Spiritual Realization
Lesson 4: Grace
1. Living from Grace
Exercise One
2. Angels and Guides
3. True Guidance
4. Dark Night of the Soul
5. Spiritual Relationship
6. The Connection With Grace
7. Living in the Light
Exercise Two
8. Living with a Spirit of Hope
9. Living with a Spirit of Joy
10. Living with a Spirit of Love
11. Living with a Spirit of Peace
Exercise Three
1. Living from Grace
The Truth which this world suppresses at all costs is: You lose nothing and gain everything by freeing yourself from the traps and illusions of this world while you are yet here. This is the teaching that all the Divine Messengers have brought, through the ages. It is a true path from suffering to Freedom, from illusions to Truth, and out of darkness into the Light. Unfortunately, this teaching has been corrupted and distorted whenever it has been brought down, so that people go on living and suffering in the karmic system.
Humanity has been living under a system of karma, not divine grace, for ages. It is a system which does its best to exclude divine Grace. The karmic system is based in duality, polarity, opposites: positive and negative. And, although there are countless teachings which praise the karmic system and its "lessons," no one has ever gotten out of the karmic system; no one has ever graduated from it; no one has ever gotten free. It is not a system of freedom, or liberation from darkness, but one of bondage. Despite the karmic system — or rather, because of it — this world has never gotten free from suffering. Wars have never gone away. Hate has never gone away. Pain and suffering have never gone away.
What has gone away, gradually, over time, is our sense of connection with the Divine.
Reconnecting with the Divine — beyond the system of karma in which we all live in this world — is a process of living with Grace. And, we are talking about genuine grace. Something entirely different from what has existed in this world before. Something different. Something wonderful. Grace is not something that will adjust you to the karmic conditions of your life, or give you a better illusion, or set you in concrete in the density of this dimension. Rather, it will give you a place to stand, within you, outside of the karmic system. It will give you back your self.
The essence of Grace is liberation, getting free from what binds you, traps you, hurts or harms you, brings you down, weakens, abuses, corrupts, or possibly even destroys you.
We are talking about the Grace which saves you from this world of suffering, not a magical remedy which will make this karmic world perfect in your eyes. A Course in Miracles is one such figment of the imagination, a false teaching, which says, basically, if you just squint your eyes in the right way, and maybe shut one eye, you will see that everything and everyone in this world is "perfect." And, if you fail to do so, it is because of some failure on your part; you just aren't seeing things clearly enough. In fact, that teaching, which is spuriously attributed to Christ, is essentially the opposite of Grace. The truth sets you free, not a perfect illusion which keeps you in perfect bondage imagining that you are free.
The way to live from Grace is to learn to live from your own heart, discerning what is right, good, and true for you, and what is not. It is not carrying the illusion that everything is good or equally good, or that everything is perfect.
Learn to be led by spirit, by your heart. This means not relying upon external things, rather than your inner connection with the Divine. Too often, people rely upon some dogma or doctrine, some ideology or belief system, and conform their lives — their very perceptions and understanding — to it. This gets in the way of Grace. Grace is not intentness on your part; it is not controlled or manipulated or created by you in any way. It is a gift. A gift which you may deserve totally, but which is bestowed on you, not earned by your actions.
The reason Grace is a gift, is that the karmic system is set up to keep Grace from us. It gives us, instead, an assortment of compensations such as limited knowledge, limited healing, and limited psychic ability — as opposed to true spiritual connection to Source. Connection with Grace is uncommon, and until now, what has been generally referred to as grace has not been True Liberation.
People say they are living in grace because of their religious or spiritual beliefs, but then continue to live within the same old illusions, traps, and limitations of their lives, the role they are playing, their lack of direct connection with True Source. What True Grace is that? It may be a hint of what True Grace is — in the expectation of receiving Grace, holding the promise of Grace — but it is not living from Grace.
Exercise One: Briefly survey your relationship with
Spirit, the Divine, God. Is all of the Highest Good flowing
into your existence, your life, your opportunities, your
choices, your inner reality? Could there be any greater
good? If you can conceive of a greater good, what would that
be? What does it depend upon? What can you do to allow
that or accept that, here, now?
If there were such a thing as Grace, a way to go beyond
the endless system of suffering of this world, would you want
it? Would you accept it? Would you be willing to give up
the suffering, the familiar limitations of your life, for
something greater? Would you open your heart to the saving
grace of God, if you only knew what it was?
Pause for a moment and realize: Grace is real, and you
simply need to choose to accept it, to choose to no longer
accept the endless system of suffering we are all caught
in.
