your plate? In yoga class we close our practice with the word Namaste, a Sanskrit word with many definitions that all touch on acknowledging the ultimate essence that underlies all, the divine spark in each of us.
And what would it be like to practice Namaste in all your encounters with the world? At the grocery store, the post office, driving down the road. It is easy to practice loving kindness to the members of your group, to those who think like you do or who share your goals or activities. Enlarge that, take it everywhere, recognize the divine spark that is in us all. Perhaps if you and I do this, it just might catch on, as in the story of the Hundredth Monkey. And even if you cannot imagine that opening to more light and appreciation might change the whole world, it will change yours.
Carolyn Myss, author and teacher, often asks people what they think about when they are not distracted by ordinary thoughts of daily living. She notes that most people automatically drift to some "negative harbor" in their mind where they keep fears about problems and stressors. If you watch "the news" or commercials on TV, it is apparent that the collective unconscious of our society supports this focus on what is wrong and what is lacking, so it may take some conscious effort to shift our focus to what is filled with light, to where we can practice gratitude, to what is right and beautiful in our world. And when we intentionally practice that way of seeing the world, living with grace eventually becomes our 'second nature'..... or perhaps simply fulfills our true nature.
To let more light in, consciously begin to choose thoughts that support a more open heart, actions that evidence loving kindness. Perhaps you are overly critical of people "who don't act right". What internal shift would it take for you to recognize the spark of divine light in the person who cut you off in traffic or the one who stepped on your toe? Where in your life can fit in a moment of gratitude for all that is on your plate? In yoga class we close our practice with the word Namaste, a Sanskrit word with many definitions that all touch on acknowledging the ultimate essence that underlies all, the divine spark in each of us.
And what would it be like to practice Namaste in all your encounters with the world? At the grocery store, the post office, driving down the road. It is easy to practice loving kindness to the members of your group, to those who think like you do or who share your goals or activities. Enlarge that, take it everywhere, recognize the divine spark that is in us all. Perhaps if you and I do this, it just might catch on, as in the story of the Hundredth Monkey. And even if you cannot imagine that opening to more light and appreciation might change the whole world, it will change yours.
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