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Accepting Grace



On this coming Thursday, in the U.S. we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Holiday. A special day in the year that is set aside to appreciate our blessings.

Receiving all the myriads of blessings in our lives with joy and gratitude is a powerful and uplifting spiritual practice that can be easily done on a daily basis.

It is easy to be grateful when things are going our way but what about when the events in our life are not to our liking? Accepting our "fate" may feel like defeat and where's the glory in that?

Here are some tips to help you to feel good (and grateful) about your life, even when things are not going well:
  • Take the time to find something in your life that is going well. I found that when I pay attention to the beauty, the peace, the harmony, the quietness, the gentleness, the ease, the spaciousness, the safety, and the love that IS around, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.
  • It is so helpful to remember that we are all worthy to receive grace by virtue of who we truly are: spiritual beings in human form and beloved children of the universe.
  • Think of some of the blessings that other people have brought into your life. Perhaps a stranger offered a kind word of support or comfort during a difficult time, or maybe a friend offered a word of guidance or inspiration that helped take you to a new vantage point. Focus on your heart and visualize a gentle glow in your chest. Feel your heart swell with gratitude as you reflect that all these blessings were offered to you in the spirit of love.
  • Contemplate this possibility: even those whom you have difficulty loving are offering you their love. Maybe it is not the kind of love you want, but it is love the best way they could give you. When you begin to see that all that has ever been offered to you is love, whether or not you like the particular flavor, you will find it easier to accept grace.
  • Use EFT or TAT (or whatever other energy therapy tools that you prefer) to shift your limiting beliefs involving love and worthiness, such as: "Nothing can change for me, I will never be loveable enough, worthy enough or good enough," or "There is nothing in this world that I truly love," or "There is nothing worth loving in this world," etc. You will find yourself in a better-feeling place where you can be open to new perspectives about your situation.
I believe that is the power of grace -- seeing what is already present with new recognition and appreciation. It is a practice of trusting in the abundance of the world around us, and remembering our own true worthiness.
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