The way to live by Grace is to step out of the karmic system, not to get better at living within its limitations, and certainly not to become a better part of any system that keeps others from being free.
2. Angels and Guides
There are angels and spiritual guides in our lives, generally unseen and unacknowledged. They are there to help to uplift us, to raise us out of the countless problems and unavoidable suffering that are experienced on this level. They are non-physical beings who work on a spiritual level, and interact with us, here, to bring about a more positive outcome for us.
Angels are not our servants, and they are not there to make fantasies and wishes come true at our beckoning. They are higher beings, more highly evolved spiritual beings, above humanity as humanity is above the animal kingdom. Before this world came into existence, they were already angels; they did not evolve from human beings into angels in this universe, but before.
Spiritual guides generally dwell on the astral plane, a more subtle level of existence than the gross physical plane of Earth. They are generally human beings who are not incarnate at the time, who may have some perspective, insight, or spiritual guidance to share with us. Often, they have known us in many lives and know the issues we are dealing with.
Angels and spiritual guides know the problems we are dealing with in life. They know what life is in this world; they observe it and see it as clearly as we do with our physical senses, only more clearly. Their non-physical senses and their minds are less limited by the gross physical world than ours, on the more subtle level, but they know what it means to be in a physical body.
We human beings tend to stumble through this world, trying to get by, trying to gain some ground, hoping to succeed. Often we do not have a clear sense of what is right, good, or true for us. But, if we wish to know that, to come closer to that, within us, we may often be receiving subtle spiritual guidance from angels and guides, who provide just the slightest reminder to us — often experienced as just a thought that resonates with us in our minds or hearts. They help to steer us in the right direction, towards what truly serves us, and away from what might harm us.
Like the subtle voice of conscience or intuition — which is our own inner spiritual being — there is the quiet guidance of spiritual beings, which we are free to consider, discern, and follow, or not.
Angels and guides do not interfere with our free will. The "force" of good is not a domineering or compelling force; it does not make us do anything a certain way. It simply gives us perspective so that we can make better choices. We are invited to have a larger or more true perspective.
We can learn to work with our angels and guides more consciously. The first step is to simply understand and acknowledge their existence and presence in our lives. They have always been there, whether we have known it or appreciated it or not. They may not have the power to save us from all of our bad choices, all of the suffering that comes our way, or the consequences of our actions; they may not be able to save us from our own ignorance or unawareness. But, they are always there, willing to help. It is we who need to be receptive to their positive influence, to learn to hear it and value it, to appreciate the spiritual beings who are there to help us.
Angels and spiritual guides are not there to take the place of our own connection with the Divine. They can, however, facilitate it. Where there are troubles, blocks, and difficulties in our lives which prevent us from knowing or connecting with our Source, they can help to uplift, inspire, or connect us, spiritually. That is what they are there for.
A good way to learn to work with the angels, and to get clearer guidance from Spirit, is to set aside a time after meditating each day, to write in a spiritual journal. See yourself surrounded by white Light, affirm that the only thing that can come through will be for your highest good, ask for your angels and guides to be with you (they already are), ask what you need to know or for some spiritual support, and then begin to write what comes to you, as it comes. Just be easy with yourself, seek to stay in the highest energy or most uplifting spiritual consciousness you can, and read over what you have written when you are through. Discern the value in what you have written, whether it uplifts you or helps you to be more free, if it helps you to know who you are better, if it empowers you, if it helps you to fill with peace, love, and Light. Over time, you will establish a clearer connection, and be given what you need to know. Always view whatever ideas or options you may have in the light of your own conscience; that is your own measure of what is right, good, and true for you.
3. True Guidance
You may notice that the "guidance" you get generally conforms to your spiritual perspective, tradition, or beliefs. In other words, you may be told things that fit in with your spiritual philosophy, and take them as "true." Most often, what we hear within us, from outside of us, is a form of reassurance. It comforts us where we are — at the risk of promoting comforting illusions rather than confronting us with uncomfortable truths. In that way, it may not help to bring us closer to Reality.
It is okay to be comforted where you are. It is better to be raised far beyond that.
A friend is not someone who merely loves you as you are, and supports you in being there. A true friend is someone who helps you to reach for more, a greater truth and reality. A true friend challenges your boundaries, your illusions, your beliefs, rather than merely helping you to be more comfortable in your beliefs. The same is true of angels and guides who are willing to help us to move out of where we are, with love.
Once you know that there is a karmic system in place, and it has been there for eons, and countless beings serve to perpetuate it — and no one has been allowed to rise out of it or move beyond it — you begin to recognize the same old words of appeasement in the most common guidance. You are merely encouraged to do better, to learn from your lessons, to not look at suffering as punishment, to believe that you can and do create your own reality.
