Water and Grace are very similar in nature and qualities. Both water and grace are often taken for granted. Both are necessary for your existence, in the absence of one or the other you – the little you or the big you withers. One may drink water and not appreciate the water, in this type of movement much is lost. One may receive grace and not appreciate or notice the grace.
The art of receiving is lost to many. People are rushed, forgotten, neglected, dismissed or ruled out. Consider these examples:
*Leeda experiences her mother’s caring and affection as criticism and smothering. Karla does not always communicate well, mixed in with her caring and affection is worry that Leeda will not live up to her potential. Karla always swore she would have a better life for Leeda. Leeda senses the pushing and is unable to listen past this.
*Jack wants what is best for his family and works long hours. His two young daughters adore him. They try to stay up to see him at the end of the day. They leave cards and drawings for him. Jack sometime stays out later than he needs to just so the house is quiet when he gets home. Of course he loves his daughters, that is why he works so hard, but he experiences their love as demands and he feels he has nothing to give because he is spent.
*Tom grew up with lessons. You can only count on yourself. A real man doesn’t ask for help. Asking for help is a sign of weakness. Don’t trust people they will always disappoint you. Tom is uncomfortable when someone does something nice for him. Tom does not receive well.
*Cynthia and Bob are very different. Cynthia has a list – if you love me you will open up and tell me everything; if you love me you will tell me a lot; if you love me want to spend your free time with me. Bob is a quiet man who loves Cynthia very much. He shows this by his respect. He always does his fair share of all the chores. He listens to her very well and genuinely encourages her to explore her gifts and use her voice. Bob likes to spend time alone wood working, it clears his head. Cynthia misses a lot of Bob’s grace. She feels hurt when he spends time out in the garage alone. People send grace on different channels. People receive grace on only a few channels.
People miss the grace all the time from people around them, it comes in many different forms and yes sometimes, not always a perfect form, but the grace is there!
Also as discussed before the world is a rough and tumble place. People are always bumping into one another. They are distracted, distressed or disturbed a lot. The sharing of good will (grace) is not practiced consistently by enough people.
So you might say there is drought and the longer the drought continues — in peoples’ relationships and their communities, the more likely they are to be distracted, distressed, or disturbed. Right now people are mostly distracted, left unattended to, more will become distressed and disturbed.
The Practice
The Cycle of Grace is similar to the Cycle of Water. Water changes forms and rises from the earth to the clouds and then is returned to the earth. One source of grace is humankind. One way to practice sending and receiving grace is to start with water. Take a moment every time you drink water to appreciate, accept and apprend (French). Appreciate the water you drink, accept the gift of nourishment, be open to learning. More specifically you can — really notice the water you are drinking, thank the earth for the water, and receive the gift of nourishment with a deepening breath. Conclude by saying I am open to learning. Notice how you feel after this small practice. Try this same movement when are washing your hands, taking a shower or bath. Try receiving the nourishment of the water through the pores in your skin.
This is the precursor for developing your capacity further to notice, receive and send grace. This simple practice will begin to attune you to receiving. Begin by looking for opportunities to receive grace. Understand, it is hard when you are tired, worn, distracted to share and receive grace without intention. If the word grace does not resonate with you than select your own word for a quality that exists in the world unencumbered and that nourishes deeply and unconditionally and when needed actively supports healing and taking the next step in growth.
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