A Thanksgiving Visualization Practice: Grace in Motion

When I was a little girl, maybe six or seven, I can recall Thanksgiving gatherings at my grandmother’s house. We would circle up around a large table, covered with savory foods and treats, and grandmother would say, “Grandad, will you give grace?” At that young age, giving grace seemed to represent something like, “pray for others less fortunate, and give thanks for all yummy food we are about to eat,” etc. To my tender mind, Grace was all about getting through that prayer so we could all dig into the big meal!

I don’t think the word Grace began to show up in my life again in a more profound way until I was in my mid-30s. I encountered life-turning events that nearly crippled me: the death of my father, tremendous work stress, relationship struggles, and a bucket of ups and downs related to rearing my two beautiful and wildly energetic children. At that time, a colleague said to me, “Seems like you are living in a state of Grace”. What did that mean? Fast forward to 2024…the world is now overwhelmed with startling changes: recovery from pandemic uncertainties, the elections, global unrest, and even spiritual numbness through the cataclysm of changes occurring during these times. My quest to understand this concept became an expedition, digging for answers. What is Grace?

As I did my research, much of the literature around the concept of Grace was found in Christian mythology. Many texts write about Grace as God’s mercy, God being the giver of such a gift. Some theologists suggest Grace is a perfection of nature, a personal quality that allows us to be friends with God. Other writers tether the concept of Grace to a forgiveness, love, acceptance, and devotion. The more I dug, the more elusive the concept became. An interesting discovery was made, however. Through my exploration it became clear that it was not so important finding the right answer to what Grace meant, but rather knowing how to ask the right question.

Today, while writing this letter to you, my beloved community, I’m looking out my window to an incredible landscape. It has become a ritual for me, at 7am, to grab my coffee and settle in for a short meditation, watching the day unfold. With the absence of rain and the dawning of winter just days away, I find myself eagerly waiting to see the seasons change.

Ironically, on the day I decide to write this message, cloud cover, a hue of cool rainbow fog, edging its way down the valley, arrives! My ears perk and plead for that slight peppering sound of my old friend rain, and suddenly there’s that tapping down roof top, placing dampness on the seat cushions, marooning fog on the hill scape, and making a splash zone of the blue, ceramic fountain bubbling outside my window.

And then, as if on cue, a flock of doves descends on the porch rail right before me, a quiet thunder of wings fluttering as they land. Seems like out of nowhere, this sight unfolds. Not just one or two, but something like 10 to 15 birds lands on my balcony. First the Scout, cocking his head from left to right, surveying the scene for safety, then the Matron, landing on the fountain basin, readying herself of a bath and cool drink of water, head poised and waiting patiently as her flock descends one by one. Each dove quickly submerges in the cool, fountain water spraying about between feathers and soft down layers, a sip or two of water; they each take a turn, until the Scout, finally takes his turn in the bath, and in a great rush, they all flee, hydrated, refreshed and soaring out into the morning air.

I find it ironic, that on the day I choose to sit down and write this message, and after days of waiting for heat to peel back, this whole scene unfolds, as if Grace herself, is there to point me in the right direction. Time to roll up my sleeves for the day, and take hold of the mysteries around me and finally ask my question. And these doves and the quick stop over for a dip seem to be a metaphor for my inquiry. They show up guarded and unsteady, but hopeful. Who knows how far they traveled to find a water source, or what trials and tribulations they faced in flight along the way. I am certain that the Scout knew his job well, and protected that flock with his lookout, laser vision. And the doves landing one by one entrusted their lives to their leaders as they nourished themselves. If Grace was present, it was certainly a mix of risk, beauty, and trust. Risk that they had landed in the wrong pool of water that could spell their demise, and trust, that our cat, Colby, was not out for his usual morning stroll.

It occurred to me, watching these birds taking their calculated risks, that Life really is a series of challenges and triumphs, breathtaking joys sitting alongside cataclysmic change. I think it is here, in this relationship with wild nature colliding with our own human nature that Grace exists, a sort of perfection and state of existence in which we are in balance with pain and joy at the same time. The earth, our world gifting us an outstanding array of beauty, while offering heartbreaking and crushing natural disasters. Somewhere in these juxtaposed experiences, I think hangs the essence of Grace. In Parker Palmer’s words, he speaks of layered earth, layered life paths that have risen and fallen, all revealing important insight along his journey. He writes, “And Spirit cuts through it all, carving out this emptiness so that the inner eye can see the soaring height of canyon walls within”. I think what he is trying to say is that Spirit, or possibly Grace, cuts through all hardened layers, allows what is inside each of us, like deep canyon walls, to be seen. Grace allows our Self to be seen. Palmer is now in his 90’s, sitting with a view of the world that appears to revere the depths of struggle, which ultimately helps us encounter our truest nature.