We are here to invite you to step out of all of that, to move beyond it.
This may be uncomfortable for some, who have been so thoroughly programmed, life after life, that the very thought of questioning their "support system" and the astral-level administrators, brings up fear and doubt. How is it possible that the "guidance" they have been getting does not have any ultimate truth? They have seen the wisdom and the changes and the healing that comes from heeding that advice and opening to receive that help and guidance.
We can only say: you have only seen what is possible within the system. You have not seen what is possible beyond the system, what is possible by entirely stepping out of the karmic system. It simply hasn't been a possibility. You may wish to consider the possibility that, no matter how pleased you may be, or assured you are of your spiritual standing, you may not yet have found True Grace — the Grace that takes you out of the whole false karmic spiritual system you have been living under for a very long time.
If you will open to that possibility, you will open to the possibility of True Grace and spiritual freedom. Until then, you will merely find endless reassurance for remaining stuck in the old karmic system. And, no matter how much you imagine you create your own reality, all you can co-create is the perpetuation of the karmic system, and the endless suffering of others it creates.
When you have finished this course, you may find that your guidance changes. You may find that you are able to connect with True Source, beyond the common astral level, to help you to further step out of, put to rest, or move beyond the baggage you carry from the karmic system.
Your belief system may change, but that is not the goal. The goal is true spiritual freedom, not a new belief system. If your beliefs do change, let it be as a result of opening to a greater realization and connection with a Greater Reality.
The message of True guidance is not that everything is perfect — seeking your adaptation to the way things are — but rather a message of freedom, liberation, and the end of all suffering. It is not overlooking suffering, or interpreting it as good. It is not living in denial, refusing to see that suffering, pain, loss, death, and disease are not at all part of God's will. It is accepting the greater truth, and the responsibility to discern the truth for your self. That is what frees you, brings you closer to the Divine, and opens you to saving Grace.
You have to take that step for yourself.
4. Dark Night of the Soul
Many people have experienced and written about the "dark night of the soul." It is a time in which there seems to be no Light available to us, when we feel so far from the Divine that we almost lose hope. It is as if the Light has gone out, but we yet struggle to not succumb to darkness.
It happens. And, it often happens to those who most earnestly seek the Light.
We wonder what happened to all the goodness in our lives, we wonder what it all means, we wonder why nothing seems to be working for us, we wonder what can ever fill the emptiness and longing we feel within us. We wonder where God went.
Thomas Merton wrote that the true meaning of prayer and love could only be found when you feel empty of all hope, and the heart has turned to stone. It doesn't have to be that way, but it often is. We reach for the Highest when we feel we have reached the greatest depths of our despair.
This is not to say that the karmic system "works" or that it is good for us to be so totally separated from God of any sense of Light, or that the only way to come to that is by sinking to great depths. But, life in this world is often that way. And, it is not the separation, the depths of despair, or our suffering that has any value, or which brings us the Light. Rather, it is a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit that we will reach for the Light in the darkest circumstances of life on this Earth, refusing to succumb to the spiritual darkness.
Perhaps there has been or might be a time in your own life similar to this. There might be a time when you feel like little more than a shell of what you are, empty of any sense of grace, feeling far removed from the presence of God.
As others have done, before you, take that as not some sort of test of your worthiness or deservingness to be in the presence of God, but rather as a chance to rise above the greatest confines and limitations and despair. See it as not separation but a chance for true connection. It is hard to do this, while you are in the depths of despair. But, if you know that others have gone through this, and come out on the other end, standing in the Light, then you can have hope that you can do that as well.
We are not here on this Earth to be tested, to be separated from God only to prove that we can find our way back. That is the madness of the karmic system, not the will of God. There is no test of worthiness that makes us good enough to be with God or have God be with us. The greater truth is that we have a connection with the Divine, and with true Grace, right here, right now. It is in our own heart, and no suffering, karma, or illusion can keep us from having that connection. We simply need to look in our own heart, refusing to listen to what the world may be telling us, and acknowledge the presence of the Divine within us, or our connection to it.
You would be amazed at how many good people have experienced feeling so totally cut off from the Divine, or so spiritually empty. It is not, as New Age or other philosophies declare, a good experience or a great lesson — not in the karmic sense, having to experience hardship and suffering to learn something valuable. But, it is something we can learn from, in the sense of coming to realize there is no value in such hardship or being kept from Grace.
There are times when nothing works for us, when everything we have learned is of no help. It happens, no matter how "advanced" you believe you might be. Allow your ego to be humbled in those times, rather than taking it as a challenge to your ego. There is a time for everything, and you may need to just be with where you are, until it passes.
