Most of the major religions have “Grace” as an aspect of the relationship between the Divine and the human. Wikipedia has a good generic description: Grace is a theological term defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation.
Often when people talk to me about Grace it’s to describe a moment of intense clarity or insight that freed them from some sort of suffering. Perhaps it’s a realization that “I don’t have to do that” or seeing a solution to a seemingly intractable problem or being “saved” from a situation deemed intolerable. There are the details, then a faraway look comes into the eyes, followed by, in a tone of awe, “it was Grace.” Clearly a miracle happened.
Was it a miracle?
Yes, it was a miracle, but the miracle was not “being saved;” the miracle was the person being completely present to how Life actually works.
I just read the statement from a rather famous spiritual teacher that “God, Guru, and Grace are One.” If we consider what the Buddha taught, we can see the truth in the statement. God is a word for That Which Is, the Intelligence That Animates, the energy, the suchness, the Is of All, the Divine. When a human being is at one with that All, we recognize them as a powerful expression of Divinity. Awakened. Enlightened. We could say Guru.
If we think that can’t be right because a Guru is a human being, that’s because we see God as separate from humans. But how could God be separate from humans if there is nothing that is outside the All that is God?
Which brings us to Grace. When a human being no longer experiences her or himself as separate from Divinity, the energy, the Intelligence Animating, is received as Grace. We have experiences of this regularly—increasingly as one practices awareness. Insight. Intuition. Ah ha moments. Wisdom and clarity dropping in. Recognizing the guidance of the still, small voice.
That nearly imperceptible “hand” at the middle of the back gently pointing us to “this way.”
Life. Life unfolding. The Divine manifesting. Thisherenow. Grace.
Looking back over our lives from this perspective, we can see how God, Guru, and Grace have been guiding us always. Perhaps a recording of “Evidences of Grace” that could be listened to often and added to regularly?
In Gassho,
ch