So, here is where my search for answers turns to better questions. “What does Grace mean for the world today?” Much like those doves – on the lookout and seeking refuge, where is Grace when our nation and perhaps the whole world is emotionally stretched thin? Is there any hope that Grace can hold all the challenges the human species must face? And how would one activate such a state of mind?

Joanna Macy, a 92 year environmental activist, may have an answer. She writes that hope is not a feeling, it is something you do, an action, and in reaction to suffering. She notes that to know the true beauty of the earth, we must know its suffering. Another parallel with holding both the light and the dark, and the outcome of such a state of mind being a calling forward, the action of….Hope. I believe that Grace, natures perfection, is a verb as well, an action to a reaction of suffering. Of tolerating suffering (both our own and others). Offering Grace when in the middle of struggle, letting go and lean into Forgiveness when betrayals arrive, holding space and patience for ourselves when we’ve made mistakes, accepting others who think so very differently than we do. Perhaps this state of action takes the form of turning toward our partners, neighbors, leaders, and global community knowing we can provide for one another, that we each have our own fountain to share for others whether we think or feel in similar ways.

This action, Grace, is missing a lot in our daily activity. How often do we criticize ourselves or put ourselves down without a moment’s hesitation? Seeking a state of Grace, is tough… it requires us to hold and tolerate our own suffering, and not judge ourselves or others.

To be in a State of Grace, I believe we must make room for it. We must take time to move between states of arousal, from moments of darkness and seek moments of light. We must activate Grace within ourselves by connecting with our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. We must pause our automatic thoughts when readying ourselves to react or argue and seek curiosity when encountering an opposing point of view. We must feel it through forgiveness, compassion, hope, and love. We must sense it in our environment, the coastal clouds that cool our valley, scented in pine branches. To activate a State of Grace I believe you must connect with your highest Self, The Self that is not your thoughts, feelings or sensations, but rather the observer of those experiences.

Think about your own life and walk with me through a short visualization. This is a type of journey aiming to contact moments where you felt perhaps a little lost, betrayed, embarrassed with mistakes made, and yet came through it with some form of hope, forgiveness or freedom from pain. Think of a time you struggled and let the image form in your mind.

Take a breath. Feel the cushioned seat around you and draw in another breath. Settle in and allow thoughts to float away giving yourself a minute to be present. As you focus on your steady inhale and exhale, I invite you to drift back in time, to a memory of yourself as a teenager when you experienced a minor challenge or struggle, one in which you were able to overcome or find victory despite the struggle. This could be with a friend, or at school, or with your parents. Notice yourself, this teenage Self, notice the scene, your body language, the sights and sound around you as you see the struggle unfold. Notice feelings that might surge, sensations that flow around you. And at the same time, notice how you overcame that experience, how your Self recovered from unpleasant moments and perhaps found compassion.

Now, imagine yourself as you were about one year ago, encountering an experience in which you felt betrayed, helpless or insecure, and yet somehow made it through. Notice the environment around you, the sounds, notice your own body, facial expressions, and feelings. As you notice yourself, observe feelings that come in as you encounter yourself one year ago. Maybe you notice yourself bumping into this struggle with this person or situation. Maybe you notice a pause between hardship and healing.

And then finally, see if you can float back to you as a toddler. There you are, looking out into a world that is strange and new. Maybe an image comes to mind of disappointment, joy, or worry. Take a breath as you see your young Self trying to make sense of the space around you and notice how your Self explores and gains a sense of safety. Notice your Beautiful Self, perfect and ready for the world, open to all that is.

With this next breath, come home to yourself right now. Right in this moment. Bring with you all aspect of your visual journey. Notice, you are You at each of these points. Your baby Self, your adolescent Self, and your adult Self. All One in the same, The same Self that transcends time and space. Your ability to face heartache or pain transcends the mind as you have overcome struggle and as the Self learned courage, forgiveness, compassion and even a state of Grace.

Each person reading this message is now in the presence of one another. We each traveled to different memories and bumped into an assortment of feelings that we all experienced separately, yet together. I hope you will allow all aspects of yourself to show up now, with whatever is present. This second in time is your Grace in Motion, this moment your potential link toward the highest Self that has been in constant movement up until this very second, traveling with you, gracefully at each point on your path. Know this part of you and claim it, the part that will be an active participant in your life, helping you make decisions with meaning, and allowing a kind of gentleness toward the people and world around you.

Despite all that we are facing, the joys and the sorrows, Grace is the container, and catalyst for Wellbeing. In Grace, we have that knowing, “everything will be okay again”. It is that connection that binds us together though peace and acceptance of our common, truest nature.

Wishing you an abundance of love and grace, today and always.

Linnea