Remember, if there is ever a time when your connection with God seems to be lost to you, you are not lost to God. Grace is with you, now.
5. Spiritual Relationship
Do you find grace and goodness in your relationships? Grace is not in some distant realm or future. It is meant to manifest here, now, in your own life, in you. You just have to know what to look for.
What helps to connect you with a truer sense of self? What person, place, animal, or thing puts you at ease in your self, reassures you that all will be well, loves you, or inspires you to be better?
Have you found your self? Are you looking for someone who is seeking the same thing? Are you looking to walk awhile with someone who is walking a similar path?
It is surely a gift of the Divine, to walk through this world with others, in spiritual relationship — with those who help us to rise above where we have been or may presently be. It is, in a sense, like walking with our spiritual guides and angels.
Are you in spiritual relationship with someone?
As we noted, we are all on our own "path." You may have karmic agreements with other people to spend time with you during your life, in whatever relationship, by birth, friendship, or possibly marriage. Some of these karmic relationships are a real "test" of our ability to deal with people. Those are not what we mean when we talk about true spiritual relationships. We mean something other than karma, or working out karma.
A spiritual relationship is a chance to move beyond all of that.
There are no two people who have the same path back to Spirit. The fact that we are in different physical bodies, have different experiences, different needs, different desires and purposes, different understanding and beliefs, and different activity and behavior makes us individual. We are, outwardly, different from and separate from others.
We can choose to look at a person on a deeper level, not on the superficial level of appearance, body, fashion, sex, common programming, social activities, education, or economic status. We look for something deeper. We look and listen. If we pay attention, and we know how to look for something deeper in ourselves, we may find that in others, too. Notice how forsaking all of the worldly attachments and identifications a person may have — their doing so, and your doing so — causes you to recognize something deeper that you each have in common. That is a spiritual relationship.
If you learn to recognize and move past your own "stuff," your programming, social conditioning, illusions and attachments, you can learn to see past someone else's stuff, too. But, that doesn't mean it is no longer there, or doesn't come up. That takes further work. It takes time, energy, and the will to change. If you are committed to doing so, and you know someone else who is willing to accept that responsibility for themselves, you can journey together.
If you learn how to connect spiritually, and move towards greater love, peace, and wisdom, within you, you may wish to share that with someone else. That doesn't mean your truth has to be their truth, but most of the larger Truths will resonate in both of you. That can be very reassuring to both of you. It is good to live your own truth; it is also good to see someone else who is committed to living the same truth. The idea isn't that you have to seek agreement on everything — or anything — or adopt the same belief system or ideology or spiritual practice. You can be doing something very different. But you can share soulful, heartfelt, spiritual experiences, inner wisdom, the good you know within you.
You really don't have to wait for one special person, to have a spiritual relationship. Whether you share your heart — the love, joy, and validation — with another person or a pet doesn't matter. Whether you share your heart or wisdom with ones you know or a stranger, you have a chance to help them to fill their own heart with peace, love, joy, or wisdom. And that is all that matters. There is always someone you can help; you don't have to look far. A kind word, a smile, a reassuring touch, can brighten their heart. These little "graces" are our own provenance, a gift of our own giving, but they surely reflect a Higher Grace.
If you are in "spiritual relationship" with a group of people who all hold to the same beliefs and ideology, who follow the same tradition or teaching, there is the possibility that the group will reinforce its common programming and indoctrination, rather than stepping out of it. Groups tend to have a consciousness of their own, and develop a set structure, form, and leadership. In that way, they can be limiting for a person who is seeking his or her own answers, and who does not wish to confront a group of people who are holding a different view or understanding. Our perception, understanding, and awareness tend to be shaped by the group we are in, especially if we seek acceptance or come to depend upon getting approval. Though there may be some support to be found there, Grace is something that has to come to us individually, not from any group or leader or authority or teaching. It comes from our willingness to stand in the light of our own connection with the Divine, all by ourselves, in a one-on-one relationship with the Divine. That is how we accept and align with the highest good of all, individually, not necessarily in a group setting.
6. The Connection With Grace
Grace is about having a one-on-one relationship with the Divine Source.
For a long time, various spiritual traditions focused on the Earth as "Mother Earth," or our spiritual source. Life on the physical level is completely dependent upon and entirely enmeshed in the Earth, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the shelter we find, and so on. For cultures that live close to the Earth, in natural environments, respecting the Earth is a way of expressing gratitude for what they are given, coming to understand the meaning of the many interrelated events in their lives, and appreciating the deeper spiritual nature of life. They see the work of "the creator" on Earth, and in the beauty of nature. And they may have practices whereby they journey to other spiritual realms, or seek connection with spirit.
