When a person’s movements flow like water, they are said to be graceful. When a person’s heart and mind collaborate in time, they are infused with grace. Those in a state of grace are often absent of fear. Even while accepting a perilous reality, they are emotionally unaffected by it. In moments of grace, we are clear of unrelated thoughts, the mind is completely absorbed in its current reality. A person in grace can be totally out of their element, however, they utilize truth and love in astonishing ways. Physical grace requires dedicated practice, however, if the mind is chaotic, graceful movements are harder to achieve. Interestingly, a person’s body may be struggling with disease or injury, but their heart/mind can flow with amazing perception and understanding.
How do we invite ourselves into a state of grace? An initial step is to ask ourselves if an open and loving consciousness is what we desire. If loving consciousness requires awareness of reality, an open and receptive mind to all experiences is essential. We need to let go of what we think we know to increase our receptive abilities. Thinking that we are capable of complete understanding creates a rigid and judgemental mind which filters out our access to consciousness. A closed mind forms barriers between us and reality. By recognizing that we don’t know what we don’t know, encourages inquisitiveness and gratitude. Arrogance uses filters to hide our insecurities, dulling our ability to listen to new and contrary opinions. Thus, we become stuck intellectually, and become emotionally disconnected.
If grace is our goal, what changes do we need to make? Which thoughts, feelings, and behaviours do we grow, and which ones do we weed out? Ongoing assessment of our thinking and values is the openness that leads to greater awareness. This inquisitive process connects our hearts and minds to seek grace in every moment. Choosing reality, over our preferences, prejudices, and that which is exclusively self-serving, creates loving awareness. Then, all we need is discipline to keep this practice alive. Perhaps, it is easier to think of discipline as will, the willingness to consider change.
Another way to be in grace is to allow it. Practice seeing the best in others while seeking beneficial outcomes for everyone. Focus on intentions that serve the greater good. Be both accepting of self and others while committed to self improvement. Having goals and plans that remain open to change is helpful. Therefore, having attachments and fixed agendas are detrimental to developing grace. Being available to compassionately listen to people’s viewpoints despite our pessimism or fear, is indeed graceful. Grace is not about perfection, as openness requires the humility to be imperfect, to make mistakes, and to be constantly learning and evolving.
Being in grace, involves developing a heart that will not exclude people. How can a cruel person know the value of kindness, if we do not treat them, despite their poor behaviour, with kindness? Holding people to their past deeds, expecting that they are incapable of change, discourages grace which has the ability to transforms lives. A person in a state of grace can disapprove of poor conduct, while still respectfully encouraging better choices. Forgiveness manifests grace, which translates to an acceptance and love that can flow to those who need it the most.
An unhealthy ego is the opposite of grace. Ego, edges – grace - out. Self importance, and the need to rise above others, is egoism hampering the flow of resources that are accessible to an open minded and humble person. Egotistical thoughts, obscures our reality. To protect our egos, stories are created that we tell ourselves to justify our actions, which further warps our reality. Discerning the truth of our thoughts, unearthing false beliefs, and exposing our insecurities, is the pathway to grace. This pathway becomes a superhighway when we take responsibility for our choices and how it impacts everyone.
Loving ourselves for who we currently are, encourages grace to rush to our side. With every attempt we make to restore grace, grace responds to us exponentially. When we accept that we have worth regardless of our flaws, our dependency on being recognized and approved of by others decreases. This self-respect and self-love makes us less codependent, less needy, which allows more personal energy to flow towards what we want to create. Grace encourages us to believe in ourselves. Self doubt impedes grace. Without the fear of ‘not being good enough’, we become more present, more conscious. Thinking that clings to the past and future, rob us of grace, for grace is our commitment to love and reality in the present moment. So, by loving ourselves we can let go of other people’s perceptions about our worth. This is when our thoughts become clear, and our heart/mind is uncluttered. This may at times feel like we are experiencing no thoughts at all, only conscious awareness.
Another aspect that brings grace into our lives is our growing emotional intelligence. Feel and acknowledge all emotions. Challenge the uncomfortable emotions to a test of reality and truth. Fear is an example of an emotion that is not always logical, loving, or based in truth. Emotions are like breadcrumbs leading us to the truth, but only if we are willing to feel those emotions and then confront the reasons for harbouring them. As an example, jealousy is an emotion that is not good or bad to feel. However, experience shows us that behaving in a jealous manner causes harm. Feeling jealous and acting jealous are two very different things. By being aware of our jealous emotion, we can proactively express it in a positive way. For example, fear may cause us to trash talk people that we are envious of. Yet, if we acknowledge our jealousy to ourselves and others, grace can transform our insecurity into vulnerability by verbalizing appreciation and support for other people’s talents.
Love and acceptance of ourselves is key to connecting with others more easily. Feeling peaceful, during confrontational situations, means we are resting in the state of grace. Grace is loving consciousness in action. Concentrate on extending love in all directions, within and without, and grace will fill our lives.
Namaste
Chris