Dear readers,

What is a state of grace? What does it feel like? How does one attain it? These were questions that I asked my Higher Self as I sat in my sun drenched backyard around noon on March 29th preparing to write this letter. Moreover, why was I asking these questions?

I think that I asked those questions because whatever a state of grace is, I certainly did not feel that I have been in it for some time. I must admit that the war in Iraq affects me strongly. It is difficult for me to rise above judgment with its attendant heavy emotions when I am aware of the war. It is easy to assign blame and find fault – with both sides and the world in general.

Whatever a state of grace may be, it is definitely not what I have experienced lately – a seeming separation from God, from my fellow humans who have “positions” one way or the other about the war; most everyone with whom I have contact seems to have a “position,” and goodness only knows, I do too. I want to cry out, “What the heck is wrong with everyone? Have we collectively gone crazy?”

That is the human part of who I am. From experience I know that IF I did cry out in print, I would receive mail about how unenlightened I am, how much I am in judgment, how I am not loving, and so on… and the writers of these emails would be correct. Try as much as I can, I cannot completely cease having these emotions and thoughts; I simply cannot. Where is my state of grace?

I don’t know if anyone can perpetually exist in a state of grace. Christ got angry with the moneychangers in front of the temple, and at other times voiced his despair. Yet, he attained a state of grace most of the time. How did he do it? I know first hand of spiritual luminaries who have hundred of thousands of followers, and yet, whose personal lives are in shambles, and who give in to suffering, greed, fear, and judgment. Is anyone immune? I don’t think so.

I started this letter by saying that I asked my Higher Self about this state of grace business. I got answers. These are my answers, and I share them with you in the sense that there is no expectation or need for them to be accepted, adopted, or approved by you. In the most loving sense of the words, I suggest that you, “Go find your own state of grace!” for that is what will work for you. Yours might end up like mine, but at least, you will have found it on your own.

Here is what I learned.

What is my state of grace? – It is allowing whatever is, to be what it is.

What does it feel like? – It is a sense of profound peace and connectedness with everything and everybody from Hussein to Bush and all in between.

How do I get there? – Very simply, I get there by not caring – just accepting. Accepting is not endorsement or validation. For me, accepting is recognition with no intent to change. It is not letting my “but” get in the way. How often do I say or think, “Yes, but…” in response to something someone says or does. It happens a lot.

Caring is having an emotional investment in some outcome. It is having a judgment (albeit usually a benevolent one) about something. There is nothing “wrong, evil, or bad” about caring. I care about a lot of things, and I now know that caring does not put me in state of grace. Caring versus accepting is a difficult distinction. How can I not care? I cannot never “not care,” nor would I want to; however, when I am caring, I am not accepting. Accepting is the key to my state of grace, so sometimes, I care, and sometimes I am in a state of grace. There is that awareness and choice thing again - always choice. Whatever my ratio of choice to grace is, that’s what it is. At least now I know.

You may have been with me until the “How do I get there?” part. I understand and “accept” that heels can get dug in at that point. If so, then I once more lovingly and respectfully suggest, “Go find your own state of grace.” Being critical of my state of grace may hold the key to finding your own.

At times I feel that writing about the topics that I write about here on occasion, my Modest Proposal newsletters, my website, and the PlanetLightworker newsletter, is sticking my neck out to get my head chopped off, and handed to me on a platter, and I have quite a collection of platters! But, you know, since I am in a state of grace right now while writing this letter, I really don’t care.

May you be well and in your own state of grace.