That has worked for many people for a long time, in many traditions.
Now, it is time to realize that we are part of something greater, and connect with an even Greater Reality. We are neither God nor creatures of earth and clay. And, we are not here to be perfectly adapted to the world we live in. We are here to rise above it.
Spiritual traditions which seek to reach for something higher use different means for trying to experience that higher connection. In most cases, they are trying to reach for the same thing. But, they are going through the karmic system, trying to reach beyond it. And that does not happen much at all. In fact, it is exceedingly rare.
So, in other words, no matter how hard we work at reaching up to God via all the traditions, rituals, and practices we have learned, we may not be able to find Grace — which is beyond all ritual, tradition, and belief systems. We may be a part of the Greater Reality, but it is one of the most rare things in this world to truly experience that. Instead, what people experience is entirely within the karmic system — the field of illusion which excludes the direct presence and Grace of God.
If you have been on any spiritual path, followed any spiritual tradition, engaged in any spiritual practices, you need to understand this, now, deeply. They do not connect beyond the world of the unreal, the realm of illusion, and that includes those that explore the astral levels or journey to other levels or worlds. They do not transcend the karmic system. They do not free you. They do not allow the connection with Grace. And, it doesn't matter how noble sounding they may be, or how they claim to connect to "source" or "god" or the "abundance of the universe."
The universe — the whole physical universe — is in the way of God. It is all in the way of our true connection with True Divine Grace and liberation. This is why spiritual practices which relate to being more "mindful" of everything, or having all our needs met by "the universe," or journeying to other worlds to be "taught" lessons, are all dead ends.
There is the connection with Grace, and there is everything else done in the name of spirituality, religion, and "god." Unless you have a connection which takes you beyond the karmic system and all traditional practice and understanding, unless you get off the false "path," you are not truly connected with Source, with God, or with Grace. And, if you want that connection, you need to do something very different. You have to step out of illusion and find your place in the Greater Reality, the Kingdom of God. It is not here in this world. It is not on Earth. It is not on the astral level. It is not part of this universe. It is not allowed within the karmic system. Those who claim that we can live entirely in grace in the karmic system are entirely mistaken; they have never stepped out of the karmic system to have any idea what they are talking about. They are living in the illusion that life is perfect here, all is well, suffering is good for us, we learn from sickness, death is natural, and so on. None of which is true.
Nevertheless, Grace is here, now. If you are able to open yourself to that possibility of something totally different, far beyond the endless suffering of the karmic system, and all the spiritual "laws" of this universe, you can have it. Because, though you cannot reach through the karmic system to connect with it, God can reach through from the other side, and connect with you directly, in your own heart, entirely bypassing the karmic system. Grace completely bypasses the entire karmic system, regardless of whatever spiritual path or teaching or practice you may have followed. It bypasses all of that. Grace is the connection of our True Source, the Divine Being, directly with our own heart.
Grace is your connection to the Kingdom of God, the Divine Creation, a realm of pure love, light, peace, joy, and freedom from all suffering. It isn't something you can work at; it is something you have to ask for in your own heart, knowing it is a real possibility. Then, Grace comes to you.
7. Living in the Light
Living in the Light is a choice you make.
The Light of God is like a saving Grace, reaching out to us. No matter how dark it may seem, the Light is always there. We are the ones who are responsible for reaching out for the Light. And no one else can do that for us.
Living in the Light is not a mood or a final state of enlightenment (there is no such thing). It is not a matter of projecting illusions upon everything and everyone so that you convince yourself everything is Light. It is not.
Living in the Light is a process of discerning what brings you closer to the love, truth, and simplicity of your own Being, and realizing what does not. There is an upward current or flow, and there is a downward one. The upward flow is that of Light, and more Light, until you realize the True Source of that love, nurturing, consciousness, peace, and joy.
If you could make choices that led to greater good in your life, in the highest sense, wouldn't you make those choices at each moment? You can learn to do that. The process is one of questioning, discerning, and aligning with the Highest. It does not require intellectual reasoning as much as a simple openness of the heart to what is ultimately right, good, and true.
There is a Light or higher consciousness which shines on everything we do, but what we choose to do in relation to that is up to us. Not everyone "lives in the Light." Some people live as if there were no higher consciousness, responsibility, wisdom, or truth available to them. Others seek those qualities in their lives. The choices made by one person who does not admit of any higher consciousness, higher power, or God in their life can be rather self-serving or self-destructive. They tend to not serve the highest good of all.
Choices made with reference to a higher consciousness consider the effects of our choices and actions not only for ourselves but in relation to everyone and everything else. Our choices are made with regard to a Greater Reality, in which we realize everything we do affects everyone else, and we have the power to choose what truly serves us and others as well.
The choice to only serve ourselves comes out of ego, selfish ambition, ignorance, or unawareness. The choice to cater to our own desires, wants, and "needs" regardless of the effect on anyone else cuts us off from Divine Grace. We may be relentless in our pursuit of what we want, from an egotistical point of view, and even get it, but that does not in any way prove our alignment with Divine will, goodness, or Grace. The choice to serve our own wants and desires even though others are hurt in some way is basically opposed to Divine will, and again cuts us off from Grace. There is no Divine power that would ever support us in the harm of others, just so we could get what we want. It just does not work that way.
Grace is that which, once you accept it and align yourself with it, and live from there, is like a light shining on your path. You are led by that Light, by Spirit. And, if you stumble, fall, misstep, or take a wrong turn, that Light once again shines on you and your path to show you the Way. Some people choose to stumble around in the dark their entire lives; some people refuse any Light; others only want the ego satisfaction of having things be the way they want — even if they are lost in the dark, they prefer to believe they are in control and can see clearly.
Those who live from Grace wish none of those things; all they wish is to have the Light be brighter and clearer on their path, so that they can see and do what is for the Highest Good. They accept responsibility for making a better choice, one that is more true to Spirit, conscience, goodness, and Light.
Exercise Two: We tend to want to reach for Light when we
feel oppressed by problems, suffering, darkness or despair.
But, it is good to practice connecting with Light when you feel
well able to do so, rather than only when you have difficulty
in doing so. Whether you feel well connected now or not does
not matter, for the sake of the exercise. Simply, close your
eyes, take a few deep breaths, relax, and settle comfortably in
your seat. If anything is drawing your attention away from
your inner experience, just be aware of it. Don't try to
force your attention. When you feel a bit of quietness,
begin to visualize a bright light above your head, like a spot
light.
Picture yourself walking on a path, your path in life.
And the light is shining on your path. If you can see
clearly ahead, be thankful; if you see obstacles in your path,
be thankful that the light is shining down revealing them to
you. If you are aware of little more than your own thoughts,
remind yourself that whether you "see" the light or
not, the Light is always with you. See, picture, feel or
imagine that bright light all around you, and within you.
Affirm, "The Light shines on my way, and Spirit leads the
way." If you wish, you can repeat that, as much as you
feel the need to, until you feel aligned with that higher
Truth. When you are done, you may open your eyes.
8. Living with a Spirit of Hope
Sometimes, hope is the only thing keeping alive our connection with Grace, or our highest good. Without hope, we have nothing. What causes us to have hope when that is all we have, when the hope for something better is all we can find within us?
Hope is very simply the spark of the Divine in us, refusing to go out. We refuse to let the Light die out in us, no matter what we have experienced, no matter how oppressed, hurt, terrified, empty, lost, or powerless we might feel in our lives.
Hope tells us to hold on.
A new day is coming.
A new life, beyond all suffering, pain, sickness, hurt, fear, or loss. A life Eternal, with God. That is the promise of hope.
Sometimes we have to imagine something better, something almost beyond belief, in order to allow ourselves the chance to open to it, connect with it, or receive it. This imagining is not just idle fantasy; it is a spirit of hope, and a faith in things unseen.
Faith would not be faith if it did not require faith. If everything we aspired to — and God — was present in all of our lives, we would not need faith. It takes faith to do the littlest things in life, not just the grandest. If you did not have faith that you could restore your balance when you walked — when you took just one step — you would not have learned to walk, and you would not walk now.
But something inside you reassures you that this is something you know. This is something you can do.
Hope is more than positive thinking. It is more than having selfish expectations. It is surrender to a higher power, a higher will — call it God, the Divine, Higher Being, Spirit, Source, or whatever else helps you to realize: there is more than you see or experience with your physical senses or present awareness. There is a promise of more, because there is a reality of more.
Though an infinity might await you, you may have little or no sense of connection to it. Hope bridges the gap between nothing and everything. Hope is what you have when you have nothing else.
We need to do something more than just hope for the best. We need to realize that we have power, here, now, in the present moment. We need to know that our connection with the Divine is not far from us, or removed from us, but is right here, right now. And that it is no further from us than our own heart.
Hope opens our heart to the Highest Good of all, because what else would we truly hope for?
Hope is a realization that whatever troubles us — all things — will pass; and that whatever good awaits us — the Highest Good — will come. Hope is based in wisdom and understanding, in faith and certainty, in a higher good. It may not be the way we think it should be, or the way we ask or expect it to be, but it will be what is best.
Can you believe in what is best, for all? Can you hope for that, even when everything in the world tells you otherwise? Keep that hope in your heart, but do not be tempted to project it upon the world-at-large. That is only a means of projecting illusions or creating expectations, which may disappoint you.
Believe what is in your heart. Trust what is in your heart. And, do not let anyone or anything put out the spark of hope in your heart. Not anyone.
9. Living with a Spirit of Joy
If there is no joy in our hearts, we have at least temporarily lost our sense of connection with the Divine. Our life here, in this world, will not necessarily become free from suffering. That cannot be promised to anyone. But, we can rejoice in the promise of Life Eternal. All of the suffering you have ever experienced, all the sorrow, all the iniquity of life on Earth, will pass. And, it will be no more. You won't even remember it. In its place, there will be joy and peace, eternal.
Hope is hope for a better existence, which may be sooner or later, but which you have faith will come to be. You can take joy in that, even now. Here, now.
There is nothing wrong with living with a spirit of hope and joy, now, even if your life circumstances do not "prove" this in your present circumstances. Separation from God is only an illusion. Separation from a place of peace, love, and joy — within you — cannot continue, either. It, too, will pass. What will remain will be a joy beyond words, which will never be taken from you again. You will know that joy is your true nature, and you will be free.
How many people have placed the source of happiness and joy in their life somewhere outside of them?
The question to answer is: are you happy, really?
So many people go through their entire lives, as if carried by a current, with the past determining their future. And they do not know how to step out of that current, and be happy, here, now. Or, they might know how, but they have forgotten.
Life in this world is filled with problems, troubles, disappointments, and suffering, for many, many people. If you look at people on the street, you may realize that they do not live with a spirit of joy, but rather embody the hurt and disappointments in their lives. They move stiffly, they are constricted and not open, they are shut down and not joyfully alive, awake, and aware in the moment.
As natural as joy is to the inner spirit, our society tends to remove that spirit of joy, freedom, and peace from us, in countless ways, from the earliest age. It is up to us to reclaim that spirit of joy — to refuse to let the world-at-large overshadow us, or take away our true joy.
This is a choice you can make. You can choose to live with a spirit of joy. That doesn't mean living in denial, or living in some grand illusion, refusing to see things as they are. Rather, it means living in acceptance of your self, all the good you can know in you, and in your life.
It doesn't have to be so hard. It doesn't have to take everything from you, leaving you with a feeling that you cannot even cope or find any more resources to draw upon. You are given everything you need. Realize that. It might not be everything you want or desire, but you can have what you need. Simplify your life. Refuse to chase after all the illusions.
The great illusion is that you can have whatever you want and be satisfied, and be happy. That is the lie which the ego puts over us, in support of every fantasy, delusion, obsession, and addiction. Nothing can satisfy the ego, so learn to step out of that rather than getting lost in it.
Happiness and a spirit of joy are given to you now — not some time in the future, when you finally "deserve" them. If you will not find these qualities in you now, you will not find them in the future. They need to be found in the present moment, so that you live from there — rather than living with the expectation that you will have happiness sometime in the future.
Joy is given to you, now. Are you accepting it, seeing it, recognizing it, living it?
10. Living with a Spirit of Love
Grace — that which liberates us from an endless existence in suffering — is surely a gift of love. But is not just a gift; it is the blessing, care, nurturing, and protection a True Divine Mother would offer her children. Grace is not merited by our works, our words, or our sense of deservingness. It is given with love to those who reach above their suffering for something higher, for those who can accept the miraculous in their lives.
Our receptivity to the Divine — including our love — determines how open we are to Grace. Grace is offered to us. We must be willing to accept it. We must be willing to choose to receive it. No one can do that for us. We are in a one-on-one relationship with the Divine. We open ourselves to love and grace, or we do not.
First, we have to know this is possible. We need to heed the little voice in us which says, "Now is the time. Open. Connect. Receive. Love." Then, we need to know how to do this. Our lives may "teach" us to close our hearts, to limit our hope so that we are not disappointed, to quash our dreams, to put up with circumstances. But, that little prompting inside does not leave us. The Divine whispers in our ear, "I am here, now. I love you. I have always loved you. Turn to me. Love me as I love you, and be free. Here. Now."
Every bit of love we may experience is a reminder of a greater love.
No love is wasted. For, even if it does not have any noticeable or positive effect on another person, the love we feel elevates our own spirit.
Living with a spirit of love means we are willing to love, knowing that it is not always possible to express love. Sometimes words or actions can get in the way of love. Love may be unspoken, but real and true. Love, unseen, is the belief in the highest good of all.
Love is a given. We do not "deserve" love, joy, or peace — they are our own nature. They are qualities of our own inner being. Like our true consciousness, they have origins in light, the Divine, the essence of pure goodness. We do not "merit" love, joy, or peace. We do not gain them by "works." They are our own inner nature. We simply need to realize that, and look for that place within us — in our heart — where love, joy, and peace dwell.
How many people have placed the source of love and nurturing in their life somewhere outside of them?
The question you need to answer for yourself is: do you know what true love is? Do you have inner joy, inner peace? Do you have hope in your heart?
If not, where did they go?
What got in the way of love? What got in the way of joy? What got in the way of peace? What got in the way of hope? What got in the way of the Light?
Whatever appears to be in the way of the love of the divine, is not real. Whatever seems to be so troubling, so hurtful, so destructive, so limiting or inhibiting, is ultimately not real. There can be no real barrier between the love of the divine, and you. Yes, there are innumerable things that happen in our lives in this world, which create the appearance of separation from God, or feelings of unworthiness, lack, isolation, fear, and despair. But, those things are far less real than the Reality of the divine. Those things are far less than the true power of love.
Love says, I love you — who you are, despite what you have been through, even if you cannot find it in you to love yourself. I still love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you. Whatever you think has made you unworthy of love, is only illusory. It is temporary, passing. Let it pass. Return to love.
The love of the divine has never left you.
Know that. And live with that spirit of love, always. Ask that whatever may be in the way of love be released. Ask to be free to love and be loved. You are, now. Know that, and live that way.
11. Living with a Spirit of Peace
Most people do not associate inner peace with a state of grace. It is seen as merely turning down the volume of the outer world, the interference, disturbance, stress level, or noise. We seek a quieter state of mind, so that we may hear ourselves think. But, it is more than that. We know that Wisdom speaks to us, in silence, in the quiet recesses of our mind, in our heart and soul. And, we know that this is something we need, on the deepest level of our self.
We need peace. It is not a luxury in our modern lives; it is a necessity.
We need peace, because peace is a quality of spirit — it is who and what we are.
If we seek peace, we seek relief from all of the troubles of life in this world. If we seek peace, we seek grace. Call it by any other name, we seek the spirit of peace because that is connection with our higher self, our spiritual nature, our True Source.
Have you ever had a moment of peace in this world, a moment when you had such a sense of peace that you felt almost free, almost whole, almost complete?
There is a way to practice finding these qualities of living with Grace. You can meditate, pray, and engage in other spiritual practices. What you need to know is that you do not merit grace by the amount of energy, effort, or practice you have. You already merit Grace. Here. Now. You don't have to do anything to prove that you deserve it, or to make yourself ready to enter a state of grace or enlightenment some time in the future; that merely puts off your connection with grace, here, now.
Connect with grace, without any interference from indoctrination, dogma, belief systems, feelings of lack of deservingness, guilt, worry, doubt, or fear. Then — connected with Grace — practice living from Grace.
That may take a bit of practice, because we are no used to doing that. We are used to living within the constraints of the karmic system. We are used to getting by, coping, finding ways to adapt to our worldly lives, expectations, and demands upon us. We are used to compromising who we are, in the world.
There is no need to do that anymore.
Step into Grace, and step out of the karmic system.
Step into Grace, know what that truly means, and practice living in a spirit of peace, love, wisdom, joy, and Light.
Even while you are here, you can practice living as who you truly are. This doesn't require the adoption of illusions, affirming things that are totally unreal, or any attempt to make illusions real. it doesn't require you to prove your state of Grace to the world outside you, not anyone. You simply owe it to yourself to practice being more of who you truly are, recognizing and living with the higher qualities of spirit.
Exercise Three: Whenever you feel the need to bring Grace into your awareness, you can close your eyes, place your right hand over your heart, see or feel yourself surrounded by Light, and mentally say: "I am filled with Light. I am filled with Grace. I am filled with hope. I am filled with joy. I am filled with love. I am filled with peace." If you wish, you can affirm, repeatedly, any one of these, or any combination. Realize, these are the most basic qualities of spirit which you have within you, on the deepest level. They are already there; you simply need to bring them more into conscious awareness. When you are done, you may open your eyes.
This is who you are. This is why you can do it. This is why nothing can keep you from doing it.
Nothing can keep you from being free, here, now.
It's a choice you make. It isn't something you merit, accomplish, control, or create. It isn't a goal. It is what you are, already.
Grace is knowing this, accepting it, and being free.
Grace is immediate. Living with grace may take practice.